Because you are likely not to see another anytime soon;
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Regency ... 20c4825795

The radio should fetch at minimum $1500, and will prolly go for much more.

That's a right purty color!

Yup, and it'll fetch a right purty price!

That is nice

I've never seen it in that color. Quintessential 1950's! The final bid on this one is going to be interesting.

Sweet - gonna have to put this on my watchlist for sure!

~ Mitch ~

The only other light blue pearlescent TR-1 I saw for sale on Ebay went for about $4000
(mind you that was about six or seven years ago and times have changed) but I'm pretty certain this one will fetch
close to $3000
This color is extremely rare and this particular example is in excellent condition.

I'm guessing around $2400.

I really don't understand Fanatical Transistor Radio Collector Guy. Someone should study their brains when they die.

Yes, transistor radio collectors are as much a mystery as tube radio collectors
I started in this hobby as a tube radio guy then figured (as space became an issue)
that pocket radios were far more "sensible" .......man, was I wrong!

Curious. What did the TR-1 sell for when new?

The TR-1 originally sold for $49.95 in 1954/55
The leather case and batteries were extra.

Amazing, isn't it? The same mentality that justified paying $50 back then for relatively little still exists today. Even the most avid transistor radio collectors must shake their heads at prices like this.

Bruce Webster

I am afraid you don't get it. The "mentalities" are completely different.

In the fall of 1954, this was cutting edge tech; the iPod of it's day. Instead of lugging around a 4 tube set the size of a lunchbox that weighed several pounds and used an enormous B Battery, this fit in a coat pocket, and used a small 22-1/2 volt cell that lasted a looong time, given the miniscule current draw of the 4 Transistors.

Today their status has changed to that of a collectable, with garden variety colors of TR-1's in VG condition routinely fetching 3-4 hundred dollars. These values reflect it's status as the first Transistor radio available to consumers. Sorta like the first Superman Comic Book.

When one with this color comes along, given it's extreme rarity, there is absolutely no surprise about the realm bidding for it will reach.

Maybe I can find one, and spray paint it that lovely powder blue.

Those Zenith Waltons - another nutjob collectable.
To me it's just another Zenith....

Being in the service business for decades, I've become sort of de-sensitized towards makes, models, colors, and features.
I don't give a crap if a radio was featured on a tv series..... it's still just a radio!
I just see so many units, ya know?
I don't give two snots about June Cleaver's G-E Vac-u-matic console stereo either.

Now don't get me wrong, I do value the quality and style these things have - It's part of America's heritage for christ sakes.... When things were made here by people working for a living in American factories..
The ornate styling, the small touches that the designers put in, making each one unique.
Not like todays bland boxes with boring pushbuttons and hard-to-read controls.
(how many of you need glasses to work the remote control?)

But as for me, I just don't have much interest in paying rediculously big bucks for something old... I just want to keep them running like a top, and keep them from being landfill material.
I want to keep that good old American product alive to enjoy for decades to come.

The thing is, with a unit like this, replacing a clearly visible component, such as the four E-Caps, very assuredly decreases the value, even though it might make the unit operational. It's not like a typical tube set, where the parts that need replacing and have visibly different substitutes from the originals are under a steel chassis, and out of sight.

This I know, fityz.
Originality. = nonfunctionality.

But my customer base wants functionality, reliability, safety - to be able to enjoy these products, not just stick them on a shelf - otherwise, why come to me in the first place?

They don't insist I "stuff" caps, they don't care about that.
They want to hear granny's old records on her old player and reminisce about her bathing them in the kitchen sink with Ivory soap.

As long as granny didn't mistakenly pick up a TR-1 instead, and dunk it...

I agree with repair tech, 1st or last radio, Walton or Gilligans Island radio it don't matter. My last Regency TR1 I had for a week and it was sold. How many radios are shelf queens and to no advantage to anyone.
Reminds me of my neighbor and his late 1960's Camaro. I asked him one day how come you trailer your car to the local car shows. He replied "to keep the mileage off it".Why have a older car then??? Too each his own...

Yep - everyone is different with their own priorities and opinions.

Dave