[Linda@Mayaluga.com]

My husband and I bought our home in 1992 from the original owner. The house was built in 1940, and the elderly woman sold us a Philco 41 300. I believe they purchased this new to furnish their new home, and that it has never been moved from its current location in our living room, except when we repainted the room.

Its cabinet appears to be in excellent condition to my eye, with no nicks or water marks or other flaws. I believe the unit has all the original Philco tubes - they're definitely all Philco tubes. If any were replaced, it was done prior to our purchase in 1992. It doesn't work, but we've always just liked it as a conversation piece, and never got around to trying to find the problem. A close examination of the back indicates something may have oozed out of one of the capacitors (condensors?).

We are now selling the home, and our buyer has expressed interest in keeping the radio for sentimental reasons. I have questions:

--- What would be a fair price for us to ask of the new buyer?

--- If we wanted to sell this, where would be a good place to go to get the best price?

--- We are in Illinois, and would be concerned about shipping this piece because we aren't sure how delicate the tubes are. Do you have experience shipping this type of thing? If so, can you give us some pointers?

Thank you in advance for your consideration. We'd love it if the new owners of our home wanted to keep the radio for sentimental reasons, but are interested in finding it a good home where it will be appreciated otherwise.

[Ron Ramirez]

Hi

Since you are seeking a value for your set and this is not an actual "for sale" ad, I moved the thread to Philco Home Radios where it will (hopefully) attract more attention and replies. I am also deleting your other, identical thread in Items for Sale Online since the rules prohibit starting multiple threads on the same subject.

I'll let others comment on the value of your set, but if the new owner wants to keep the radio as a permanent part of the home, I hope you can work it out so that they can do so.

Shipping a console radio the right way, if you are not set up to properly package a console radio, is very expensive but it can be done. I won't even mention how much $$$ Craters and Freighters charged me to have my Scott Philharmonic shipped from Kansas to Indiana. And then I had to have it shipped to a business with a loading dock. Fortunately, the place where I work has one, and I have understanding bosses who not only allowed the radio to be shipped to work, but also let me borrow a truck to take it home.

Now, shipping an E.H. Scott Philharmonic is one thing; shipping a Philco 41-300 is another. Not very many people would be willing to spend several hundred dollars to ship a radio that is not a really valuable set like yours. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that's just the realities of the collecting world. Again, it would probably be best if the radio can stay with the house if the new owners really want it.

Good luck!

[Art Hoch]

I agree with Ron. Tubes should be removed, individually wrapped for shipment. Chassis and speaker should be removed and packed separately from the cabinet. By the time you do that, total packing and shipping costs would probably be at least double (or more) the amount you could expect for the radio. Unless you got the buyer to pay for all that, you'd be in the hole. As suggested on another forum, try to sell it to the buyer of your house.

[Arran]

There are more economical means of shipping a console radio, Greyhound bus being one, but for the most part a console radio is a pick up only item best sold locally. Generally speaking 1940s console radios don't tend to be as collectable, or worth as much, as something older. The 41-300 is actually a good radio, it has 12 tubes, AM broadcast, and three shortwave bands.
Even though the example you have is in good cosmetic shape it's still as is and unrestored electronically, it may be worth between maybe $60 at the low end and at the most $150 to the right buyer, in the Mid West probably less. The electronic restoration is the more difficult and expensive part and this can't be overstated with one of these models. In all honesty if the party buying your house wants it I would just throw it in with the deal as long as he doesn't have plans to butcher it or anything. But give the new owner our contact information if he is interested in restoring this set.
Regards
Arran

[klondike98]

Linda, if your home buyer is not interested in the radio you might try contacting the Antique RAdio Club of Illlinois to see if someone there would be interested; see http://www.antique-radios.org/ especially if you are near the Chicago area. You could also list in craigslist in your local area.