The plastic is out and recycled wood is in!!!!


http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-Vintage-Philippe-Starck-SABA-Pressed-Wood-TV_W0QQitemZ170130913529QQihZ007QQcategoryZ73374QQ rdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

polaraman

Cute, isn't it? A classic Thomson chassis in a fancy design. Quite popular here in Italy. Thomson made other tv sets (with the same chassis) designed by Philippe Starck i.e. Zeo (Nordmende) and a Telefunken 16" with a very de luxe polyester polished wood cabinet.

Looks like it could have been designed by Marcel Duchamp or "R. Mutt"

Cool.

That's actually kind of cool looking!

There were Radios made here out of some sort of pressboard back in the 1930's.

That's actually kind of cool looking!

There were Radios made here out of some sort of pressboard back in the 1930's.

I think it was called "Repwood."

I think it was called "Repwood."
Yes, repwood was used to create ornate panels or details with the appearance of carved wood. Emerson used it to create a few novelty radios featuring Disney characters, such as my "Snow White" radio:

http://antiqueradio.org/EmersonSnowWhite247.htm

Other manufacturers used repwood for entire front panels, "carved" details in grilles, etc.

Repwood is basically a compressed mixture of wood flour and glue. Some types will turn to mush if exposed to water, I've been told.

Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html

Well... that's really nothing new... that's good ol' particle board... the same stuff that was used to make the cabinets of virtually all European TV sets made between the 60s and the 80s

Francesco

A few years ago it almost seemed like wood TV's were going to make a come back here. Some of the European manufactuers were offering their high end sets it wood cabinets. Then it trickled down to the a couple of the cheaper brands. Even Teac was offering a set in an "wood" (well, veneer covered MDF) cabinet. Obviously it was nothing like the cabinets of the past, but it looked quite good. The set itself was nothing special, just the same chassis and CRT from one of the silver plastic sets.

Obviously few people were willing to pay the premium over a plastic set as these sets were soon dropped.

Quite popular here in Italy.
Yes, Panorama reviewed it.