The Telephone Gossip Bench

The telephone "gossip bench" was a throwback to the early days of the telephone. They were often found in hallways and foyers for privacy. They had space for a telephone and sometimes a directory or drawer space. They typically date from the 1900s to the 1960s (but I remember seeing a few in department store catalogs as late as the 1980s.) But as more people began getting their own phones in their own rooms and private lines, they became obsolete.

However, they've found new uses today as a book nook or laptop/netbook desks.

Images: Reddit

The Phono-Sonic Fireplace/Liquor Cabinet Stereo

 

It looked like a gorgeous (artificial) fireplace.....

.....that turns into an awesome stereo/liquor cabinet.

The Phono-Sonic Liquor Cabinet/Stereo w/ artificial fireplace is one of the coolest designs ever for a console stereo. Surprisingly, it was also made and imported from communist East Germany for the American market. Like the Soundesign Trendsetter, they are extremely rare in good condition.

They originally came with 3 speed turntables (33/45/78 RPM) AM/FM Stereo receivers and 8-Track tape decks, but cassette decks were added in the late '70s. The speakers were enclosed behind the red velvet and latticework on either side of the fireplace. The cheese points are off the scale with this one!

 

Glass Grapes

Next to rain lamps, glass grapes were ubiquitous in '70s living rooms....

Christmas With Conniff - The Ray Conniff Singers (1959)

This album always brings visions of aluminum Christmas trees and this music blasting out of console stereos like these.

The Ray Conniff Singers were essentially the vocal relief between the Mantovani and 101 Strings instrumentals in the Name-That-Tune world of your typical "Beautiful Music" FM radio stations of the '60s and '70s. They were known for making "safe" covers of pop songs your parents could like.


This included disco.


They actually continued until the '80s.

 

Furniture U.S.A. Commercial

There's a back story at the beginning of this video.

But at least he's honest about himself.