Magnavox Console, Nice Furniture.
- Thread starter JonL
- Start date
Looks like an attractive piece of late 40s mid-century furniture. Probably no earlier than '48, as it only has one FM band. Quite a few early post-war FM radios had both pre-war and post-war FM bands, as no one was exactly sure what the FCC was going to do yet.
Scuzzer
Fixed Bias
But there's not enough stuff on that chassis for an AM/FM tuner and an amp. Where's the wire bundle go that drops off the bottom of the picture?
Phototone
Super Member
Sure there is. I've got a AM/FM Phono Zenith console from the same Period that has an even smaller chassis. I would like to point out that it appears the output transformer for the speaker is mounted ON the speaker, a common practice, with field coil speakers. This might be a wee-bit earlier than 1948, as the turntable appears to be a single speed 78 rpm only model.
I see 33 1/3 in picture :yes:
TheRed1
Console Conservationist
That's a tough one. I looked through my Magnavox ads and didn't find any with cabinets quite like that. I don't have a lot of ads from the late 40s so I am leaning in that direction. The early 50s "Modern" cabinets don't have quite the clean lines and simplicity of your cabinet. The square drawer pull is common on "Modern" cabinets but I haven't run across any with 4 configured the way yours are. It appears to have 4 separate doors - is that the case or do the left and right sides open in one piece? All of the early 50s Magnavoxes in the ads appear to have one-piece doors. I like it - it reminds me of cooljjay's 1950 Fisher Allegro: it's got that Art Deco/1920s vibe.
I've seen some Magnavox cabinets from that period that had a nice metal plaque that identified the model. Some Magnavox model names from that period to look for:
American
Avenue
Belevedere
Berkeley
Berkshire
Concertmaster
Concerto
Hepplewhite
Mayfair
Regency
Savoy
Traditional
Wedgewood
Hold on, I just found a 1948 model, the 'Mayfair', with 4 draw pulls like yours. It's not in the 'Modern' style but that may have also been available. So perhaps yours is a 1948 Mayfair. That's just a guess, though.
I've seen some Magnavox cabinets from that period that had a nice metal plaque that identified the model. Some Magnavox model names from that period to look for:
American
Avenue
Belevedere
Berkeley
Berkshire
Concertmaster
Concerto
Hepplewhite
Mayfair
Regency
Savoy
Traditional
Wedgewood
Hold on, I just found a 1948 model, the 'Mayfair', with 4 draw pulls like yours. It's not in the 'Modern' style but that may have also been available. So perhaps yours is a 1948 Mayfair. That's just a guess, though.
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I'm getting pretty good at this, I nailed the model year based on features and cabinet style.
Wow, lots of activity here since I checked in last...
I just picked up the console. I'm not sure where I'm going to put it just yet. I can probably fit it in my apartment, but it may go into storage at my workplace (I am lucky to have a corner of a warehouse set aside for my mania, including a place for my band to play when it's warm enough).
It's still in the truck, I'll go have a look for nametags, etc. It is a bit rougher than I remembered. One of the door pulls has some of its edges broken off, and one leg is missing a little piece that has split off. Not horrible, though. As to the doors, as I recall the right side opens as one door to reveal the tuner on top and the speaker on bottom. The left side bottom half opens for storage, and the left side lid opens to reveal the turntable.
I'm toying with a few thoughts about it... I can fit it in my apartment where I desperately need more storage. I'm thinking that if I can remove the turntable and speaker without damaging the components or cabinetry, I may try to turn it into primarily a storage unit and fix up the electronics to use the AM radio section, perhaps through the original speaker but mounted remotely. Its style would actually appeal tremendously to my ex-wife, and it would look great in my former home where she still lives. I wouldn't mind at all giving it to her except that she hates my guts so much that she wouldn't be able to appreciate it anyway.
I can't ask directly in this thread, but anyone know where I can look for an idea of value?
I just picked up the console. I'm not sure where I'm going to put it just yet. I can probably fit it in my apartment, but it may go into storage at my workplace (I am lucky to have a corner of a warehouse set aside for my mania, including a place for my band to play when it's warm enough).
It's still in the truck, I'll go have a look for nametags, etc. It is a bit rougher than I remembered. One of the door pulls has some of its edges broken off, and one leg is missing a little piece that has split off. Not horrible, though. As to the doors, as I recall the right side opens as one door to reveal the tuner on top and the speaker on bottom. The left side bottom half opens for storage, and the left side lid opens to reveal the turntable.
I'm toying with a few thoughts about it... I can fit it in my apartment where I desperately need more storage. I'm thinking that if I can remove the turntable and speaker without damaging the components or cabinetry, I may try to turn it into primarily a storage unit and fix up the electronics to use the AM radio section, perhaps through the original speaker but mounted remotely. Its style would actually appeal tremendously to my ex-wife, and it would look great in my former home where she still lives. I wouldn't mind at all giving it to her except that she hates my guts so much that she wouldn't be able to appreciate it anyway.
I can't ask directly in this thread, but anyone know where I can look for an idea of value?
http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...kohAAAAIBAJ&sjid=foEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1134,2872466
$219.00 Schenectady Gazette Nov. 17, 1947
$219.00 Schenectady Gazette Nov. 17, 1947
