1948 RCA Television Console

Of all the antique Televisions, I chose to focus on this one because it is the first model our family grew up with starting around 1950. This is a 1952 photo of our family's first TV set. It is an RCA console (model unknown) with AM/FM tuner 78 RPM record changer under the lid above the radio. My brother, Bob (2 years old), is at the controls. My other brother, Tony, and Sister, Kathy are in the foreground. I remember watching the Howdy Doody Show with Buffalo Bob Smith. I also remember the set, as did many of the sets of that vintage, had a pilot light mounted in thebottom in the center. It seemed that once it blew out, no one ever replaced it again. Sometimes, the bulb socket would pop out and hang down to the floor from its wires. I believe this television was given to us by our maternal Grandfather. He had another set just like it at his home. I remember the record changer was riddled with problems, often getting jammed and putting out a ticka-ticka-ticka noise while it was stuck in some mechanical loop oscillation. Looking closely at the screen, one can notice that the wood is "scored" square around the screen as part of the design. This was actually a punch out piece. Later, that piece was popped out and a newer, larger screen was inserted as a planned upgrade to the set.

Closups

View of 78 RPM record changer on the top right surface of the console.

Tone arm and Auto/Reject/Manual lever, which starts the changer sequence or permits manual operation.	These two device, on opposite sides of the turntable, held up the stack of records and worked together to drop one record at a time when the last one was finished and the tone arm had moved out of the way. They could be turned to accomodate two size records.

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