Vintage 1948 Pilot Candid Model TV-37 Table Top with 3 Inch Screen TVComes with original magnifier and manual – Did have the original box but left it in the attic on one of my moves.
No repair work has been done – I did lose one of the knobs and replaced it. Bought at it at an estate sale and used it in my office as a conversation/decorator piece for years. Will be sold as is with no returns. Please look at pictures and ask any questions.
The case overall looks good. The front bezel, screen, knobs, labels all look great. The plug and cord are original and in good condition. I turned it on, but did not try to hook up to an antenna – Screen lights up, but did not test it further.
The Pilot TV-37 is an unusual vintage television with a tiny 3-inch picture tube that is barely watchable by today’s standards, but the TV-37\'s compact size and unusual design make it a favorite for collectors.
Pilot introduced the TV-37 in 1948, at the then-amazingly low price of $99. Pilot only made these sets for a few years and it was very popular with students going off to college.
TVs in the 1940s sold for hundreds of dollars, the cost of a decent automobile. My first car in ’63 only cost me $200 (’54 Chevy).
The TV is housed in a streamlined cabinet with a wooden base and an upper case made of pressboard. The set measures 14 inches wide, 13 inches deep, and 9.5 inches high, the size of a large table radio. Most of the upper case is perforated for ventilation.
The front controls are simple with only four knobs for power/volume, brightness, tuning, and contrast. The tuner control includes a high/low switch, which lets you select two tuning ranges. The low range is channels 2-6 and the high range is channels 7-13. Unlike most TV tuners, the Pilot\'s is continuously variable. Instead of clicking from one station to the next, it turns smoothly like a radio tuner. This was to save money since the Pilot tuner contains far fewer parts than other TV tuners. Its construction is similar to a radio tuner, using air variable capacitors, pulleys and strings.Due to their vintage nature they are sold as display objects, as-is and without warranty or guarantee. Vintage electrical and electronic items may not conform to current electrical safety standards.
It has non-polarized plugs, so the buyer is responsible for ensuring the purchase is safe for their planned use.
I have the original manual and the schematics for it also.