112561
Well-known member
Ooh la la!
The Martinique, is dazzling white French Provincial:
The Martinique, is dazzling white French Provincial:
1958 Philco TV
- Thread starter countryford
- Start date
danemodsandy
Well-known member
Oh, God - French Provincial!
That was one furniture style that midcentury kids remember very well, because it seemed to attract moms who were much more house-proud than average. If you went into a friend's house and saw French Provincial, you kind of knew right away to be very careful about making any kind of mess or causing any damage. <br
We had one Francophile mom on my street whose house never changed one iota the entire time I was growing up - every fold of every drapery was exact, every chatchke was placed Just So, every damask-covered chair had its own particular needlepoint pillow and every inch of fruitwood and antique-painted wood had been rubbed with Pledge until it glowed. In the dark. <br
My friend was named Rusty, and he liked motorcycles and bikes and fooling around with anything dirty or greasy. He shared a bedroom with his brother, and they had fruitwood French Provincial bunk beds with green damask spreads and matching curtains (walls were yellow-gold). You could have eaten off any floor in that house, and Rusty lived to get out of it and go someplace where he could make a glorious mess working on something.
That was one furniture style that midcentury kids remember very well, because it seemed to attract moms who were much more house-proud than average. If you went into a friend's house and saw French Provincial, you kind of knew right away to be very careful about making any kind of mess or causing any damage. <br
We had one Francophile mom on my street whose house never changed one iota the entire time I was growing up - every fold of every drapery was exact, every chatchke was placed Just So, every damask-covered chair had its own particular needlepoint pillow and every inch of fruitwood and antique-painted wood had been rubbed with Pledge until it glowed. In the dark. <br
My friend was named Rusty, and he liked motorcycles and bikes and fooling around with anything dirty or greasy. He shared a bedroom with his brother, and they had fruitwood French Provincial bunk beds with green damask spreads and matching curtains (walls were yellow-gold). You could have eaten off any floor in that house, and Rusty lived to get out of it and go someplace where he could make a glorious mess working on something.
Dumont in Phoenix
I was born and raised in Phoenix. In the early-mid 1970s around 7th Street & Roosevelt area there was a collector had a bunch of older Cadillacs and such. Lived on the east side of 7th. The place looked like his own wrecking yard. I had the chance to meet and talk with him on a few occasions. He also had a collection of old phonographs and televisions. As we were finishing up our visit, he took me over to this huge modern looking cabinet, opened the doors on the front and showed me one of those Dumont 30" TVs. The cabinet was in a dark finish, either mahogany or walnut, modern and rather plain, but elegant. It was the largest set I had ever seen. I believe he lived here into the early 1980s. It is possible that the set is long gone, but sometimes these things do have a way of hanging around an area.
Justin, you may want to make some inquires with your contacts there and see if anyone else may recall this set.
I was born and raised in Phoenix. In the early-mid 1970s around 7th Street & Roosevelt area there was a collector had a bunch of older Cadillacs and such. Lived on the east side of 7th. The place looked like his own wrecking yard. I had the chance to meet and talk with him on a few occasions. He also had a collection of old phonographs and televisions. As we were finishing up our visit, he took me over to this huge modern looking cabinet, opened the doors on the front and showed me one of those Dumont 30" TVs. The cabinet was in a dark finish, either mahogany or walnut, modern and rather plain, but elegant. It was the largest set I had ever seen. I believe he lived here into the early 1980s. It is possible that the set is long gone, but sometimes these things do have a way of hanging around an area.
Justin, you may want to make some inquires with your contacts there and see if anyone else may recall this set.
French Provincial
When my parents married in 1949, they bought a brand new tract home and loaded it down with brand new French Provincial furniture. They never changed the style. The Great Depression taught them that you buy once and hang onto it. We eventually had a 1962 Airline B&W TV and matching Airline multiplex stereo console in the style of the "Martinique" above, but in a more maple-ish finish.
Amazingly, a lot of that furniture sold at the estate sale some 18 months ago. We did end up giving away the dining room table and chairs, but somebody did buy the matching hutch.
Neither my sister or I wanted a single stick of any of that furniture. It looked lost in the large living room where it landed in 1960. My partner and I have since installed big beefy leather pieces that actually take charge instead of being dwarfed. The room has high ceilings and demands large pieces.
I can't imagine French Provincial being a look anyone would ever want for a retro scene. Too bad my parents weren't into contemporary furniture when they set up housekeeping. There may have been some choice pieces worth saving.
When my parents married in 1949, they bought a brand new tract home and loaded it down with brand new French Provincial furniture. They never changed the style. The Great Depression taught them that you buy once and hang onto it. We eventually had a 1962 Airline B&W TV and matching Airline multiplex stereo console in the style of the "Martinique" above, but in a more maple-ish finish.
Amazingly, a lot of that furniture sold at the estate sale some 18 months ago. We did end up giving away the dining room table and chairs, but somebody did buy the matching hutch.
Neither my sister or I wanted a single stick of any of that furniture. It looked lost in the large living room where it landed in 1960. My partner and I have since installed big beefy leather pieces that actually take charge instead of being dwarfed. The room has high ceilings and demands large pieces.
I can't imagine French Provincial being a look anyone would ever want for a retro scene. Too bad my parents weren't into contemporary furniture when they set up housekeeping. There may have been some choice pieces worth saving.
112561
Well-known member
Ever since I found my $10 French Provincial console, I've softened to it. White French is so foo-foo, and regular French is in fruitwood or mahogany, but there is such a mess of curves and those horrible pot metal pulls, so it gets old fast. One neighbor who fancied herself a decorating genius, took a tolerable French P. buffet, sawed the legs off, and painted it grey. Barf out. Danish or Chinese Modern are two styles I could go crazy on.
Here's a nice Far Eastern Contemporary theatre:
Here's a nice Far Eastern Contemporary theatre:
"white French is so foo-foo"
Well, yes indeed it is, but doesn't everyone need some foo-foo in their lives? Remember that the theme to "Polyester" actually mentions French Provincial: "French Provincial, they try not to offend, to stay neutral . . . "
I'll never forget my mother's best friend's living room table lamps: white plaster with painted gold accents, modeled as miniature Eiffel towers . . . placed in front of a wall that featured white wallpaper with faint scenes of someone's idea of what the gardens of Versaille should look like, as distinct from what they really do look like. And in the driveway lurked a white '66 Olds 98 four-door hardtop, as if to prepare one for the living room.
Well, yes indeed it is, but doesn't everyone need some foo-foo in their lives? Remember that the theme to "Polyester" actually mentions French Provincial: "French Provincial, they try not to offend, to stay neutral . . . "
I'll never forget my mother's best friend's living room table lamps: white plaster with painted gold accents, modeled as miniature Eiffel towers . . . placed in front of a wall that featured white wallpaper with faint scenes of someone's idea of what the gardens of Versaille should look like, as distinct from what they really do look like. And in the driveway lurked a white '66 Olds 98 four-door hardtop, as if to prepare one for the living room.
112561
Well-known member
You're right Hydraulique
But real butch guys like me have a image to maintain, we gotta keep it real, but I draw the line at log cabins and those vomit making 1950s rodeo living room suites. Huh, guess I prefer foo-foo after all!
I think I could have survived your mom's friends house, those 98s have a hypnotic effect on me. The basement in the firehouse in Kutztown, Pennsylvania had or has a bar which had French poodle street scene '50s wallpaper behind the bar. I'll bet Pennsylvania has a million houses and places that time forgot. Love to see them.
But real butch guys like me have a image to maintain, we gotta keep it real, but I draw the line at log cabins and those vomit making 1950s rodeo living room suites. Huh, guess I prefer foo-foo after all!
I think I could have survived your mom's friends house, those 98s have a hypnotic effect on me. The basement in the firehouse in Kutztown, Pennsylvania had or has a bar which had French poodle street scene '50s wallpaper behind the bar. I'll bet Pennsylvania has a million houses and places that time forgot. Love to see them.
Picture Time Today
Am doing a Spring Cleaning and rearranging the house today so I'm finding some old photos. Here's another Stromberg Carlson TV that may be in the Phoenix area. I had it until the mid 90s and then sold it to another collector friend of mine. He kept it a few years and it sold to another Phoenix collector. The tube would light up, some sound out of the radio and the record player worked. The changer was in a drawer next to the speaker. Was a fun machine. Never did figure out a date on this, other than the TV channel selector had Channel 1 on it.
I just wish I had the time and resources to have kept it.
Am doing a Spring Cleaning and rearranging the house today so I'm finding some old photos. Here's another Stromberg Carlson TV that may be in the Phoenix area. I had it until the mid 90s and then sold it to another collector friend of mine. He kept it a few years and it sold to another Phoenix collector. The tube would light up, some sound out of the radio and the record player worked. The changer was in a drawer next to the speaker. Was a fun machine. Never did figure out a date on this, other than the TV channel selector had Channel 1 on it.
I just wish I had the time and resources to have kept it.
Similar threads
