Came across a Sparton 4940 TV today...10 inch screen with a mirror in the lid...I think from 1949. Cosmetically it looked ok, but I'm sure it needs restoration to work.

Unlike most people who post here, I'm not a tv tech, just a guy who likes old black and white televisions and has collected a few. If I bought it I'd have to find someone to restore it...so, what are these worth in restored and working condition? Wondering how much I should pay to purchase and have it restored.

Thanks.

Welcome. It definately will need a full restoration.
Bill Cahill

Restoring TVs is labor intensive, involving the replacement of dozens of bad old capacitors, plus fixing whatever else might need repair. I wouldn't pay more than $200 or $300 for one of those in nice unrestored condition. You might spend hundreds more to hire someone to restore it. Not many people have room for such a large item, and shipping is prohibitively expensive, which depresses the value. You would be lucky to recoup your investment if you resold it, and might lose money.

I don't mean to be discouraging if you like it and want to keep it. Just don't imagine it as a money maker.

Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html

Thanks, Phil...I appreciate the response.

I don't think of what I collect as money makers...I collect them b/c they're beautiful, or they remind me of something pleasant, or most undefinable of all, b/c I "like" them...so I have a 1962 Marx Frankenstein robot...a 1939 Marx Merry Makers Band...a 1961 Schuco Monorail...a 1962 Austin Cox chess set...an Emerson 744B radio...a Philco 49-501 radio...etc.

And I have a half dozen vintage televisions...two Philco Predictas, a Philco Safari, two Motorolas, an RCA 621 TS. They've been restored by folks who unfortunately do not live near me in Michigan...it's a pain, but I've felt it was worth it.

Now I'm considering this Sparton 4940 for no other reason than I like old things and I think it's cool. However, I don't want to throw money away. I can get the set for under $100, and I'm willing pay the hundreds you mentioned to have it restored by someone competent and honest. However, I don't want to end up spending $2000 or $3000 for something that's worth $500 in restored condition.

So I'm wondering if any of the experts who frequent this forum have any idea what one of these sets is worth in restored, working condition. I gather it's not necessarily common, but neither do I find anything online that indicates it's especially valuable...hoping people with experience can weigh in.

Thanks.

Phil, thats a good point about making money on a TV.
To concur, I purchased an Emerson 639 for $40, put in about $100 in parts during the restoration process.
There was one that sold a few months ago on Ebay for something like $550.00.
That seemed like a high price.
I put in at least 50 hours researching it and working on it.
Assuming I could sell it for that amount, that would put my labor at less than $10/hour.

Restoration is more a love of the hobby, not a way to make money.
Reflecting on this, as much time that it takes to restore a TV, I'm going
to be very choosy about what I purchase for restoration.

Carl

Terry, I would say your $500 number for restored and working is pretty close. Might even be a little high. I've come across a few of these over the years for reasonable prices, unrestored, but not since I've started collecting TV's. The RCA projection sets from around the same vintage intrigue me but they are even bigger and more complicated.

Thank you for the response...I may take a pass on this one...can't find anyone local who works on vintage, tube type tv's, and they don't seem to tolerate being shipped very well.

If you don't get it, you might post the information on who is trying to sell it. Someone else here might want it.

I wasn't going to open my yap here, but, I've decided I need to...
Let me make these things perfectly clear.....
If you are buying in the hopes that some day you will make a bundle on it, except for a few very rare ones, including the famous RCA CT-100, then you are into it for the wrong reason.
I have a replacement for my family tv, the RCA 6T74. Yes, I got ripped on it. No doubt about it. I paid 60.00 for what amounted to a 10.00 junker, then, paid to have it shipped, and, a forum member picked it up in S. Carolina, and, delivered it here.
If you would read my very long thread on it, I actually have over 400.00 in that set, now, and, still have one last problem to repair.
O.K. I could cry about it, but, what's the use? I have done thw work, I have proved to myself, and, others that I had it in me to do the job, and, even though I still have to fix one issue, the set now plays.
I have no interest in ever selling the set. It's mine, and, I love it.
Not that I say I love pouring money into junkers. However, I'm only trying to make a point that a true appreciator will be most interested in saving a piece of history, and, or, personal past.
John Folsom puts it two ways.
"A televison is a big box you just keep pouring more money into."
"If you are getting into tv collecting for the pure love of it, go for it. If you are going into it in the hopes of eventually making money, get out of it. You're in the wrong field."
I'm not telling you to get out. I'm just telling you that like alot of other collecting, there is no guarantee we will ever get our money back. But, the pure joy of bringing these gems of the past is a real thrill.
Look at my thread. Read it. Yes, I've had to replace nearly everything in that set, but, I did it.
Now, true, on my Admiral, I'll have alot less money, and, time in it. However, still, again, it's no big ticket tv. I'm doing it for the love, and, thrill of bringing a piece of history back to life.
I have 3 sets in que that I know will be time, and, money consuming.
1 Dumont RA-103D
1 Dumont RA 103C
1 Stromberg Carlson 16" round tube set.

I know I'll love getting them to play again.
Bill Cahill

Terry, you apparently have an attraction to these old antique TVs, I say go ahead and buy it and treat it as a display object. You can get a lot of satisfaction in the part of the restoration process to clean them up and touch up the finish. There is a forum here devoted to Cabinet Refinishing and it provides a lot of tips on how to do touch ups. I enjoy cleaning and buffing these old TVs as much as I enjoy the electronic restoration. A lot of the old TVs use solid brass parts that can be buffed back to their like new appearance.

Grab that TV, put it in your house, and and it will be a great conversation piece. Younger folks won't know what that unusual object is, older folks will be intrigued by it and recall fond memories.

Carl

Carl, that's a good suggestion, and I think I'll take your advice.

Thanks.