[morzh]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/emerson-tube-rad...2ec932392f

I do not know the model. The auction does not list it.
The sole reason I found this I wanted to know what the radio would go for and what model it is, but only got the similar radio with no info.

The story is: a colleague of mine, an old engineer, brought today a radio that belongs to his daughter.
He was wondering if I would entertain the thaught of restoring it for her - he no longer has the place to do that kinds of things.

The radio except the grillwork looks the same, it is a 7-tuber, looks like it is from 30-s. An Emerson. The model # was not written anywhere.

The cabinet has seen better days, is smeared with poorly brushed on laquer and has a large white paint spot, probably a spill.
The grillcloth is ripped in two places. Could be salvaged but probably better of being replaced.
The power chord.....has no iunsulation, two bare wires intertwined. The plug is still there though.
The chassis is clean though. The tuning knob does not move either the cap or the pointer. And there is no dial string, so probably the set screw, though the knob does not come off.
The dial seems to be good, the dial cover is yellowish which is normal for ageing.

Speaker seems to be intact.

The radio was repaired in 1950 as I see a pencil not on the chassis to that effect. I wonder how the chord got that bad since, inless it was burned and the insulation just came off.
---------
So, I told the guy that even though I'd do that for free, the parts could potentially go into over a hundred bucks worst case, and about 50 on average (has been mhyh experience). Worst case includes but not limited to: bad output transformer, bad power transformer and such.

So, I says, let her think if she wants to put this kind of money into a bad looking radio. And I could take on it to make it my learning cabinet restoration project but then the outcome of it is a tossup.

Meantime, since it is always a question of "how much would it be worth if properly restored", so:

1. What is it worth when properly restored?
2. What model is it?

Anyone has experience with these?

Nothing urgent but I'm just interested.

[BrendaAnnD]

Looks like this one:

http://www.radioatticarchives.com/radio.htm?radio=7302

[morzh]

Brenda,

Thanks, yes seems like the one. I am sure the difference in grillwork is a variant and not a real model change. The chassis looks the same.

[Arran]

Some of those natural rubber covered cords do get that bad, I've had a few sets where someone coiled the cord up and stuffed it inside the cabinet where it became a petrified lump that you couldn't unwind it without the rubber shattering into pieces. In any event that's pretty minor, but step number one before giving a repair estimate is to ohm out the power transformer, output transformer, speaker field (in an electrodynamic) and all of the coils. Sometimes you don't even have to do that, the smell of a broiled power transformer is unmistakable, even if it burned up years ago it will still stink. and have left blobs of melted tar everywhere. These are just some insurance policies I have against getting stuck with someone else's radio, if there is a major expense it's best that everyone knows up front.
Regards
Arran

[morzh]

Arran

yes those are good precautions in any case.
I will not get stuck with it as there is an understanding that I, should I agree to restore it, will not be charging for the job, but all direct expenditures will be out of their pockets. But of course would not make sense to start buying caps and chords and what not if there is something really expensive blown up and you are not willing to spend this much, so potential money pits should be investigated in advance, sure.

[morzh]

Brenda

I just looked at the model K-121 sch, it's 5-tuber, but the one we have (my colleague counted the tubes), as I remember, had 7 tubes.
Maybe he miscounted

Oh, just remembered - it had 49m shortwave foreig, so the frequency should have gone to 60+MHz, and this has only police besides the standard.

So yes - the cabinet's the same.
Speaking of which, the one on eBay is also Standard-Police only.

[Phlogiston]

It is an Ingraham cabinet:

   

[morzh]

Phlogiston

Not sure what you pointed to, but there is nothing there that is an Ingraham cabinet. You link just takes me to the homepage.

[Phlogiston]

An Emerson K-121 like the one I have pictured above is an Ingraham Cabinet. The one above still has the tag on the back.

[Arran]

Not that it really matters if it was made by Ingraham or not, it's somewhat less then an inspired design. I must have at least a 1/2 dozen radios in my collection that have cabinets of roughly the same shape and layout with a few differences like the speaker grill and dial.
Regards
Arran

[morzh]

Well, I agree, it is not your Excelsior when it comes to the esthetics, but then so are most radios, including most Philcos (please don't kick me too hard).

Then again that all does not matter as the person has the radio and thinks of restoration; it is not as if she has to buy it first.

And it does look nice enough when restored properly.

[Phlogiston]

And if she ever sells it on PayBay she can ask for bonus bucks because it is a Ingraham cabinet, --and you did ask what it was worth.

[morzh]

What makes it an Ingraham cabinet and how is it a plus?

[Phlogiston]

Well, the one I pictured above still has the Ingraham tag on the back. So it goes to reason that those cabinets were made by them. Several of the Emerson radios of that time came with cabinets mad by that company.

The answer to the 2nd part of your question is like what make a Walton(s) so valuable. Some people will pay more for them. So much so that people often claim that a cabinet is made by Ingraham when it is not. Personally, I don't know why.

[Arran]

It has more to do with the styling of some Ingraham made cabinets then the name, at the same time Ingraham also made some Emerson cabinets that were only mildly more interesting then a packing crate. Before Mark Steins books came out nobody talked about Emerson aside from their Catalin models, and nobody talked about Ingraham either. Ingraham was a cheap clock company that made cabinets for a cheap radio company basically, you won't find an Emerson equivalent of that 38-116 of yours for example. As for a brand Z Walton set, well there was the TV show that featured one as a prop but I suspect the styling combined with the shutter dial also had a lot to do with it.
Regards
Arran