Here's a beauty!

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-1920-s-30-s-Fu ... 0866169420

Bob

My gawd!! Could be a great buy for someone with a little stripper.

Another obviously informed eBay diagnosis.

so shes wearing a green bra?

I like how he used the antenna wire to "brace" the whole frame of the radio.

A dumb question but did some of these come painted when new as an option?
I have only seen the wood ones before.

If they did, I've never seen one.

Bob

It's obviously A Mae West radio modeled after she Turned 80.
This Poor set looks like it needs a double mastectomy.
I think I noticed some low spots under that green paint ?
Would suck even worse if there are.

Oh man! Looks like Mae West has been doing the streets for too long!
Seriously though, I think this set in any condtion is worth picking up. It's high up on the chart of the most sought after antique radios.
PS - I am fairly sure this set had no finish options when new.

Note that the seller, in violation of E-Bay rules, says he will charge extra for insurance.

It's hard to tell what he's doing, since he mentions "incorporating" insurance into the shipping cost. What really seems shady to me is that he says to ignore the eBay shipping calculator, and apparently you're supposed to pay whatever he comes up with rather than the amount listed.

Bob

I would like to try my hand at the restoration of that. I seem to do good on small radios...but I fear at the ending price I wouldn't want to attempt the stripping.

I love the questions from prospective bidders (with my snarky comments afterward):

"Hi, is the radio painted a green color? is the cabinet wood? Aug-05-11
A: Yes, it's a green color and it appears to be laminated wood. Dave

No, it's made of green cheese...
________________________
Q: What is that white residue on the radio? Thank You Dan. Aug-05-11
A: Dear Dan, It's not residue. It's painted with a black and white speckled paint on the knobs and base. Dave

I don't think this buyer is exactly Sherlock Holmes, though I suppose mice and spiders *could* poop in such even patterns all over the knobs, bottom trim, and escutcheon...
_________________________
Q: Hello...Do you have a photo of the bottom of the radio that you can post or email to me at: gr at studio1791 dot com Thanks Aug-03-11
A: We don't have a picture of the bottom but I just looked at it and it is a wood bottom with about a 6" x 1/2" slit through the middle. There are 4 circular pegs that raise the bottom of the radio up about 1/4" off of a table and there are 3 screws holding the bottom into the radio. That was all there was to see. Hope this helps! Dave

I'm picky about the radios I buy, but occasionally I'm dumbfounded by questions like this, or "Do you have a picture of the inside of the back of the radio" etc. Why would anyone care what the bottom of a project radio looks like?!

Bob

Yeah, after that "yellow" Zenith tombstone resto you did a while back , THIS should be an easy one to restore. Just "ribbin' " ya a little.

Hey Jason, at least you "manned upped" & posted and showed us Noobs, what NOT to do with a heatgun. And... for that you have my Respect.

__________________________________________________

"I'm picky about the radios I buy, but occasionally I'm dumbfounded by questions like this, or "Do you have a picture of the inside of the back of the radio" etc. Why would anyone care what the bottom of a project radio looks like?!"

Bob,

ANY overspray, or green brush marks might be a little hard to remove from the bottom of the floorboard or inside the back of the radio.

Lloyd
___________________________________________________________________

While some will point out that the "cup" is 97% full, there will always be others that bring up the 3% of emptiness.

Yep, one day I will completely big bird...its doesn't look to bad with 90 coats of toner. Just need to sand, lacquer, buff and repeat. That was an interesting heat gun experience....and yep I should have knew that would have happen....but you know how it goes....I want that thing restored and working asap not a week from today.

Over $1500 with 2 hours left.

So much for bargain hunting.

Bob

Sweet Jesus!!! Ended at $1606.00, Don't know if anyone else noticed the guys who retracted their bids, testing out what kind of proxy bids some guy had in, Dishonest, you should not be able to retract a bid with less than an hour to go.
Hope the winner will restore back to its original beauty and away from that dreadful green color.
Hope I find one of those at a yard sale someday!!!!!
Rock

I have no idea how to remove the speckled paint from the tenite rings and center decorations. It seems that paint stripper would damaged the plastic.

You can add a "handling" charge which is in addition to whatever the shipping calculator comes up with to cover insurance, packing, etc.

You do that when you create the auction. You can add different amounts for domestic and international shipping.

I incidentally saw that the original reference to this thread is still on eBay (why so long?). Here is the radio after restoration: http://www.greenhillsgf.com/IndexOwn_Emerson_BD197_MaeWest.htm
And here is a youtube video with a little bit of background music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB2kr8l63m4