When the television was a piece of furniture
In the early era of television, the devices weren't the thin screens we're used to today, but large, bulky pieces of furniture. Manufacturers designed them to blend into living room decor rather than dominate it.
The television was built into a sturdy wooden cabinet, often in styles that matched the rest of the furniture in the home. The doors made the television look like a regular dresser, bar cabinet, or other elegant piece of furniture when not in use, maintaining a traditional and neat aesthetic.
A television was an expensive and new luxury item, and the furniture around it emphasized its value and the owner's status.
The hatches are fascinating
The hatches also fulfilled several practical and social functions:
The covers protected the fragile display (which was made of thick glass) from dust, dirt, and accidental bumps when not in use.
In the 1950s, the technology itself and the black, blank screen when turned off were not always aesthetically pleasing. Hiding the black box maintained the "order" and elegance of the room.
Some believe that the gaps had a social function. They allowed the head of the family to literally "turn off" the TV, signaling that it was time for other activities, such as conversation or reading, which helped regulate family TV viewing.
As TVs became cheaper, more common, and more technologically advanced with thinner designs, the need for large wooden furniture and doors disappeared. The design focus shifted from hiding the technology to showcasing it.
The picture shows a very young Charlotte Reimerson who made her television debut in 1958 in the television program Vi läser annonser. A program that focused on consumer education and critically examined the often misleading advertising for products at the time.