Surviving Early Color Set Database

Early Color Television

Surviving Early Color Sets

This database includes all surviving early color sets we are aware of. If you have information on the location of any of any early color sets, please contact us. All information will be kept in confidence. With their consent, we will publish the owner's name here. For more detailed information on early color sets, see Ed Reitan's site.

Sets added:

2006	2015
2007	2016
2008	2017
2009	2018
2010	2019
2011	2020
2012	2021
2013	2022
2014	Summary 2006-2021

Field Sequential Sets/Monitors

Manufacturer

Model/Size

Surviving (museums)

Surviving (collectors)

CBS

RX-28 prototype (1945)

Science and Media Museum (England) (note 12)

RX-43/FCC-8 prototype 7" combination receiver magnified to 9" (1949)

John Folsom

12CC2 10" "Combination"/"Dual" receiver magnified to 12 1/2" (the only commercially sold set) (1951)

MZTV (Toronto)

Mike Molnar

RX-59 10" "Slave"/"Companion" magnified to 12 1/2" (1951)

Canada Science and Technology

Museum (Ottawa)

Mike Molnar

RX-40/41 Color Converter (1950)

Early Television Museum

Mike Molnar

Personal Viewer (1950)

Early Television Museum (2)

Smithsonian Institution (DC)

Industrial Color Television Monitor Console 7" magnified to 9" (1951)

Canada Science and Technology Museum (Ottawa)

CNAM Museum (France)

Crosley

Color Converter

1 partial

Early Television Museum

Cliff Benham

DuMont

Industrial 12 1/2 inch monitor

Early Television Museum

General Electric

950 Projection prototype (1946)

National Museum of Scotland

Gom-Cam

Field Sequential Receiver

Museum/Palace of Communications and Culture

Zapopan Jalisco, Mexico

Gray Research

Model 1101 10" studio monitor magnified to 12 1/2" (1951)

CNAM Museum (France)

Early Television Museum

John Folsom

Raduga (Russian)

Receiver

Popov Museum (St. Petersburg)

Anonymous

Unknown

Color drum assembly, made with rectangular CRT

MIchael Bennett-Levy

Zenith

"Smith, Kline, & French" blonde receiver (1949) (20 built)

Smithsonian Institution (DC)

Dunedin Collection (Scotland)

Zenith Corp.

Color wheel from SKF monitor

National Capital Radio & Television Museum (Bowie, MD)

1950 over the air version of SKF set

Mike Molnar

Early NTSC Sets/Monitors

The following table shows prototype and first generation production sets made by U. S. manufacturers. [ ] indicates model number. ( ) indicates quantity reported but not verified.

FT (Field Test) means a receiver that was used in "Field Testing" of the NTSC Standards from late 1951 until May 1953. The NTSC submitted its petition after this testing to the FCC in July 1953.

PT (Prototype) is a set with a metal-cone CRT, or with screw socket mountings, or with no engraved stamping on the chassis, or which would have been made in very small quantities, or has characteristics/circuit additions that would indicate it is an experimental/prototype set

All other sets were either sold to the public, or have characteristics that made it clear that the manufacturer had developed them to the point where they could be sold.

Manufacturer

Model/Size

Surviving (museums)

Surviving (collectors)

Admiral

FT15"

1 - C1617A, 1 - C1617A (note 12)

Canada Science And Technology Museum

4 - C1617A

Bruce Buchannon

Julian Burke

John Folsom

Fred Hoffmann

21"

1 - C322C series

Early Television Museum

10 - C322C series

John Folsom

Bob Galanter

Paul Garbarczyk

Jack Joseph

Mike Molnar

Jeff Scolaris

Nick Williams (note 11)

Steve Williams

Anonymous (2)

Arvin

15"

(1) - 15"

Anonymous

Capehart

19"

1 - CXC-12

Early Television Museum

1 - CXC-12

ITT Corp.

21"

1 - 36C216M-5

Early Television Museum

1 - 31T216

Anonymous

CBS Columbia

FT15"

1 - RX-89

Early Television Museum

1 - RX-90

Early Television Museum

1 - RX-89

John Folsom

4 - RX-90

John Folsom

Mike Molnar

Kurk Swanson

Anonymous

16"

19"

1 - 205, 1 - 205 (note 12)

Early Television Museum

8 - 205

John Folsom

Mike Molnar (note 9)

David Roper (note 9)

Jeff Skolarus (note 9)

Larry Whitlock (2)

Anonymous (2)

22" rectangular

1- 22" rectangular

Anonymous

Chromatic Television Labs

Chromatron (several models)

Col-R-Tel

Color wheel NTSC converter

2 - 100

Early Television Museum

Museum of the Moving Image (NY)

30 - 100

Dave Abramson

Loren Ashworth

Chuck Azzalina

Paul Baker

Cliff Benham (2)

Julian Burke

Michael Feldt

John Folsom

Darryl Hock

Bob Grasso

Steve Kissinger

Fred London

Larry Whitlock

Anonymous (16)

Colordaptor

Color wheel NTSC converter kit

1 - C-15A

Early Television Museum

4 - C-15A

Don Hauff

Tim Moritz

Kirk Stankiewicz

Anonymous

Conrac

15" studio monitor

21" studio monitor

Crosley

FT, Chromatron

Dage

15" studio monitor

1 - 650

Early Television Museum

Douglas

15" prototype

DuMont

15"

2 - 15" prototype

Dave Sica

Anonymous

15" studio monitor

1 - monitor

John Folsom

19"

21"

Emerson

15"

21"

1 - C-502

Early Television Museum

Fada

15" prototype

General Electric

FT15"

1 - 15CL100

Early Television Museum

4 - 15CL100

John Folsom

Bob Galanter

Steve Kissinger

Anonymous (1)

15" studio monitor

1 - 4TM15

Early Television Museum

4 - 4TM15

Fred Hoffman

Anonymous (3)

21"

2 - 21C700

Sean Duffy

Guy Whelchel

Gilfillan

Chromatron

21"

2 - C295 prototype

John Hora

Nick Williams

Hallicrafters

Chromatron

15"

21"

2 - 21CK801(note 6)

Bob Galanter

Mike Molnar

Hazeltine

Triniscope

16" projector (6 models)

Hoffman

15"

2 (1) - 15M1300U Colorcaster

John Folsom

Anonymous (2)

19"

1 - Colorcaster

Early Television Museum

2 - Colorcaster

Gary Miller

Anonymous

21"

7 - M4021A Colorcaster

Dominique Evrard

Gary Miller

Ben Moyer

Charles Sanders

Ed Lefevre

Anonymous (2)

Homemade

Projection receiver

1 - Projection receiver

Early Television Museum

Color drum receiver

1 - Drum Receiver

Early Television Museum

Magnavox

21"

1 - CTC-4 Clone

Julian Burke

Majestic

15"

Montgomery-Ward

21"

Motorola

FT15"

1 - 16CK1

Early Television Museum

5 - 16CK1

John Folsom (2)

Bob Galanter

Owen Slater

Anonymous

19"

1 - 19CK1 (note 9)

Early Television Museum

1 - 19CK2 (note 9)

Early Television Museum

4 - 19CT1

Early Television Museum

Pioneer Village (NE) (note 9)

National Capital Radio and Television

Museum (MD) (note 9)

3 -19CK1

Bob Galanter

Anonymous (3) (note 9)

1 - 19CK2

Early Television Museum

13 - 19CT1

John Folsom

Freescale Corp (note 9)

Fred Hoffman

Mike Molnar

Mike Molnar (note 9)

Chip Foley (note 9)

Tom Genova (note 9)

Luc Roman

Jeff Skolarus (note 14)

Kevin Snyder (note 9)

Larry Whitlock (note 9)

Anonymous (2)

Anonymous (note 9)

21"

1 - 21CT2

Early Television Museum

9 - 21CT2

Tom Carlson

Henry Cournoyer

John Folsom

Bob Galanter

Ed Lefevre

Jim Richardson

Charlie Trahan

Anonymous

Tim Moritz

Vogue Vintage

Muntz

Chromatron

21"

2 - 721CV(note 6)

John Folsom

Chris Musselman

Olympic

21"

Pacific Mercury (Sears)

16"

1 - prototype (note 12)

with metal color CRT and early

“wand” convergence assembly

Ingo Kubbe

Packard Bell

21"

1 - 21CC1

Anonymous

Philco

15"

1 - prototype

John Folsom

21"

2 - 22D5102 (TV-123)

Early Television Museum

Pioneer Village (NE)

1 - 22D5100 (TV-123)

Nick Williams

10 - 22D5102 (TV-123)

Dave Abramson

Estate of Ed Westfall

Joe Aldrich

Pete Deksnis

John Folsom

Brian Gadow

Jeff Scolaris

Anonymous (3)

Apple

Philharmonic (AMC)

15"

Polarad

15" monitor [M-200]

Raytheon

15" FT

1 - prototype

Early Television Museum

2 - prototype

Bob Millard (note 12)

Anonymous

19"

21"

3 - C-21C1-M

Tim Moritz

Anonymous (2)

RCA Labs

15 Triniscope models

1- prototype Trinoscope

UCLA (CA)

Telemural color projector [TLS50]

1 - Telemural color projector

with 21-CT-55 chassis TLS50

John Folsom

RCA Color Products Group

14 FT models

2 - Model 5

Early Television Museum

Indiana State Museum

1 - 16" prototype CPA (note 12)

Nick Williams

1 - prototype Trinoscope

Ed Alfonsi

9 - Model 5 (note 1)

Wayne Abare

John Folsom

Monty Holt

Monty Holt (note 12)

Mike Molnar

James O'Neal (note 10)

Don Saltzman

Anonymous (2)

RCA Victor

15" commercial model

17 - CT-100 (note 2)

161 - CT-100 (note 2)

Rectangular prototype

1 - GF753L Anonymous

21" commercial models

5 - 21-CT-55

Early Television Museum (2)

Indiana State Museum

MZTV (Toronto)

UCLA (CA)

5 - CTC-4

Glass City ReCreation House

Early Television Museum (4)

29 - 21-CT-55 (note 8)

Dave Abramson

Mark Aceto

Dave Arland

Geoff Bourne

William Burrows

Matt Caputo

Tom Carlson

Dominique Evrard

John Folsom

Steve Frans

Bob Galanter

Bob Hodge

Steve Kissinger

Ingo Kubbe

Gary Miller

David Perdue

Jean-Charles Petignat (note 13)

Chuck Pharis

Mike Sauer

Dave Sica

Gilbert Smith

Kirk Stankiewicz

Nick Williams

Scott Winther

Marshall Wozniak

Anonymous (4)

38 (1) - CTC-4

Henry Cournoyer

Dominique Evrard

John Folsom

Bob Galanter

Bob Gatarz

Kevin Gleason

Fred Hoffmann

Len Horowitz

Dave Jones

Jack Joseph

Steve Kissinger

Bruce Kurt

Mark Mason

Mike Molnar

Chris Musselman

Philip Nasadowski

Phil Nelson

Keith Park

Doul Peel

Chuck Pharis

Jim Richardson

Jeff Skolaris

Gilbert Smith (2)

Kevin Snyder

Kirk Stankiewicz (2)

Jack Stout

Jacob Stracner Watkins

Evan Webster

Nick Williams

Marshall Wozniak

Anonymous (7

RCA Broadcast

15" studio monitor

1 - TM10

Museum of the Moving Image (NY)

6 - TM10

Julian Burke

John Folsom

Phil Nelson

Kurk Swanson

Anonymous (2)

21" studio monitor

4 - TM21

Museum of Broadcast Technology (3)

Early Television Museum

7 - TM21

Dave Abramson

Julian Burke

John Folsom

Fred Hoffman

Ralph Sargent

Nick Williams

Anonymous

Sears-Silvertone

15"

1 - prototype 4160

John Folsom

21"

1 - 7140

Nick Willliams

Sears - Toshiba

16" rectangular

1 - rectangular

Early Television Museum

4 - rectangular

Ed Lefevre

Joe Theriot

Anonymous (2)

Sentinel

15"

21"

1 - IU-816 (Note 6)

Early Television Museum

Setchell-Carlson

21"

Sparton

15"

1 - 16A211

Early Television Museum

1 - prototype

John Folsom

Stromberg-Carlson

15"

2 - K1

Steve Kissinger

Kurk Swanson

21"

1 - 102CM (note 6)

John Folsom

Sylvania

15"

6 (1 ) - 451

John Folsom

Don Saltzman (2)

Anonymous (4)

21"

1 - 21C609M (note 6)

Early Television Museum

5 - 31T Series

Bob Galanter

John Horvath

Tim Moritz

Nick Williams

Jimmy Scichilone

Tel-Instrument Co.

Slide scanner and trinoscope

1 - 2400

Van Nuys, CA

Monitor - 2401

1 - 2401

Tom Carlson

Telechrome Inc.

Triniscope picture monitor

(Lost Gilfillan Lab configuration with 10 racks)

Tele-King

Truetone

19" (note 7)

Uniray

21"

Western Auto

21"

Westinghouse

15"

1 - prototype (note 4)

Early Television Museum

3 - H840CK15 (note 3)

Early Television Museum

George Westinghouse Museum (PA)

Wingham Museum (Canada)

26 (1) - H840CK15 (note 3)

John Folsom (2)

Bob Galanter

Estate of Ed Westfall

Fred Hoffman

Mark Johnson

Kurk Kowal

Ingo Kubbe

Eric Loepke

Marlin Mackley

Pete Martin

Jim Otradovec

Jeff Skolaris

Rob Stephens

Kurt Swanson (2)

Keith Wichman

Nick Williams

Marshall Wozniak

John Yurkon

Anonymous (7)

19"

1 - 890CKU19 ( note 12)

Anonymous

22" rectangular

2 (1) - H22T155

Jim Richardson

Anonymous (2)

Wickes

15/16" monitor

Wilcox-Gay

15" (Majestic)

Zenith

15"

9 - 43M20 (note 5)

John Folsom

Bob Hodge

Mike Molnar

Jeff Skolarus

Anonymous (5)

Notes:

1) 200 units were manufactured for use by RCA distributors and NBC affiliates for demonstrations of the first coast-to-coast colorcast of the January 1, 1954 Tournament of Roses Parade. Here is a list of serial numbers from Pete Deksnis.

2) Approximately 4400 RCA CT-100s were made. Pete Deksnis reports that 40 of these sets are opertional. If you are an owner of a RCA CT-100, Pete would like to hear from you. Here is a list of serial numbers from Pete Deksnis.

3) Approximately 500 H840CK15s were made. For more on Westinghouse H840CK15 go to Marlin Mackley's site.

4) Preproduction prototype, with different HV section and extra chassis for color AFC.

5) One surviving set has a Hytron CRT.

6) See this page about "clone" CTC-4 sets

7) Probably made by Raytheon

8) Approximately 3000 RCA 21-CT-55s were made, using the a CTC-2 chassis similar to that used in the CT-100. Here is a list of serial numbers from Pete Deksnis.

9) Modified with 21 inch CRT

10) Has CT-100 chassis

11) Made in Canada

12) Chassis only

13) Modified for 625 line NTSC tests in Switzerland

14) RCA mask, 21 inch glass CRT

Early British/European Sets/Monitors

Manufacturer

Model/Size

Surviving (museums)

Surviving (collectors)

East German PTT