Tech hunters prowl Chicago area vintage market

GRAYSLAKE, Ill. – After 48 years in the antique promotion business, Zurko’s Midwest Promotions has hosted a segment of the Discovery Channel’s international Vintage Tech Hunters series.

To be distributed worldwide, the show’s focus is on the hottest collectibles in vintage technology. The filming took place at the Lake County Fairgrounds during Zurko’s May monthly Antique & Vintage Market in Grayslake, Illinois (a Chicago Suburb). The tech hunters focused their hunt on early TVs, movie cameras and projectors, old telephones, wooden table-top pin ball machines, early neon, mechanical toys, radios, and kitchen gadgets.

Treasures abound throughout the 62,000 sq. ft. temperature-controlled Grand Event Center, as well as outdoors. Bill Rawski, proprietor of “Zap Props,” brought an eclectic mix of early tech including old table-top mechanical pinball machines, collectible neon signs, a 1960s pedal motorcycle, table-top electric fans, mechanical banks, wind-up vintage toys and more.

Tom and Nancy Actipes of IAANA, Inc. had a variety of telephones priced from $15 to $200. They offered a pay phone that was set-up for home use. A real working treasure that would add charm to any decorators’ heart. Their selection of old cameras & projectors was second to none. The old Polaroid cameras ranged in price from $25 to $125. One of the highlights of their awesome collection was a Viceversa Art Deco toaster, reasonably priced at $75 in mint condition. Tom and Nancy left no stone unturned in their offering of vintage technology, for the beginning buyer to the astute collector.

Vintage tech collectors hit the jackpot at Allen Bergh’s “Allen’s Restorations” booth filled with a variety of vintage TVs. Some of the rarely seen TVs included: Pilot 1950s 2 1/2” TV; the miniature 1967 Symphonic portable TV; a 1938 Mill’s Castle top slot-machine, professionally restored by Bergh. Artfully displayed with a variety of mannequins was a 1953 Philco Predicta, a 1955 Zenith, “Ultra Modern” 21” console TV, and a variety of hard-to-find oscilloscopes (used for aligning TV’s after rewinding) priced at $200-$300.

Dave Kuffel’s, 1941 “Woodie-Wagon” with original wood completely restored was for sale for $79,500. The Wagon has only 80,000 original miles.

Not to be outdone, astute dealer of rare and collectible transportation toys James Zemanek offered a variety of collectible toys in excellent condition. Toys included examples from TootsieToy, Renwal, Hubley, Kiddie-Toy plastic, Buddy-L, Keystone and more.

The remainder of the 2018 Zurko Markets at the Lake County Fairgrounds, Grayslake, Illinois, take place Oct. 13-14, Nov. 10-11 and Dec. 8-9. For a complete schedule of all Zurko’s Markets & Events, visit www.zurkopromotions.com, call 715-526-9769, fax 715-524-5675, or write to Zurko Promotions, 115 E. Division, Shawano WI 54166.

This article was originally published in Antique Trader magazine. If you like what you’ve read here, consider subscribing to the print or digital versions of Antique Trader it’s available for $26 per year (print) or $20 per year (digital) to receive 24 issues.
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