I grew up in a family with no love for antiques. Mom prefered modern furniture – chrome, glass, the works. I don’t know what it’s like to have hand-me-down furniture, but I’ve had lots of hand-me-down boyfriends.

But somehow Dearly Demented Mom got her hands on Aunt Marye and Uncle Bob’s castoff Magnavox Console. Of course she had it stuck in her garage, but one day I grabbed it and I’ve had it around for a few years. I put my TV on top of it and use the record storage area as a bar. Very functional.

So I did some research and found out this is a 1950 Magnavox Contemporary console complete with all the bells and whistles.

Pretty cool, don’t you think?

There, to the left, is the fancy black and white television. Color wasn’t out in 1950, kids.

Here’s the AM/FM radio

Heck, I didn’t know they had FM in the 50’s. It was the 70’s when FM made it’s break and became “cooler” than AM.

Here’s the totally awesome phonograph

Today, we’d call that a turntable, but not back in 1950. It plays 3 speeds, has an automatic arm, the needle is still there as was this RCA Victor record. One side of the record is Waltzes and the other side is Dances. Evidently Aunt Marye and Uncle Bob loved to cut a rug.

That’s the official Magnavox label back there

But here’s the most amazing part of it all – the “Intel processor” of the past.

Look at all those metal tubes

They run the whole thing. I have no idea if this unit works. The TV has a plug but I’m afraid to plug it in the wall. The other side has the wire with no plug but that’s because Uncle Bob was a ham radio operator and probably wired it into another system or speakers that he had. Simple to replace and you’d probably be dancing or waltzing right away.

It’s really in great shape and a true classic

Of course, it’s for sale, though it weighs a ton and a half. If you’re interested, email me. If not, I hope you enjoyed the show of 1950 technology and marvel in how far we’ve come in the last 60 years.

Have a great St. Patrick’s Day. Next week – who knows – maybe some wild St. Patrick’s Day photos!

Spreading knowledge throughout the world…one almost antique at a time.

Mikie Baker
www.mikiebaker.com