The Official Vintage Curtis Mathes site by Glenn Waters
The Official Vintage Curtis Mathes site by Glenn Waters
Curtis Mathes, Vintage Electronics, Televisions, Stereos, Radios, VCRs, Camcorders, Mathes Coolers and Fans, Made in the USA. Design
Recent Photos
Recent Photos
Recent Blog Entries
Recent Blog Entries
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events
Curtis Mathes Television 1960 The Kingston Model K1523, High Fidelity Combination
Curtis Mathes Television 1960 The Kingston Model K1523, High Fidelity Combination
Curtis Mathes Television 1960 The Kingston Model K1523, High Fidelity Combination
Curtis Mathes Kingston Model K1523, The Best High Fidelity
The Curtis Mathes Kingston Model K1523 has the best high fidelity or what we now call hi-fi sound reproduction. This console set the high mark for home stereo listeners back in 1960 and even today home audio enthusiasts will have a hard time beating the sound quality of this beautiful machine of music. Many audiophiles still refer to high-quality sound quality of these early CM stereos as the zenith of design in the manufacture of music centers.
In the 1950s, many audio manufacturers like Curtis Mathes used the phrase high fidelity as a marketing term. But with the CM Company it truly did describe remarkable speakers and equipment intended to provide faithful sound reproduction that was made of the finest material and quality.
Curtis Mathes,The Kingston Model, High Fidelity Combination
Curtis Mathes, 1960 The Kingston Model K1523, High Fidelity Combination Television, AM/FM Radio Stereo, and Deluxe Curtis Mathes turntable ... The ultimate in high fidelity performances, custom cabinetry, majestic French provincial styling; this mode
Curtis Mathes, 1960 The Kingston Model K1523, High Fidelity Combination Television, AM/FM Radio Stereo, and Deluxe Curtis Mathes turntable ... The ultimate in high fidelity performances, custom cabinetry, majestic French provincial styling; this mode
Great Planing, the making of a masterpiece at Curtis Mathes
The making of a masterpiece at Curtis Mathes starts with great planing and craftsmanship. All components in this 1960 console were made by the four major plants owned by the Curtis Mathes Company at that time. The plant in Austin made the picture tube, turntable, radio and vacuum tubes. The plant in Athens and Dallas made the cabinets and speakers, Raw chassis materials are punched out and finished at the plant in Houston along with every nut and bolt, the back board for the console, and the speaker fabric. This is an all Texas made beauty. Every part receives careful inspection and testing before being assembled into the completed chassis.
Turntable plays great on the Curtis Mathes 1960 Kingston K1523
The very best went into the Best Mathes Television Picture Tube
The very best in television picture, the new high fidelity television sound is all in the Curtis Mathes Kingston Models K1523
The very best in television picture, the new high fidelity television sound is all in the Curtis Mathes Kingston Models K1523
About the Curtis Mathes Company and George Curtis Mathes
George Curtis Mathes had a dream of having the best line of radios and televisions ever made in the world. When stereos came out in the late 1950s he was the first to put together a group of experts in the high fidelity field at his plants in Dallas and Austin Texas. George who preferred to be called Curtis, started early in his live loving electronics when he became a distributor and manufacturer. He was a cooler and fan pioneer with his Mathes Cooler Fans to cool down Texas and Midwestern homes with the first air conditioning ever seen in that area. Geroge Curtis studied architecture at the University of Texas. Curtis established an early distributorship for the remarkable Philco Radio Company in the small town of Amarillo, Texas during the depression years. The Mathes Company moved to the booming Fort Worth area just before the start of World War II.
It was after the the war that the Mathes Coolers Company started growing by leaps and bounds, being the mid-west largest manufacturer of cooler fans, and evaporator coolers, and by the early 1950s they had a line of Mathes room air conditioners, the first air conditioners made and sold in Texas. George Curtis soon started manufacturing furniture and very high end and great quality solid wood cabinetry for his own Mathes Cooler fan products.
In 1957 George created the world renowned Curtis Mathes Corporation, this was the only family owned furniture, cooler fan, and electronics company of its kind, the first it the region to manufacturing well designed high fidelity music entertainment systems, and they even manufactured their own black and white and later color televisions. Soon there were Curtis Mathes Dealerships throughout the entire United States.
1960 The Kingston Model K1523, Television works, Curtis Mathes,
Attention to Details, Curtis Mathes High Fidelity Radio Chassis
With this type of masterpiece, the high fidelity radio chassis required careful attention to details and rigid inspections characterize assembly of the CM products. Pretested components are carefully assembled in light, air conditioned assembly areas. Hand soldering and precision placement of tubes and wires insure endless years of pleasure from all Curtis Mathes radios.
The Curtis Mathes had modern designed Factories in Texas
The Curtis Mathes firm had modern well designed factories in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and Athens Texas. Satellite plants that produced components for the Texas factories were in Benton, Arkansas, and later in the 1960s plants were also built for stereo components in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, and in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, and a black and white portable television plant was built in
St.Kitts.
Billy Vaughn, That's Life LP on the Curtis Mathes, Kingston K1523
The Curtis Mathes produced many Beautiful & Endearing Models
The Curtis Mathes Company produced many beautiful models considered endearing by most modern and retro audiophiles. This was the time when the Kingston Model K1523, High Fidelity Combination was made.
The Curtis Mathes Company produced many beautiful models considered endearing by most modern and retro audiophiles. This was the time when the Kingston Model K1523, High Fidelity Combination was made.
The Kingston Model K1523, is Endearing by Modern Audiophiles
Curtis Mathes In the late 1950s and early 1960s, led to the next wave of home-audio improvement, and in common parlance with the new ear, stereo displaced hi-fi. The mass-produced records were now being played on a stereo. In the world of the true audiophile, however at the sound laboratories of Curtis Mathes, high fidelity gurus continued and lab assistance continued to refer to the goal of highly accurate Mathes sound reproduction and to the Cm Company endless technological resources were made available for approaching that goal. This period in the history of the Curtis Mathes Company was most widely regarded as "The Golden Age of Mathes Hi-Fi’s", when the Curtis Mathes plants still made their own tube equipment and did not have to rely on other manufacturers of that time. The Curtis Mathes Company produced many beautiful models considered endearing by most modern and retro audiophiles. This was the time when the Kingston Model K1523, High Fidelity Combination was made.
The punching og the Curtis Mathes Chassis is done at the Plant
The finest of all home entertainment centers has to have the best speakers. These Curtis Mathes speakers are handmade to insure the best performance.
The finest of all home entertainment centers has to have the best speakers. These Curtis Mathes speakers are handmade to insure the best performance.
No greatly reduced sound quality with the Kingston Model K1523
The Kingston Model K1523, high fidelity combination sound provided a partial solution to the problem of creating some semblance of the illusion of live orchestral coming out of the remarkable wood in cased speaker system help do away with the phantom middle section when the listener sits exactly in the middle of the two front loudspeakers. Because there were over six speakers and hollow echo champers built into the Curtis Mathes stereo you could sit anywhere in the room and get great sound. When the listener moves slightly to the side there was no phantom channel disappearing or was there greatly reduced sound quality. . An attempt to provide sound like the Kingston Model K1523 was tried in the 1970s through many other stereos with quadraphonic sound but, again this could not match the Curtis Mathes, Kingston Model K1523.
Grantley standing in front of the CM Kingston Model K1523
The length 73 inches, width 31 inches and height 20 inches. The Kingston Model K1523 was a Texas size beauty.
The length 73 inches, width 31 inches and height 20 inches. The Kingston Model K1523 was a Texas size beauty.
The Cabinet Assembly of the Curtis Mathes used the Finest Wood
The photo below shows the Cabinet Assembly of the Curtis Mathes Plants in Texas requires careful quality control in the manufacture of wood parts, this work pay dividends in the assembly of cabinets in the cabinet room. Shown here are workers assembling, fitting and inspecting high fidelity cabinets.
What every you can do, I can do better, the motto Curtis Mathes
"What every you can do, I can do better" was the motto at the Curtis Mathes Plants in Texas back in the early 1960s
"What every you can do, I can do better" was the motto at the Curtis Mathes Plants in Texas back in the early 1960s
In 1960 Curtis Mathes has Genuine Wood Finishes
The very latest finishing techniques of the time allowed Curtis Mathes to produce genuine wood finishes at cost only slightly higher than their cheaper made partial board competitors.
Curtis Mathes 1960, The Kingston Model K1523, "Rock" FM
Many Women wired the chassis of these Beautiful Curtis Mathes
Many hard working women hands wired the chassis of these beautiful Curtis Mathes stereos and television console back in the 1960s.
Many hard working women hands wired the chassis of these beautiful Curtis Mathes stereos and television console back in the 1960s.
1960 The Kingston Model K1523, Turntable works, Curtis Mathes
At CM when a Chassis goes to the cage it is the last Inspections
When a chassis goes to the cage it is time for the last and most important inspections. fabricating, plating and wiring are check for the last time before installation in the console.
When a chassis goes to the cage it is time for the last and most important inspections. fabricating, plating and wiring are check for the last time before installation in the console.
1960 The Kingston, Working FM & Multiplex on the Curtis Mathes
The Curtis Mathes Finishing Department with a Kingston Model
In the photo below is the Curtis Mathes Finishing Department in 1960. This picture shows the giant convey-organized finishing room in the Athens plant. Shown here is the rubbing section where the cabinets are carefully rubbed to bring out all the beauty of genuine precious woods.
Curtis Mathes, Assembly of the Completed Cabinet are Inspected
The assembly of the completed cabinet are molded, trimmed to size, bored for dowels, doweled, sanded and inspected.
The assembly of the completed cabinet are molded, trimmed to size, bored for dowels, doweled, sanded and inspected.
Working TV and all system good on the Curtis Mathes, Kingston
What drove the Curtis Mathes Company? Dedication to Quality
Dedication to quality and a desire for perfection was what drove the Curtis Mathes Company in 1960. It was a Texas size pride in doing something great and lasting.
Dedication to quality and a desire for perfection was what drove the Curtis Mathes Company in 1960. It was a Texas size pride in doing something great and lasting.
1960 The Kingston Model, CM LP Album playing on the Curtis Mathes
Texas Pride in the Design and Installation of the Stereo Console
They would check and recheck every aspect of the design and installation of the stereo and television console back in 1960 at Curtis Mathes
They would check and recheck every aspect of the design and installation of the stereo and television console back in 1960 at Curtis Mathes
Grantley with the the Curtis Mathes, Kingston Model K1523
Grantley with the the Curtis Mathes, 1960 High Fidelity The Kingston Model K1523 ... The ultimate in high fidelity performances, custom cabinetry, majestic French provincial styling; this model features high fidelity AM Radio, full fidelity FM radio,
Grantley with the the Curtis Mathes, 1960 High Fidelity The Kingston Model K1523 ... The ultimate in high fidelity performances, custom cabinetry, majestic French provincial styling; this model features high fidelity AM Radio, full fidelity FM radio,
1960 The Kingston Model, Pretty LP playing on the Curtis Mathes
Women made up a good part of the work force at Curtis Mathes
Women made up a good number of the work force at all four Curtis Mathes Plants in Texas back in 1960. Because the were good with their minds and their hands, and never let any past unless it was flawless.
Women made up a good number of the work force at all four Curtis Mathes Plants in Texas back in 1960. Because the were good with their minds and their hands, and never let any past unless it was flawless.
Tiny Bubbles, Billy Vaughn, Kingston Console by Curtis Mathes
A True Timeless Classic, the 1960 Curtis Mathes Kingston Model
This console is over 55 years old this year 2015, and everything still works, the television, the FM & AM radio, and the Curtis Mathes made turntable.. A true timeless classic.
This console is over 55 years old this year 2015, and everything still works, the television, the FM & AM radio, and the Curtis Mathes made turntable.. A true timeless classic.
In 1960 Athens Texas was the home of the largest & newest of the Curtis Mathes Manufacturing Plants
Workers at the Curtis Mathes Plants in 1960 milling the Lumber
Workers at the Curtis Mathes plants in 1960 in Athens, Houston, Fort Worth, and Dallas Texas back when we made our own stuff here in the USA. View of the Mechanized Rough Mill at the Fort Worth Curtis Mathes plant. This picture shows the fine lumber
Workers at the Curtis Mathes plants in 1960 in Athens, Houston, Fort Worth, and Dallas Texas back when we made our own stuff here in the USA. View of the Mechanized Rough Mill at the Fort Worth Curtis Mathes plant. This picture shows the fine lumber
The Conveyor Line for Sides and Topes at the Curtis Mathes Plant
In the photo below is the Conveyor Line for Sides and Topes at the Curtis Mathes Plant in Athens Texas in 1960. The sides and tops for the CM Hi-Fi are trimmed to size, banded, sanded and inspected on this line. Highly mechanized line such as this makes it possible for Curtis Mathes to produce the very finest cabinets at cost only slightly above inexpensive furniture.
The making of the Kingston, the Curtis Mathes Products in 1960
The Conveyor Line for Sides and Tops at the Curtis Mathes Plant in Athens Texas in 1960.
The Conveyor Line for Sides and Tops at the Curtis Mathes Plant in Athens Texas in 1960.
Full fidelity FM radio, on the 1960 Curtis Mathes, Kingston K1523
Austin Texas was home to the Curtis Mathes Television Picture Tube Plant, and Vacuum Tube Plant