I've been saving up this one since I started Trash Picked Tuesday! This is probably the very first item we ever trash-picked. And by 'we', I mean my brother and I, since we were both still living at home over 15 years ago.
This was one of those things that was just too cool to pass up, even before I knew exactly what it was. I happened along it curbside while driving through my neighborhood one cold winter night. I'm not sure what made me stop, because the last thing my parents probably wanted me to bring home was a fake fireplace. Perhaps I only wanted the firelog insert- I know I must have noticed the electrical cord sticking out the back.
So I went home and persuaded my brother to come over with his truck and we loaded it up. Not until we got home did we discover what was inside:
The left side door opens to reveal a lighted and mirrored bar. The mirrored panel also rotates to another side which has slots for LP records. Why LP records? Because the right side door opens to reveal a stereo component system, with an analog tuner, record player and 8 track deck. The red panels on either side of the fireplace are actually speakers. There's a better pic of the right side here (not my auction, just had a good photo!). And my brother does still have the square trim piece that goes on the right side door- just didn't get put back after the big move- it's in his new place. (The item sitting on top of the fireplace, that looks like a ventilated cooler is a Seeburg BMI-1000, another incredible piece of 1960s electronics, and another post.)
Turns out this piece was made by Koronette, an East German company, sometime in the late 60s. It had a state-of-the-art stereo system, along with the bar and the electric fire logs. Three ways to entertain yourself in one super cool trash picked item!
