01-06-2013, 07:08 PM
Here's another one I recently picked up, an RCA Radiola 80 console from around 1930. This is an AC operated, dual chassis superhet that looks complete internally; but, has a fair amount of veneer damage. When I first saw it at the flea market; they wanted $185 for it and that wasn't going to happen. After it sat awhile, I was able to get them down to $85. That was a little more than I wanted to pay; but, the owner said that she was going to paint the cabinet, to attract the young crowd, if it didn't sell. The first thought that came to mind was, "This thing is in sad enough shape as it is without you glopping white, green, or yellow paint on it; so, here's $85 and let me take this home before you totally ruin it".
At the same flea market where I got this radio, another vendor had a decent looking Crosley AA5 radio/78 rpm phono combination. He had $45 on it; but, offered it to me for $25. I turned it down because I have a similar model. Several weeks passed and I went back to find that he had done a rather poor white "antiquing" job on the cabinet! I looked at the thing for several weeks and finally decided to buy it before he decided to do anything else drastic to it. Then, I gave the seller a royal chewing out about painting radios.
Speaking of painting, another flea market vendor painted green a once nice looking Telefunken console hi-fi from the late '50's. I told her that whatever value it had was lost when she painted the whole thing green and that I probably would have bought it had she left the finish alone.
Here's a video of the radios, along with some pictures:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA1ip9fazjk
[Image: http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff341...ola002.jpg]
[Image: http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff341...ola001.jpg]
[Image: http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff341...ola003.jpg]
At the same flea market where I got this radio, another vendor had a decent looking Crosley AA5 radio/78 rpm phono combination. He had $45 on it; but, offered it to me for $25. I turned it down because I have a similar model. Several weeks passed and I went back to find that he had done a rather poor white "antiquing" job on the cabinet! I looked at the thing for several weeks and finally decided to buy it before he decided to do anything else drastic to it. Then, I gave the seller a royal chewing out about painting radios.
Speaking of painting, another flea market vendor painted green a once nice looking Telefunken console hi-fi from the late '50's. I told her that whatever value it had was lost when she painted the whole thing green and that I probably would have bought it had she left the finish alone.
Here's a video of the radios, along with some pictures:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA1ip9fazjk
[Image: http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff341...ola002.jpg]
[Image: http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff341...ola001.jpg]
[Image: http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff341...ola003.jpg]
