Our local craigslist has an ad for the first Sylvania color TV. The model number is 31C606M. Was that their first and is $100 high-low-or about right for one of these? I'm not interested but thought I'd ask on here. This is in eastern Iowa on the Quad cities list.

If this is it, I would RUN and get it ASAP.

Link: http://quadcities.craigslist.org/atq/2965034303.html

That looks like a very common mid to late 1950's 21" set. Probably worth it for the CRT if it tests strong, otherwise that vintage set doesn't bring much, at least around here. I really doubt it was Sylvania's first TV model.

Sylvania color tv in the 57-58?!?! That seems kinda early, I would bet its Black and White. $100 is fair if its in good condition either way

Previous 2 posters...

Click this link, and scroll down till you see Sylvania's first color set.

http://www.earlytelevision.org/21_inch_color.html

If this is real, it is the one! The Saratoga! If it happens to be true, this will be only the second one known, the other is with Bob in Milwaukee.

It's color and it's early. ETF foundation has it listed in their database.
Nick beat me to it.
Better move really fast if you want it or that set will be gone.

100 bucks is a great price.

$100 is stealing it.

Yeah, I just looked it up in SAMS. Eyes about popped when I saw it was a 21AXP22. Sams is dated 3/58. Wow!

Ok now that I see it, I would drop the phone and grab it as fast as I could.

I emailed him a significantly higher offer, let's see what happens.

31C606 is listed in Sams Photofact 391, published in 1958.

If you are local, and the set is 100% intact in good cosmetic condition, run and grab it. If you aren't interested you can always resell it to someone who is.

$100 is dirt cheap. A set like that should easily bring 10x that amount on eBay.

That set is so very average looking that I completely missed the color part in the first post as well as the CL Ad.

And get there before miniman82's email.

The game is on!

Mine is 31C606MU "M" designates Mahogany "U" indicates the set has UHF. This set does not have the UHF option. However, this set appears to be in very nice condition, probably a bit better than mine. I paid a lot more for my Sylvania than this guy is asking. I have also made an offer substantially above what he is asking. This a rare set. It uses some unusual components. The HV section uses Victoreen Coreotron gas discharge HV regulator tube. Most of the time these Coreotrons are bad. I was lucky and the one in my set is good. Secondly the set uses the rare and un-obtainable flyback from the RCA model 21CT55, which is RCA's first 21" color set. Both of the aforementioned components are pure UNOBTAINIUM, and if either of these is bad, you may have to do some serious modifications to get the set into opperation. If the Coreotron is bad, you can develope your own 6BK4 regulator circuit mod to get around that issue. But if the flyback is bad, you may be SOL. In addition the set uses the now hard to obtain 21AXP22 metal cone color crt. Many of these 21AX tubes have gone gassy due to defective welds in the metal shell of the crt. Finding a replacement 21AX could be very difficult and expensive if the crt is bad.

This set has one of those fake "printed onto masonite" wood grain finishes. A lot of these early color sets have a faux finish. I think they were trying to keep the cost of early color sets down and because the electronics were so expensive to manufacture, they put them into cheap cabinets to try and make the sets more affordable. Sort of like putting a Corvette power train in a Chevy II. Personally, for me, the alure of these early color sets is half about the amazing early technology, and the other half is the beautiful cabinetry on the ultra high end color sets.

Ouch, I too dug this up and sent the guy a 4 digit offer after I took the time to dig the sams out of the garage.

Lesson learned, buy first then post about it here!

WOW, you got that right!!!!!!!!! I had no idea what I was looking at. I think somebodys gonna owe me lunch HA HA.

That is a great find. They are still out there folks. Sylvania also made a table top version of that color set named the Granada. Here is a photo of mine as well as my B/W Halolight table model from the same year, both with that slider tuner arrangement. Unfortunately, the CRT in mine has gone to air.