Philco-Ford 1960 Kuba Komet

[Celt]

I'm sure you guys have probably seen this before, but today was my first time! I doubt if Magnavox ever got this creative with their consoles!

[Kamakiri]

Seen one in person. I thought it was made for a bowling alley. Even bigger and uglier in person

[Sandy G]

"Golly gee, Mr Wizard, it's 1960 !!!" -Sandy G.

Actually that thing is more reminiscent of late 20's - 1930's Art Deco.

[Rob]

I saw that set with Tim at the MZTV Museum. That is one FUGLY piece of home entertainment furniture. It is even more hideous in person. Yes it would have been at home in a 60's bowling alley.
The blessing is that only a few were made as far as I know, so their rarity and value as a collectible make up somewhat (but not completely) for their fuglyness.

LOL

You notice I said it was reminiscent of Art Deco ......... I never said it was reminiscent of good Art Deco design !

They bring big $$ in the collector market. According to one German collector site one recently sold in Germany for U$ 7300.00

They were in production from 1960-1962.

Thanks for showing the pic I had never seen one before either ( Thank God ! ).

[domfjbrown]

Am I the only one who thinks it actually looks pretty cool then???

[Sandy G]

I didn't say I didn't like it; it's just that it's so...well...uhhh, you know...You sorta need a house w/a "butterfly" roof & a '59 Caddy sitting in the driveway to get the proper effect. Its always a hoot to look back & see the predictions they made for us for that far-off year of 2000. TVs were supposed to look like this-& we'd all be flying around w/jet-back-packs wearing that shiny metallic stuff looking like George Jetson. Imagine finding one of these bad boys in a thrift/antique shop today after its suffered thru 45 years of abuse by 10-year-old boys...I would have probably tried to hang my sister by her diaper off the spire to save her from the evil Gorgons...And all those buttons on the "Hi-Fi" ? Well, they're actually controls for the mighty Death Ray to kick the hind ends of said Gorgons back into the 5th dimension where they came from. Good riddance. -Sandy G.

[Celt]

In other news...housewife and socialite, Lawanda Lipschitz accidentally impaled herself on her Philco TV Console when she slipped on her freshly waxed linoleum floor...

[Charlie]

Didn't we see one of these on eBay about a year ago? IMS, seems the auction was pulled off eBay early for some reason.

I never thought it was ugly... just different in a very eccentric way! Someone had quite the imagination when they designed it. Or perhaps they had just finished smoking some really good weed!

From what I remember, it's quite large and would take up an entire wall by itself. The best place for that thing is in a museum.

One thing is for sure... it's likely you won't find one of these down in the basement of an old TV shop!

[Sandy G]

Charlie, Yeah, I think you're right...Seems there was one of these things on the 'Bay awhile back. And seems like there was a German ? French ? Italian ? version, too. Maybe that BrionVega outfit made it. Don't see what's so special about those BrionVega sets- but the folks that sell 'em sure think they're Hot Stuff. One of these Kuba Komet Kommandos certainly would be a conversation piece. Or fight-starter. -sandy G.

[Eric H]

Is it an optical delusion or is the CRT mounted slightly off kilter?

[Celt]

I think that entire obelisk on the top swivels back n forth.

[Marlin Mackley]

You might wanna stand back, unless you are well padded, before trying to swivel that thing.

They had one here in the St. Louis Science Center until a few years ago when they changed stuff. I donno whose it was or where it went.