Post by dishwolf359 on Mar 23, 2009 1:25:39 GMT -5
There is a G.E. Mark III on ebay right now (3-23-09) with a Buy-It-Now price of $799.99. The transmitter is the AM only version, seemingly identical to the one pictured in 2600's signature, but of course without the digital channels, etc.
A few potential buyers asked questions and made comments, and the seller posted them. A couple of them told him it wasn't a Mark III but was instead a Mark II. I think the smaller AM only transmitter threw them off a bit. One guy, apparently a collector, read these comments about it being a Mark II and then made some comments of his own. Here's a C & P of what he said:
Nice looking old browning. For your info this radio is a real III. Most people do not know the true history about brownings. This was made after the goldeneagle and the mark II. The III came out and browning wanted to use up all of their remaining transmitters so they called them mark III's for a short time. This unit should be advertised as one of the first III's ever built...because it is! I own 22 brownings all are mint in boxes and I own 3 of this exact set. Please don't let people tell you it is not a real III. Take care and good luck with your auction. David[/i]
My understanding of what he said is...Browning had leftover Mark II AM transmitters when they came out with the Mark III, so they put the newer Mark III faceplates and wood grain covers on them and called them Mark III (AM only) transmitters. It also sounds like he might be implying that they produced only a limited number of Mark III AM only transmitters. That Browning produced many less of these units than they did the Mark III AM/SSB transmitters. In other words, when the surplus of Mark II AM transmitters they were converting over to Mark III's ran out, they didn't bother to make any more, and thereafter made only the AM/SSB transmitters. So the only Mark III (AM only) transmitters ever produced were originally Mark II transmitters that Browning later decided to convert...and that's why this guy is saying that the Mark III (AM only) transmitters are among the first ones ever built - and seemingly implies that they are also somewhat rare because the factory converted only what they had on hand as surplus Mark II transmitters and that was it, they made no more.
Looking at the Mark II and Mark III (AM only) transmitters, all the knobs do appear to be in the same places. It looks like the ON AIR / SPOT indicator light was moved slightly to the left, but otherwise it looks like the chassis are pretty much identical.
Does anyone know if the statement this guy made about all of this is historically accurate? Is my account of what he said accurate? Did Browning indeed install new faceplates and covers and sell their Mark II AM transmitters as Mark III (AM only) transmitters until their surplus finally ran out?
If anyone wants to check out the auction, here's a link:
cgi.ebay.com/BROWNING-Golden-Eagle-MARK-III-3-w-RARE-AM-TRANSMITTER_W0QQitemZ330303998231QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCB_Radios?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116
A few potential buyers asked questions and made comments, and the seller posted them. A couple of them told him it wasn't a Mark III but was instead a Mark II. I think the smaller AM only transmitter threw them off a bit. One guy, apparently a collector, read these comments about it being a Mark II and then made some comments of his own. Here's a C & P of what he said:
Nice looking old browning. For your info this radio is a real III. Most people do not know the true history about brownings. This was made after the goldeneagle and the mark II. The III came out and browning wanted to use up all of their remaining transmitters so they called them mark III's for a short time. This unit should be advertised as one of the first III's ever built...because it is! I own 22 brownings all are mint in boxes and I own 3 of this exact set. Please don't let people tell you it is not a real III. Take care and good luck with your auction. David[/i]
My understanding of what he said is...Browning had leftover Mark II AM transmitters when they came out with the Mark III, so they put the newer Mark III faceplates and wood grain covers on them and called them Mark III (AM only) transmitters. It also sounds like he might be implying that they produced only a limited number of Mark III AM only transmitters. That Browning produced many less of these units than they did the Mark III AM/SSB transmitters. In other words, when the surplus of Mark II AM transmitters they were converting over to Mark III's ran out, they didn't bother to make any more, and thereafter made only the AM/SSB transmitters. So the only Mark III (AM only) transmitters ever produced were originally Mark II transmitters that Browning later decided to convert...and that's why this guy is saying that the Mark III (AM only) transmitters are among the first ones ever built - and seemingly implies that they are also somewhat rare because the factory converted only what they had on hand as surplus Mark II transmitters and that was it, they made no more.
Looking at the Mark II and Mark III (AM only) transmitters, all the knobs do appear to be in the same places. It looks like the ON AIR / SPOT indicator light was moved slightly to the left, but otherwise it looks like the chassis are pretty much identical.
Does anyone know if the statement this guy made about all of this is historically accurate? Is my account of what he said accurate? Did Browning indeed install new faceplates and covers and sell their Mark II AM transmitters as Mark III (AM only) transmitters until their surplus finally ran out?
If anyone wants to check out the auction, here's a link:
cgi.ebay.com/BROWNING-Golden-Eagle-MARK-III-3-w-RARE-AM-TRANSMITTER_W0QQitemZ330303998231QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCB_Radios?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116
