[Groundhog74]

My friend beat me to it.....

Out radio hunting last weekend (the wives call it antiquing). Found a few but nothing that really blew my skirt up. The very last place we went into, just before closing, had a radio in the window, back facing out. The wife says "hey there's one". Being a gentleman, I held the door and let my friend in first and he immediately grabbed onto it. I didn't get a chance to see it at first as he was almost hugging the thing. According to the antique tv shows the unwritten rule is "he who touches it first". Turns out it was a Zenith S-829 chrome front tombstone. It is the "S" version with shortwave which I understand is even rarer. It was in "good to very good" condition (sorry no pics). Some minor pitting in the chrome, and someone had tried to refinish the cabinet at some point. But all the knobs were there and overall it looked really good. Price tag said 60 bucks! Since he got there first I stood back and observed, he had already spent some bucks on two other radios that week so I was kinda hoping his wife would tell him he had already spent enough and put the squash on any more buys, then I could snag it. No such luck. He got it for $55.00. We checked the tubes, one is weak the rest are good. But it does not receive, just buzzes. Anyone have more info or thoughts on this set? It seems to be a fairly rare model. Are they pretty desireable? What would one of thse be worth restored and working? The few I've seen on the net look to be up there in price. I have a sad feeling that I missed a real gem. Good for my friend though. Win some, lose some.
Signed....kicking myself in the butt for being a nice guy.

[jontz]

As my grandfather said many times, it's worth what someone will pay you for it. Honestly I don't know what they are going for but any brand Z that is somewhat rare will bring a decent amount of money. I have 5-S-319, which isn't as desirable, and I've seen them go for north of $300 restored.

Where are you located in Indiana? I am way up North central, a little bit east of South Bend. The antique shops up here seem to be radio deserts.

[Groundhog74]

I'm just outside of Kokomo. I have noticed the scarcity of radios as well. Found a few in Lafayette the other day, and a few in the Richmond area. Prices are high though. Plus, I'm one of those DOD employees facing a possible furlough....20% pay cut for up to 6 months. Gotta hold off until we see what those fine leaders of ours in D.C. come up with...if anything.

[Eliot Ness]

Yeah, you missed out on a very good deal for that chrome grille set.... those are very desirable. Not sure I'd go radio hunting with that 'friend' again

That is a dilemma you face when two or more collectors are out hunting together. Most of my buddies and I would be pretty civil about it and alternate who got first dibs. Without being there it's hard to make a judgment call, but since your wife spotted the radio I would have felt obliged to give you first refusal.

I used to go to flea markets with one friend who always paced himself a foot or two in front of me so he could beat me to any good stuff we found. I would finally sneak off and go down isles by myself and that drove him nuts

[TA Forbes]

Zut-alors!!!!!!

That chrome-front Zenith is EASILY worth ten-times what your bud paid for it.

In fact, I have seen them go for over 1000 dollars.