Wednesday
Feb212007
Motorola Television (1961-1963)
Wednesday, February 21, 2007 at 10:38PM 
The Motorola television ads below ran in Life magazine and The Saturday Evening Post from 1961 until 1963. These, along with other print ads from the Golden Age of Television can be found in the book Window to the Future by Steve Kosareff. The illustrations posted here are all by Charles Schridde.
The illustrations all have a very clean look. The TV is obviously quite prominently displayed and people seem to be enjoying themselves. The boy in the aquarium intrigues me the most. Is he so enthralled by television that he can't stay away from it long enough to enjoy swimming in the futuristic pool attached to his house?
Reader Comments (7)
I find it interesting that the televisions aren't as much the focal point of the room as they are in most houses these days. The furniture would seem just as much in place if there were no TVs.
It's ironic that the most out-of-place element in these scenes is the tv. It's the ugliest thing in any of these rooms.
But man! That ocean-front architecture is awesome, if completely non-sensical.
Why do all "visions of the future" like these ones always have really uncomfortable-looking chairs?
Harry
This is fantastic!!! I have been looking for decent scans and info about these ads for years... thanx so much!!!
Does anyone know where to get decent scans of the full ad, or at least all of Charles Schridde's art from the ad?
The aquarium room makes appearances in The Venture Brothers as Jonas Sr.'s study/Brock's room.
I love the venture brothers.
I've noticed in a few of these ad threads that the tv seems to be placed in those old '70's fire places.
Why is the TV set in the chiminea? Why? Why would you want to put a TV set in a chiminea?
I don't know whether to call that style 'mod' or 'fab.' Let's go with 'mid-century modern' and call it even.