Tube Caddy

About the Tube Caddy

The RCA Tube Caddy is a vintage carrying case specifically designed to store and transport vacuum tubes used in radios and televisions. It was commonly used by repair technicians who performed home service calls when radios and TVs were too large to bring to repair shops. The caddy typically features rows of square compartments to hold individually boxed tubes and larger compartments for other components or tools. This particular RCA tube caddy is small, red and black in color, with dimensions approximately 13 1/4" L x 17" W x 8" D. It is made to protect fragile glass vacuum tubes and facilitate easy replacement during repairs. The exterior shows some staining and minor buckling, with rusty hardware, and the interior has a musty scent, reflecting its vintage condition. Such caddies were essential in the era of vacuum tube electronics but became obsolete as solid-state devices replaced tubes and home repair visits declined.