Design & History

This cabinet belongs to a fascinating moment in post-war domestic design, when new technologies such as record players and radios were becoming increasingly important features of the modern home - and furniture was designed specifically to accommodate them.

Rather than treating the record player as a separate appliance, the cabinet integrates it completely into the furniture.

The upper section opens to reveal the original record player, concealed behind a beautifully curved front. Below, a central storage compartment with two shelves is flanked by dedicated spaces for records, creating a compact piece of furniture in which equipment, music and storage could all be kept together.

The exterior is equally carefully considered. Rich walnut veneer runs across the cabinet, while gently curved shelves and rounded details soften its otherwise rectilinear form. The variation between lighter and darker areas of the veneer becomes an important decorative element in its own right.

The cabinet was produced by UP Závody in Czechoslovakia and is attributed to Jindřich Halabala. Comparable record cabinets are associated with Halabala and UP Závody, although we have not found primary documentation confirming the designer of this particular example and therefore prefer to retain the attribution rather than present it as definitive.

Remarkably, much of the original equipment and fittings have survived, including the record player, speaker, wiring, hardware and key.

Details

Period: 1950s
Origin: Czechoslovakia
Designer: Attributed to Jindřich Halabala
Manufacturer: UP Závody
Record player: Supraphon
Materials: Wood, walnut veneer, Bakelite
Quantity: One cabinet

Condition & Restoration

The cabinet has been carefully restored and is presented in excellent vintage condition.

Its walnut surfaces have been refinished using traditional shellac and nitrocellulose varnish, creating a deep lustre that brings out the remarkable variation and grain of the veneer.

The original hardware and fittings have been retained wherever possible, including the handles, hinges, wiring and key. The original record player, speaker and associated components also remain with the cabinet.

The cabinet is structurally sound and ready for use as a piece of furniture. Due to the age of the original electrical and audio components, we recommend that these are professionally inspected before being connected to a power supply or used regularly.

Please refer to the photographs for a detailed record of its condition.

Dimensions

Width: 98 cm
Depth: 40 cm
Height: 80 cm

Why We Like It

What fascinates us about this cabinet is that it captures a moment when listening to music was becoming part of the architecture of the home.

Today we can carry thousands of recordings in a pocket. In the 1950s, playing a record involved an object, a collection and a physical ritual - and all three needed somewhere to live. Here, the furniture itself became part of that experience.

We particularly like discovering the cabinet from the inside. Closed, it is an elegant and relatively restrained piece of walnut furniture. Open it, and its original purpose gradually reveals itself: the record player, speaker, wiring and carefully organised spaces for records.

It is this combination of furniture and technology that makes the cabinet special to us. It isn't simply storage for a record player; it is a surviving record of how music once occupied a physical place within everyday life.

Delivery & Returns

The cabinet will be carefully packed and shipped from our studio in Brno, Czech Republic.

EU shipping: €220, confirmed at checkout

We also ship worldwide using trusted international couriers. Please contact us for a tailored shipping quote outside the EU.

EU customers have a 14-day right of withdrawal. Please see our Terms & Conditions for full details.

If you would like to check anything before ordering - from condition and dimensions to delivery - Martin and Amy are always happy to help before and after your purchase.