1958 Black Lacquer Cabinet

[atomict]

Sorry I've been gone for a while. Kids....... shall I say more? Anyway, we need to do some moving around of furniture.

This is a 1958 black lacquer cabinet. Maker is unknown, but it is of great quality. I am the second owner. I rescued it from a penthouse apartment in NYC back in 2004, after the owners passed away. it has a chinese/polynesian theme with brass handles and bamboo style applique. It consists of three sections.d It has a china cabinet and tray storage, a liquor and flip up drink and ice bucket section, and a stereo and record player section. It measures 13'10 inches long, and 32" high. It comes apart in three sections. I am only letting it go because we need more seating. I am asking $1000 dollars on Criagslist, but if any of the AW members here want it, I'll take $500. Note the stereo is not included. I have a replacement unit for free, or you can insert your own unit. The record player is included and works beautiful. It is a 1957 Garrard Type A multistack. The overall dimensions are 13'10 L x 32" H x 20" D

We just need more seating area for the growing family.[this post was last edited: 1/26/2018-17:40]

 

[firedome]

lot of pic repetition here...

some close ups of the stereo units would be of interest, the receiver looks like a Bogen or possibly Pilot, and even though not included, it would be interesting to know for the console nuts among us. Quite a unique piece, but one would need a really big room to properly accommodate this monster!

 

[circlew]

Reminds me of Carolyn Appleby's new furniture.

http://https//www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=0K9vWvTtFK2AtgWYw6aoBQ&q=carolyn+appleby+chinese+modern&oq=carolyn+appleby+chinese+modern&gs_l=psy-ab.3...91946.98305.0.98712.15.15.0.0.0.0.103.972.13j1.14.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..1.1.102...0j0i30k1j0

 

[tolivac]

Oh GEEZZZZZWhat a bunch of IDIOTS converting this Hi-Fi into a Bar????DUMB!!!!!!STUPID!!!!Didn't get to see what kind of speakers were in this aircraft carrier size console.A closer shot of the amp and tuner would be nice-Garrard TT-one like my Grandfather had.

 

[atomict]

It is indeed a 1957/58 Bogen-Presto RP-40. A very rare and very high quality unit with an amazing amount of options. Two Phonos, two tapes, two aux inputs, and two electrical outputs, plus the ability for 8 remote speakers on two channels. It was the 'Sound Span' model (with a head of a man and a woman juxtaposed in the center) that allowed for different functions in different rooms. It also has a rumble filter, loudness switch, scratch filter, and channel blend.

I have put some money in repairing it over the years and really want to keep it. I have an Bogen Presto AM-FM radio (only) from the same year that looks exactly the same but the numbers on the glass are smudged. It was the sister model to the AP-40 (same as the RP-40 that just didn't have the am-fm radio dial in it. Pre-cursor to the stacked component systems I guess). It will go with the cabinet either way.

Anyways, I will take a picture of the face and post here tomorrow. The unit always had the flip up bar, the ice bucket is original and always part of it.

Oh, the speakers. Yes the speakers. The are gloriously large Jensen speakers that when I rescued the unit from the demolition, the couldn't figure out how to get the off the walls! They were wallpapered to match the walls. They have two speakers each, a tweeter, and tunnel for the bass. There is a knob on the back to adjust the ohms I think. (You can see one in a few of the pictures) My repair guy said they are 1958/59 models. They are wicked loud and I want to keep them.

I know I'm asking a lot, but if there is a good steward out there that really wants it and has the room, let's talk and work something out.

 

[firedome]

That's a nice receiver...

which would be more like 1961, I don't believe Bogen added the Presto name until around 1960 or so, and their Sound-Span line, again, was 60/61-ish. My old Allied catalogs will verify if I can find them!

IIRC these used 7355 output tubes which are not common, which were used in some H-Ks also I believe, but that's about it. They're no longer made and NOS is rather pricey but you can sub 7591, which are available new, with some re-biasing of the output stage being required. Bogen is somewhat under the radar, being mostly known for PA equipment, but they made some very nice consumer audio products, making them a good buy today when compared with Fisher and the like.

 

[firedome]

oh and the knob on the back...

would probably be for adjusting "presence" in other words tweeter output. Multiple options for Ohms would more likely be on the back of the receiver.

 

[atomict]

Alrighty then.....

I stand corrected. I know Bogen bought Presto in 1956(dropped in '63) and the original apartment I got it from was occupied from 1957 by the one family. I made an deductive guess

 

[tolivac]

WOW!!!!so this was also a BAR as well as a Hi-Fi system.The 7591 tubes are still used today-found in some Fender guitar amps.7591 is readily available.

 

[atomict]

Up close stereo pics

As requested

 

[atomict]

The finished look

Well I ended up selling it a few months ago on craigslist. A nice guy and his husband were fitting out their mid-century home, and needed a large cabinet for a large room.

They just sent me these pictures. I am pretty psyched it got a new lease on life.

 

[jersey-johny]

NAUSEATING AND CRIMINAL

I'm speechless - an offense has been committed here. In my opinion, replacing that elegant black lacquer with this whorish, teeny-bopper blue/pink confection is beyond disrespectful. Not only to the piece itself, but also to the mid-century period of the home they're trying to "outfit".

This is now an Urban Outfitters reject. An Ikea abortion. Even the dog looks dejected!

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

The neo-hipster edition, and maybe done in a cheap, inferior, assemble-it-yourself, pressboard/chipboard...

— Dave

 

[tolivac]

At first thought this was a hi-fi cabinet-but the garish blue and pink is disgusting!Should have left it the way it was-black,gold.That is if those were the orig colors.

 

[atomict]

To each his own, and better than the dump!

The original inside color was pink! The original owner painted it red/gold at some point, so the new owners actually brought that back.

While I think the black was much better, it looks better than the dump. We couldn’t hold onto to it any more.

Couldn’t one argue that the blue enamel gloss color is period correct, although just not necessarily for a Chinese inspired piece?