Mysterious Black Box

Another gem from the Deer Park Auto Museum, here is a sleek black box over in the radio collection.  It says "Thorola" and that's it.  There was a horn next to it, an old-time type of speaker.

This piece is a work of art, as well as being a radio.  After a bunch of searches online, I was able to find this detailed description of the device, dating to 1924.  It makes sense that the lid would open up and have technical specs and instructions inside.  Why not?  And of course it's just a jumble of coils and wires inside, because it was a different world.

Sometimes these extreme retro items have a way of looking futuristic.  Not that we'll be going back to gauges and gears any time soon, but I could see this turning up in an Indiana Jones or Rocketman adventure in my head as I try to sleep tonight.

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