[JimZ]

I happened to notice a nice one for sale and in searching I discovered that Radio Museum notes a Walnut version. News to me because everything Ive ever read suggests two versions: White and Black/Ebony. I reasoned either Philco used up some leftover cabinets from prior years or someone stripped a white version and found a walnut colored cabinet underneath. Any of you know what was typical with these sets? Ive even heard about a white model from prior years having a black case underneath the white paint....which surprised me.
Here is the blurb from RM so you see what I mean. They mention E as the designation for Walnut and that's contrary to what Ive understood.

http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/philco_49_900.html

And thanks. I was simply curious.

[Ron Ramirez]

Philco did produce a mottled brown (walnut) version in 1949, contrary to what I wrote in the Philcoradio.com Gallery.

http://www.philcoradio.com/gallery/1949.htm#n

Some of the brown/walnut models are very dark, close to Ebony but not quite so.

I'll have to correct that...don't know when because, frankly, I have other priorities right now and the website isn't one of them.

The "E" would indicate Ebony, not Walnut. "I" indicates Ivory. I am not aware of the walnut version having a suffix letter but I will look into this, this weekend.

I would like to add an ebony 49-900 to my collection, but most of the ones I see on eBay end up going for much more than I care to spend on one of these sets.

[JimZ]

Thanks for all that. Appreciate it! I saw a nice black one just listed at Ebay and while looking...well you know how it goes. I saw a couple of mottled brown examples from 49 with replacement rear covers and I figured..a white one with paint removed. Nice to know there are indeed brown examples and maybe Philco used up leftover cabinets that way if nothing else.

[Ron Ramirez]

Entirely possible. Philco was notorious for using up unused parts, even to the extent of making up very limited run Phactory Phranken-Philcos, especially in the 1932-34 era. I have two of those, and both are grandfather clocks - one has a 52 chassis, the other has an 89 (!) chassis.

Oh, I saw the 49-900 on eBay you are referring to, but I thought it looked more dark brown than ebony even though the seller calls it ebony. In any event, I won't be competing against you if you decide to go for it.

[JimZ]

Nah. Ive got one from years back that I didn't need a second mortgage to buy. Man these things can get pricey when in good shape.

[Arran]

Keep hunting, those hippo sets are very common, if you see one on fleabay with a high three bill price, and a ridiculous number of bids there is a very good chance that it's being marketed by one of the infamous scam sellers with a shill bid team. Not that unrestored ones sold by more random sellers, without the team of shills bidding up the price, rarely go above the $50 mark and restored ones rarely over $100. I have two of these, both are Canadian versions, one is from 1946, the other from 1948. They were in production for four years with various circuit changes according to code number I would like to find an example of one of the successor models with the large rainbow shaped dial in the top.
Regards
Arran