Another Road Block
10 years ago
I just hit another road block with trying to sell my radios. I finally got ahold of Estes today and once again, was told no console radios, especially the ones on legs. I guess what is happening is they are getting swamped with bidders only willing to pay five to ten dollars for a radio, no matter how nice it is, and then these buyers strip out the guts and leave the cabinets for Estes to dispose of. I guess is costing them to lose money, so no big consoles or big radio groups at all anymore. One question I have is: is there that much of a demand for parts from these radios that these dealers are willing to destory whole collections of radios for pennies on the dollar? One bit of good news is I have found an auction house that I might be able to sell my big postwar consoles and TVs through. If all people are going to do is butcher these radios, I don't think I am going to sell any of my pre-war sets.

It might not be the parts but that of the metals in them. Things like copper still fetch high prices at recycling centers to the point there are thieves who steal anything that has copper so they can fence it for drug money and the like.
simballoon
~simballoon
OP
No, there is actually a big market for radio parts lately. Sadly, a lot of these old consoles are worth more dead than alive. A good example are the robot dial Zeniths from 1938. I have heard and have seen just the parts sell for over $300 on eBay, while the complete radios around here get passed over. I, erm, saved one from that fate Tuesday...
cetas
∞cetas
So in that case it seems to be an issue of supply and demand then. Not enough supply of parts but high enough demand for the radios that folks are willing to cannibalize working (but not so good looking) radios to fix better looking ones.
FA+