[Scott D]

Hi folks,

Here is my newest acquisition.  Can you all help me date this 44B?  I don't see it in the photo gallery.  It uses a different cabinet than the two other 44Bs I have seen.  What year is it?  

I have heard it called a clamshell cathedral.  Anyone have a different name?

It is different from the 144B clamshell I have.  Different escutcheon and knobs.   

It seems to fit the "Philco for 1935 (June 1934)" category era.  Am I right?

Ron?

[Ron Ramirez]

It's a 144B, but the escutcheon isn't right? I wonder if it is a very early production model that used a leftover 1933-34 Model 16 escutcheon?

[OldRestorer]

Replaced Escutcheon. You can actually see the other escutcheon outline behind the new escutcheon..

[Ron Ramirez]

Wow, good eye, Kirk. I still don't see it.

Which would mean that, someone also put the wrong knobs on it as well.

[Scott D]

Huh.  Maybe it's my bad photography.  I realized it is the pretty much the same at the 144B clamshell I have at home.  The left one what I just found and is at my office.  (I know, I should bring it home and compare...)

The stitched together photo shows the two and their differences.

I've noticed on the left one has a layer of what may be tar from cigarettes, cigars on the face of the cabinet.  Maybe it's just old and has a lot of wear on the finish.  Check out the tuning knob - a lot of wear around it  The knobs and escutcheon are different than the other 144B. 

Maybe they were switched out... or, did Philco vary the escutcheon and knobs on this model to suit the taste of the buyer?  The escutcheon sure looks original to me...

Could the rosette knobs indicate a 44B and the hex knobs a 144B?  What do you all think?

[Kenneth F. Besso Jr.]

END of the RUN,,,ran out,,,used NEW stuff ????

[Ron Ramirez]

I suggest you carefully remove the escutcheon, take some close-up photos of the hole where the escutcheon mounts, and post them here. That will allow me to tell you whether or not it left the factory with the older escutcheon.

[Scott D]

Sounds good Ron. I will post pictures when I do so. Thanks!

[Scott D]

Okay, here are the pictures with the escutcheon removed.  

Was it factory or customer/collector???

The cuts in the cabinet to fit this particular escutcheon are not fresh. It was done some time ago.

[Ron Ramirez]

There's your answer - some "collector" took a pocket knife and widened the hole just enough to make the older (1933-34) Model 16 escutcheon fit.

There are even two sets of screw holes visible - obviously one set for the proper escutcheon, and one set for the older, incorrect one.

Had this been done at the factory, the hole would have been hexagonal as were the original holes for the older Model 16 escutcheons.

[Scott D]

Good enough. Thanks. I'm always grateful to learn from other's vast base of knowledge.

[Steve Davis]

Scott, want to trade?

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4465/3682...9712_k.jpg]109_0528 by Steve Davis, on Flickr

Steve

[Scott D]

Hi Steve. I don't know. I'm afraid the top hole might show now. I will have to see how my other 144B escutcheon fits. I will let you know. Thanks.

[Steve Davis]

It probably wouldn't cover the extra hole. It was just a thought.

Steve

[Ron Ramirez]

Why not take the escutcheon off your other 144B and see how it fits on the set with the older escutcheon? Then you will know whether it covers the hole, or not. Just a thought.