Vintage Radio & Phonograph Society Convention 2007
Mesquite, Texas -- November 16-18, 2007

By George Potter

WEB EDITION

The Vintage Radio & Phonograph Society (VRPS) held its annual 33rd convention on November 16-18, 2007, at the Hampton Inn Suites in Mesquite, Texas, just east of Dallas. There were 151 registrants, with 225 attending. Three main auctions were held, as well as two silent auctions on both Friday and Saturday. Auctioneers were Jim Sargent, VRPS club president and Michael Sherman from California.

Friday's auction totaled $10,986 with 423 sales and 95 passes. This included the tube & paper auction, silent auction and Friday night's auction. On Saturday, the auction totals were $24,052 with 328 sales and 81 passes. The grand total of the convention auctions was $35,038.

The Hampton Inn Suites hotel management again catered lunch outside the auction room with prepared sandwiches, salads and desserts on Friday and Saturday. Thus, convention attendees were able to have ready access to food. You haven't lived until you've seen one of the auction participants quickly gulp down a chili dog and run back inside in time to bid!

A display of novelty "RADIO" receivers by Randy James, Fort Worth, Texas.

Included in the Saturday auction, were reports from presidents of the OKVRA-Oklahoma, the HVRA-Houston, Texas, and the TARC-San Antonio, Texas, clubs, as well as several convention prize drawings. Cleo Cherry Holmes and Bill McKeown manned the remote cameras and kept the TV monitors going. Blake Dietze of Vancouver, Washington, who also furnishes contest badges, display cards and, of course, our convention name badges donated several nice door prizes. Blake, along with Jim Collings, manned the computers for the tally results. Gary Reeves and Randy James took care of checking out at the completion of the auction.

Overall, I rate the convention a success -- you get rid of radios, find new radios, and meet friends you haven't seen in a while. In addition, the auctions defray the cost of running the convention for three days. We all support each other in the hobby, and that is what makes for interesting times.

This year there were 21 categories for the old equipment contest. Best of Show and People's Choice awards went to Art & June Clark of Houston, Texas, for their Endless Graph Fairy phonograph with Statue of Liberty lid. The President's Award went to Bob Slagle of Colorado and his Jones Symphony receiver. The theme for the old equipment contest was Texas radios, and there were some really outstanding displays of items that are seldom seen. The First Place award went to George Potter of Lewisville, Texas, with a display of Texas radios from across the state.

A warning: Auction prices are not current values. Our selection of auction items is not necessarily complete. A listing such as this cannot adequately include the condition of cabinets, chassis, transformers, tubes, the operating status of the set, and the inclusion of incorrect, restored or replica components, etc. Auction prices are the result of the excitement of the auction process, the skill of the auctioneer and the specific interests of the participants. Nevertheless, auction prices serve as useful references and as another element in the value determining process. The possibility of error always exists, and if we are notified, corrections will be reported.

The flea market Sunday morning was well attended, although there was less to be found.

e=excellent, vg=very good, g=good, f=fair, p=poor, unk=unknown condition, N.O.S.=new old stock, wk=working, nwk=not working, WT=with tubes, NT=no tubes, BB=brass-based, TT=tipped tube, SW=shortwave, PS=power supply, PB=push buttons, WE=Western Electric. All prices have been rounded down to the dollar. Some low cost items and items in poor condition or non-specific descriptions are omitted. See print version of A.R.C. for complete auction listing.

The items are lined up to sell at the VRPS auction. President and auctioneer Jim Sargent can be seen top center taking a bid.

This Jones Symphony receiver, owned by Bob Slagle of Colorado Springs, won the President's Award in the old equipment contest.

A Texas radio display -- a mix from across the state: Watterson, Dalbar and Dason radios; radio stations: KNUZ -- Biff Collie, Houston, 1948; WRR, Dallas; KTSA, San Antonio; WOAI, San Antonio; and other historical items.

Photo credits: Jeannine James.

The Vintage Radio & Phonograph Society (VRPS) publishes "The Reproducer" quarterly and "Soundwaves" monthly between the quarterlies. Dues are $17.50. Activities include a monthly meetings, a spring auction, an annual convention, and a summer swap meet.