The Philco Predicta TV - One of the Most Icon Designs in American History
Philco's line of Predicta televisions are quite possibly the most distinctive televisions sets ever designed. The swivel picture tube meant that viewers could adjust the screen to face them, no matter where they sat in the room.
On display here (and pictured below) is the Philco "Pedestal" from 1958. This Predicta was designed by Severin Jonassen and Italian-American designer, Catherine Winkler, one of a few women who worked in Philco's design department during the 1950's. She also designed the "Old Spice" sailing ship logo. This set originally sold for $459.95 (that's $4,220 in today's dollars) and was equipped to receive UHF stations, a rarity at the time. This set was chosen as the trademark television of the MZTV Museum.
Watch Predicta Commercials from 1958
The Predicta in Modern Culture
Though originally designed over 60 years ago, the Philco Predicta design endures. Predicta T.V. sets are often seen in Disney/Pixar films. Below the Predicta table-top can be seen in the background of Toy Story and in the background of the Incredibles 2.
It Looks Great, But Was It a Good TV?
For all of its aesthetic intrigue, the Predicta had very poor timing. Philco’s new TV set appeared at a time when color television was the leading-edge technology and the Predicta was black-and-white. Another problem was the poor picture quality and the overheating of the circuit boards. This led to a huge rate of returned TV sets and warranty service problems. consequently the Predicta series didn’t enjoy a long life. Philco discontinued production of the Predicta in 1960.