[Dave A]

Sandy, you are partially correct. She was the wife of Technicolor inventor Herb Kalmus...and then ex-wife. Part of the divorce settlement was that she would be in the credits of many Technicolor productions as "Technicolor Color Consultant". You can read more in the 50th anniversary book on the "Wizard of Oz", including the disdain she was held in.

It seems that this eventually ran out in the early 50's and my supposition is she sold her name to these sets. I do not know if it was her company or something Hoffman dreamed up. I have a 1952 receipt for my set for a staggering $699.95.

She was positioned as a doyenne of modern design. To quote from the brochure, "To place such an eye-pleasing picture in a cabinet of plain design and ordinary construction would be comparable to framing the Mona Lisa in a melon crate."

The brochure continues on ad nauseum.

There were 4 models. The one you see is the "Student Prince" along with the "New Moon", "Vagabond King" (both straight-sided variations of the picture) and "Combination" which had an AM/FM/Phono, again in a straight-sided cabinet. Three names were borrowed directly from Technicolor productions.

The "Combination" is the one that I own, complete with ceramic planter box insert. It also has a tag on the back advising not to use real flowers, only plastic. Perhaps pouring water in the planter on top of a live chassis was a problem.

The set that started this does not have the planters in place on the shoulders, but you can see them in the photo from the brochure below.

Mine is also horribly top-heavy to the point of being dangerous as the very heavy chassis portion of the cabinet is larger than the speaker base portion.