Mystery Vintage Television Cabinet

Those Asian-inspired cabinets (at one time known as "Oriental") are really beautiful. Although those Stromberg Carlson sets were made when I was a kid, I do remember when most customers purchased a big-screen TV by the cabinet style. The brand and picture quality came in second or third. Console TVs and stereos were on their way out, but it was a fun time to be involved in home electronics.

At the time, the largest screen size Sony made was 19". Northern California with it's educated consumers loved these sets with their "different" Trinitron screen and wonderful picture...and rightfully so. The closest thing Sony had to a console was the Betamax, sleek modern styling, great sound and very expensive...about $2,500 in 1970's money. Departments like housewares used food smells to lure customers to their area, but Betamax made this very easy and was much more effective. A big hit on TV at the time was "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" which was broadcast at 11:00 PM. We would record it, crank up the sound and when people heard the familiar theme song they would say "how can this be on in the middle of the day?' They'd flock to the television department like a customer magnet. We didn't sell a lot of the sets because of the price but it sure helped with everything else like radios, records and the like.

Didn't it look sharp?

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Post# 1056887 1/8/2020 at 15:13 (1,562 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)
Checkrate/Likes I spotted this at a thrift shop some time ago and I knew exactly what it was. Sadly it had been gutted. Even with the scratches, the cabinet was magnificent. Amazing the quality of TV cabinets back then. It resembles an early 1950's Stromberg-Carson TV. But I know other manufacturers were using the Asian styling motif at that time. Any ideas who made this beauty?

Post# 1056911 , Reply# 1 1/8/2020 at 17:38 (1,562 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)
Checkrate/Likes 1 Interesting cabinet! I sometimes have seen gutted TV cabinets. At one point, I even toyed with the idea of getting one to use as a TV cabinet to hold a modern TV. I'd personally probably couldn't bring myself to gut an old TV, but if the cabinet is already empty, why not? Problem is...the cabinets I see are usually $$$$. Part of the "it looks old, so it must be worth a lot!" mentality.

Post# 1056946 , Reply# 2 1/8/2020 at 21:45 (1,562 days old) by Blackstone (Springfield, Massachusetts)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Stromberg-Carlson Cabinet* For your consideration, here is a scan of an advertising brochure for Stromberg-Carlson. Just one page. My father sold them in his TV/appliance store. A bit before my time, so I don't remember this model; but I have saved an old SC TV of similar vintage. View Full Size

Post# 1056948 , Reply# 3 1/8/2020 at 22:03 (1,562 days old) by CircleW (NE Cincinnati OH area)
Checkrate/Likes 3 *Chinese Modern* That makes me think of Carolyn Appleby, and what Lucy said about her new furniture.

Post# 1057138 , Reply# 4 1/10/2020 at 11:50 (1,560 days old) by twintubdexter (Palm Springs)
Checkrate/Likes 2 *A little off-track...sorry* Those Asian-inspired cabinets (at one time known as "Oriental") are really beautiful. Although those Stromberg Carlson sets were made when I was a kid, I do remember when most customers purchased a big-screen TV by the cabinet style. The brand and picture quality came in second or third. Console TVs and stereos were on their way out, but it was a fun time to be involved in home electronics. At the time, the largest screen size Sony made was 19". Northern California with it's educated consumers loved these sets with their "different" Trinitron screen and wonderful picture...and rightfully so. The closest thing Sony had to a console was the Betamax, sleek modern styling, great sound and very expensive...about $2,500 in 1970's money. Departments like housewares used food smells to lure customers to their area, but Betamax made this very easy and was much more effective. A big hit on TV at the time was "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" which was broadcast at 11:00 PM. We would record it, crank up the sound and when people heard the familiar theme song they would say "how can this be on in the middle of the day?' They'd flock to the television department like a customer magnet. We didn't sell a lot of the sets because of the price but it sure helped with everything else like radios, records and the like. Didn't it look sharp? View Full Size

Post# 1057140 , Reply# 5 1/10/2020 at 12:15 (1,560 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)
Checkrate/Likes 2 *Joe* it�s funny that you brought up the Sony Beta Max and �Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman�. I reminded me of being in line at the Crocker National Bank (remember them) in about 1978 and overhearing the two customers ahead of me in line. The man was telling the woman in front of him how he now could record �Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman� on his new Beta Max and never miss an episode again! This was when the recording of TV programs was a revolutionary thing. Oh, how times have changed. Eddie