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Philco 51-1731 - Printable Version

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Philco 51-1731 - jsaxe - 09-08-2007

For the longest time I have been trying to retro-identify the Philco console that made the rounds of my extended family throughout the 1950's and early 60's.

I believe I've found it's closest cousin, the 51-1751, as shown in the picture here: http://radioatticarchives.com/radio.php?radio=2169, only the cabinet was not mahogany colored but blonde, like bleached oak. The knobs were clear, uncolored plastic in a plain cylindrical shape with brass colored brights. Cabinet hardware was bronze in the style shown.

My family acquired this unit sometime between 1953 and 1958, and I recall that it was banished to the dining room when we got our first TV around 1954-5, but was the daily driver for many years. My family moved to another house in 1958, and I remember that my mom had a huge collection of great jazz 78's that she kept in special cases. We kids were allowed to play dopey novelty 78's like "Too Fat Polka" I also recall playing 45's and LP's on it (My brother and I were big Johnny Horton fans, and the first record I ever bought, a 45 of James Darren's "Goodbye Cruel World" in 1961). I don't believe the FM band was ever used because there were no stations in our area at the time.

I'm not looking for one of these, just curious to know if anyone has one, had one pass through his hands/life, and would like to know if there was a separate model in the blonde finish or if there was a choice of finishes at the time it was manufactured.

(Ron, if this is not appropriate for this forum, please feel free to move it somewhere else)

- Ron Ramirez - 09-08-2007

jsaxe - no worries, your topic is most appropriate for this section. Icon_smile

I have some photos of 1951 Philco models. I do not have photos of the entire 1951 lineup, but do have illustrations of most of the table models and a few of the consoles. And I do not have a photo of yours - sorry!

- Guest - 09-09-2007

jsaxe,

I've got one of those consoles, the standard finish 51-1751 anyway. A pretty good sounding radio with AM and FM. Sorry, no idea if different finishes were offered.

Chris

- Guest - 10-06-2007

I have a 1951 model 51-1730 but it's just AM. It looks almost identical to yours but it is Mahogany color. Never seen a blonde one. I got mine through my uncle, it was his wife's father's when she was young. In the process of refinishing it but can't find the right cloth for it.

RE: Philco 51-1731 - Scott_Fraser - 11-03-2013

I've got a 51-1731 (AM/FM/Phono) that works. The veneer is pretty beat-up, the wooden edging is almost down to the bare wood and there aren't any labels over the control knobs.

[Image: http://www.scottssweaters.com/images/personal/philco/radio1-front.JPG]

There's a brand new left over sheet of mahogany veneer laying around my shop, and I was thinking of simply applying this new veneer over the old and bringing it a nice new luster.

Questions:

1. In the world of radio restoration, would it be considered sacrilegious to replace the old veneer with new?

2. If anyone has a closeup showing the control knob labels, it'd be helpful to know what they said and how these labels were applied.

[Image: http://www.scottssweaters.com/images/personal/philco/radio3_dial.JPG]

3. As I began to break-it-down, it seems the interior shelves are supported by wooden brace board that were glued to the side panels. So I'm thinking I'd need to break these bonds to disassemble the side and top panels. Does this sound about right?

[Image: http://www.scottssweaters.com/images/personal/philco/radio6_back_open.JPG]

4. On the slide-out phonograph, opposite the playing arm, there's a pivoting arm atop a mount. My best guess is that this arm applied pressure to stacked records as they were waiting to drop, thereby keeping them from flopping around. Is this guess anything close to accurate?

[Image: http://www.scottssweaters.com/images/personal/philco/radio4a_photo_CU.JPG]

5. Any idea how these wooden trim board around the front were finished originally. They seem to have a deep mahogany color paint that's since mostly fallen away. Yet I have no idea if this is how these trim boards were originally finished, or this is something applied later.

[Image: http://www.scottssweaters.com/images/personal/philco/radio1-front2.JPG]

5. The tag notes not only the model number, but "Code 121" as well. I'm curious what this code indicates.

[Image: http://www.scottssweaters.com/images/personal/philco/radio5_mrg-lbael.JPG]

Thanks,

Scott

RE: Philco 51-1731 - Scott_Fraser - 11-03-2013

On the two vertical solid wood trim pieces along either side of the drop-down door... near the top of these trim pieces there are two narrow bands that appear a goldish color in a phone I found online.

Anyone know if these bands were painted gold or gilded or whatever?

RE: Philco 51-1731 - klondike98 - 11-03-2013

Lots of questions Scott, the one I can answer is Code 121 is the "version" code. 121 is the first version of the model.

RE: Philco 51-1731 - Scott_Fraser - 11-03-2013

OK... that's nice to know.

I've already answered the break-down question. Indeed, they used a lot of glue to attach those veneer panels to the framework, along with a smattering of wood screws.

Had to separate those bonds using a putty knife and a hammer.

Scott

RE: Philco 51-1731 - Scott_Fraser - 11-04-2013

I've identified most of the control knob ID questions, except three:

1. The third knob in from the left seems to read: "__ - FM - PM" I can't read the first two characters. It looks a little like "3G," but I doubt it. In this position I'd be expecting to see "AM." While I can't read what it says, it certainly doesn't look like "AM."

2. With the same control knob, the last position appears to be "PM." I'm assuming that was for the phonograph, but why "PM" and not "PN" or something more representative of "phonograph, given that there's no "m" in "phonograph?"

3. The first knob is "Off - On - Tone." What function did the tone position perform?

RE: Philco 51-1731 - Ron Ramirez - 11-04-2013

1. What you are seeing is, most likely, BC - FM - PH. Where BC = Broadcast, short for "standard broadcast" - what we now call simply AM.

2. See above, plus I really doubt it says PM - may be difficult to read, but I really believe it says PH (for Phono or Phonograph).

3. Not to be a smart aleck, but it functioned as a tone control. In other words, it would make the brights appear to be brighter or the low tones seem to be lower, depending upon its setting. It didn't actually boost anything - it made the high notes seem higher by cutting the bass, and made the low notes seem lower by cutting treble.

RE: Philco 51-1731 - Scott_Fraser - 11-04-2013

OK, thanks.

Ahh... "BC" I can see that. Just hadn't ever heard that term before in reference to AM. (Learn something new every day.)

I'm guessing the tone would have been used to switch back and forth while listening to either music or speech, for whatever was the most suitable tone.

When I put the supposed "PM" under a magnifying glass... all I can see the vertical sides of that letter, so it probably is an "H" as opposed to an "M."

Thanks Ron.