AUGUST 1, 2022

Do you own one of these?  Share your information for publication on this site.

Westinghouse H840CK15 is one of the very first color televisions to hit the market on February 28, 1954 and the set incorporated the RCA 15GP22 cathode ray tube.  The national manufacturers of television equipment pooled their resources for 18 months to produce the NTSC color transmissions approved by the FCC on December 17, 1953 and It’s been reported that Westinghouse spent 350,000 man hours to produce the H840CK15.  

Above, actual images of the lead actor appearing in the 1948 movie, “The Red Shoes” as seen on this television.
The following list was compiled by the Early Television Foundation as of July 31, 2022.  Vision4 Magazine volunteered to maintain the list going forward because Marlin Mackley’s site was removed from the internet.  As of October 5, 2023 there are 35 known sets, and the highest chassis number on the list is 001062.  We know there are more out there.  Contact us if you would like your set added to this list.  We look forward to hearing from you.

Additional information about the Westinghouse H840CK15 color television can be found here and here.

In October, 1951, Westinghouse Electric Co. completed construction of a new production plant for color television in Metuchen, New Jersey.  

Production began January 10, 1954 at Horsehead, New York, and moved to the Metuchen plant.

As of April 16, 1954, the Concord Transcript report approximately 200 (may be a misprint, only 20?) H840CK15’s a day are in production.

Production terminated about June 30, 1954.

As of October 5, 2023, we document at least ME 001062 H840CK15’s were manufactured.

”ME” Metuchen, New Jersey.

April 10, 2024

From Dave Arland;

I’m attaching a photo of the Westinghouse that I purchased from Marlin Mackley.  It’s in “as found” condition.  He picked it up during the week of the September 11, 2001 attacks and it sat untouched in his home near St. Louis for these past 22 years.  I purchased it from him near the end of 2023.  She has all of her knobs, but has obviously spent a LOT of time in a wet garage somewhere.

This set could be #36. Hopefully Dave will send the chassis # and serial numbers.

October 5, 2023

From Luke Miller;

Greetings,
I would like to thank you for your wonderful DOCUMENTATION and PERSEVERATION of old tv’s etc. I am an EE by trade by into everything, TVs, jukes, Radios, theremin, cars etc… and ACQUIRED a westy h840ck15 with a strong tube. I wanted to reach out to Mike D. to ask him a few questions before I start REFERENCING the documented process on your site, no doubt will save me much time.
Thanks
Luke Miller

Chassis # ME 001062, CRT Serial # LB 9376. This is #35 added to the list.

Update April 10, 2024

From Luke Miller.

“Just tweaking now and fix width, my width control does not work, I will take look soon. I watched some nemo on it but did not get pics…. getting there.”

Update March 23, 2024

From Luke Miller.

Update February 20, 2024

From Luke Miller;

Getting close.

Update December 30, 2023:  “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Just a quick update… I have color… getting there..”

Update November 17, 2023:  It’s alive!

July 5, 2023

From Jeffry Skolarus;

Found a H840CK15 with chassis # ME 000551. No further information given.  (This model may be the same as “MW 000551” on the list below)  This is #34 added to the list.

October 15, 2022

From Don Jones:

”H840CK15 Ser # MW005571 PURCHASED 2018.  THIS SET IS ALREADY LISTED ON THIS SITE IN 2016 BUT CRT WAS NOT GOOD.  FOUND IN WEST HAMILTON IN HOME OF FORMER CWC REPAIRMAN AFTER HE DIED.  SET IN NEAR MINT UNUSED/UNREPAIRED CONDITION – ALSO NOS CRT TUBE STILL BOXED UP FULLY PROFESSIONALLY RESTORED AND IS NOW IN WORKING MUSEUM QUALITY CONDITION.  THIS SET IS GOING TO BE RE-SOLD IN THE NEAR FUTURE FOR ANY ONE INTERESTED”

October 3, 2022

This entry is from Fred’s PacRatz site and the television is listed below. Thank you.

September 19, 2022

This Westinghouse is on permanent display at the Early Television Museum in Hilliard, Ohio.

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August 30, 2022

This Westinghouse is on display at the Senator John Heinz History Center and included in the below list. Donated by Richard Brewster and transferred to the Heinz History Center in 2007.

August 8, 2022

We now add H840CK15 #33 to the list, from Don in Maryland, thank you.

“I have a h840ck15 in columbia maryland. chassis no. me000323 back mw005826 crt sn mw000323 I got it in the mid-60’s when I was in a ham radio club at Westinghouse. It used to belong to Maynard Briggs who was a ham and engineering manager of the Westinghouse Electronics Division in Baltimore. He sold it to a W field engineer who was also a ham in the club, who sold it to me. (I got it to watch Star Trek in color while in a Westinghouse work/study program) About 40 years ago, it was still working. I slowly powered it up last year using a variac. Most of the filaments lit up, but the high voltage rectifiers didn’t. The most significant question is whether the CRT is still good. I think there’s a decent chance it is, but that is TBD.”

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