You’re Clear to Board Flight 20 of High-Fi Radio

Paul László: The Quintessential Atomic Age Architectural Designer

Paul László was a Hungarian-born modern architect and interior designer whose work spanned eight decades and many countries. László built his reputation while designing interiors for houses, but in the 1960s, largely shifted his focus to the design of retail and commercial interiors. – wikipedia

László was the quintessential Atomic Age mid-century designer. In 1952 TIME magazine called him ‘The Rich Man’s Architect’. He did it all – he ‘design[ed] his houses down to the last ashtray or built-in Kleenex holder.’ He also designed a rather mod US Air Force bomb shelter:

Laszlo US Air Force Bomb Shelter Design (image via orhan ayyuce)

Below are some super articles covering Paul Laszlo’s Atomic Age masterpieces. Super thanks to MidCentArc on flickr. (Click on the images for a larger view)

Atomville 1950

Atomville – At Home, 2004 A.D. – 1954 (Page 1 of 3) – Architect: Paul Laszlo (Popular Mechanics Magazine)

Atomville – At Home, 2004 A.D. – 1954 (Page 2 of 3)

Atomville – At Home, 2004 A.D. – 1954 (Page 3 of 3)

The Paul Laszlo Residence, Beverly Hills, CA (1 of 2)

The Paul Laszlo Residence, Beverly Hills, CA (2 of 2)

Paul Laszlo was truly a Mid-Century visionary – if you could afford him.

Behold…the Kuba Entertainment Center

The German made and designed Kuba models were offered for sale from 1957 to 1961.

A 1961 ‘Komet’ was sold in Köln, Germany on June 9, 2001 for DM16824.14 (about $7300 USD). These sets are exceedingly rare.

Television-Broadcast-Phono-Combination

Technical Data:

TV 53 cm (21 inch) television with radio receiver and record player (phonograph).
Combined TV and radio chassis GRAETZ F 44K Record player: 4-drive record changer Telefunken TW 561
installation of a tape recorder is possible.

8 speakers total, with 2 front-facing horn speakers.
Special Feature: Upper portion with screen can swivel.
Cabinet: Palm and maple woods with polyester high-gloss finish

191 x 167 x 60 cm (75 inches x 66 inches x 24 inches)

Komet recommended price: DM 2.785,-. (Approximately $1,250.00 US, which at that time, represented more than a month’s wages for an average worker)

Sometimes You Just Need A Counterspy Outfit

Official U.N.C.L.E. Counterspy Outfit Packaging

The Marx 1966 Man From U.N.C.L.E. Counterspy Outfit had it all. Check out this elaborate store display up for auction at Hake’s.

The Official Man From U.N.C.L.E. Counter Espionage Outfit Store
Display

The Special Equipment: handcuffs, a bullet shooting lighter, a nerve spray camera, a cool walkie talkie, a bullet shooting knife, a flat hand grenade, and ammunition.

Sometimes you need Special Equipment…

The Disguise Kit includes: an eye patch, makeup, eye glasses, mustaches, two beards, and a badge case (just in case you need to show your real identity).

Sometimes you need to change identity…

The All Purpose Gun includes: a missile grenade, a scope, a silencer, a sonic pistol, a barrel extension, and a stock extension.

You always need a good gun…

And, of course, what self-respecting counterspy would leave home without the obligatory attache case?

The Weatherproof Trench Coat With Secret Pockets includes a Special Squirting Button for creative use.

So there ya’ have it – you are dressed and equipped for any mission.

Come fly with us…

You Asked, We Listened – High-Fi Radio Is Again In Orbit

The Robots – ‘They Play On authentic Instruments’

The Robots: Oscar on Accordion, Ernest on Sax, and Anatole on Drums (image via 4peepsake)

Seen above is The Robots first lp record album cover released in the late 1960s. They were the first animatronic musical group that actually play real instruments.

An ex-POW in Germany during WWII, [Edouard] Diomgar was an engineer willing to raise money for his ex-POWs relief foundation (whose logo can be seen on the bass drum). During the 1950s and 1960s, he exhibited his robots trio at fun fairs, open air markets or train stations in France…Automatically synchronized, the bots’ movements are impulsed by photoelectric cells reading punch cards, sending information to arms and fingers via electromagnetic action. Most importantly, the robots actually produce music from their instruments, contrary to playback systems in US animatronic. Only the sound of the saxophone is replaced by what sounds like a mechanical Ondioline. Their repertoire includes everything from French musette accordion and popular songs, twist and rock’n’roll numbers from the 1960s, US musicals (#1, Leonard Bernstein) or jazz (#6, Sidney Bechet).

Les Robots-Music were exhibited during an all-robot show in Berlin’s Museum für Kommunikation in 2007. Check out their lively rendition of La Bamba below…

To read a bit more about the history of animatronic robot orchestras click here to get the scoop from Continuo.

NEW: High-Fi Radio Podcast Fifteen

Space Age, Baby

André Courrèges’ 1960s Space Age Fashion and clear plastic blow-up furniture by Emanuelle and Quasar Khan.

High-Fi Radio Fourteen – For Your Listening Pleasure