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Can anybody tell me what this item is?

G

GNLdesigns98

New Member
I just recently came across this item and I can’t figure out what it is. On the bottom is printed August 1948. My guess is that it is a remote of some kind, perhaps for a television or radio. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.F6BB4566-94D3-4F45-9CCA-147C805140EA.jpeg3A226A18-A1DE-4ADC-A895-4EB6AEDB9EAE.jpegBA587F0E-91F1-4A6F-A2B2-5796B0BF1295.jpeg6536C558-1B73-4D02-98E5-67873BCD3656.jpeg
 
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I sincerely doubt it's a remote. Remote controls weren't introduced until the 1960s, and they essentially used tuning forks, and there would be no need for tubes or any of the electronics you see there. I was going to suggest that the knob on the right was a volume control, but you normally need all three terminals on the pot to be connected for it to be effective (although it's possible that they weren't concerned if the leftmost position of the knob didn't completely cut off the audio). Possible the knob on the left is a tuning knob (can't really see what it's attached to), which could make this a radio receiver. Or could possibly be a small amplifier for something. It appears to lack a power supply, so not much it will do on its own.

ETA: apparently I was wrong about the timeframe for remotes. Zenith had a wired one in 1950, and the "Space Command" wireless remote came out in the mid 1950s. Still don't think this is one, though.
 
swechsler said:
I sincerely doubt it's a remote. Remote controls weren't introduced until the 1960s, and they essentially used tuning forks, and there would be no need for tubes or any of the electronics you see there. I was going to suggest that the knob on the right was a volume control, but you normally need all three terminals on the pot to be connected for it to be effective (although it's possible that they weren't concerned if the leftmost position of the knob didn't completely cut off the audio). Possible the knob on the left is a tuning knob (can't really see what it's attached to), which could make this a radio receiver. Or could possibly be a small amplifier for something. It appears to lack a power supply, so not much it will do on its own.

ETA: apparently I was wrong about the timeframe for remotes. Zenith had a wired one in 1950, and the "Space Command" wireless remote came out in the mid 1950s. Still don't think this is one, though.
Click to expand...

Check this out. 1940's - apparently strong enough to change your neighbors channel.
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/1940s-remote-control-for-radio.856925/

EDIT: Google thinks it is an ottoman
upload_2020-4-14_17-23-25.png
 
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I'm thinking an old tube radio for a car. The car provides the power source and the tubes go into the sockets in the recess. The "red plate" would appear to move with the right knob, and as a tuner, there was perhaps a face in the recess that indicated the station, or perhaps this was a volume knob/indicator
 
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toddalin said:
I'm thinking an old tube radio for a car. The car provides the power source and the tubes go into the sockets in the recess. The "red plate" would appear to move with the right knob, and as a tuner, there was perhaps a face in the recess that indicated the station, or perhaps this was a volume knob/indicator
Click to expand...

I was thinking the red plate was indicator of sorts too, and thought automotive.
 
GNLdesigns98 said:
I just recently came across this item and I can’t figure out what it is. On the bottom is printed August 1948. My guess is that it is a remote of some kind, perhaps for a television or radio. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.View attachment 1831015View attachment 1831017
Click to expand...

The half red/orange and half white part reminds me a lot, almost down to the same exact color, of the AM/PM indicator in a 1937 clock I restored that had a Warren Telechron movement. Warren Clock Company invented the synchronous motor in 1915 and GE began using them in 1917 until they took over the company in 1943. Apparently electric clocks were pretty inaccurate before the synchronous motor. The inside red/orange dial would move at half the speed of the hour hand to indicate AM or PM (seems a lot like the half-circle orange in the 1st and 3rd pic in post #1). Below is the only photo I have of the "front" of the movement with the red/orange indicator which you can only see as a dot in the middle of the motor.. The rear motor side on mine is very simple.

Could your device be the movement for what was intended to be be a super accurate clock back in the day? Maybe what look like shafts for knobs instead drive gears for clock hands?

IMG_4712-001.JPG


IMG_4702.JPG IMG_4703.JPG
 
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Here's better photo of the Telechron red/orange indicator: (this isn't my photo)

Indicating_Device_on_2H07-Br.JPG


By Wissembourg (talk) - self-made, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17515955
 
Short answer -- no idea.
Here's what I'd do.

1) Go to http://www.alliedcatalogs.com/catalogs_main.html and peruse catalogs in the realm of, say, 1947 to 1950.
2) Go to https://www.americanradiohistory.com/ and start leafing through the "Technical and Engineering" section. The amazing collection(s) of scanned literature there is/are searchable... but there's really nothing to search for in this case but a lookalike.
EDIT: Take a look, e.g., of at relevant years of (consumer) electronics magazines like:
https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Radio_Electronics _Master_Page.htm
https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Radio_Age_Electronic_Age.htm
https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Radio_News_Master_Page_Guide.htm

etc.

There are catalogs and things there, too...

EDIT: The shape is sort of evocative of intercoms of the era. I say this based solely on leafing though some of the ARC catalogs as mentioned above. :confused:

upload_2020-4-15_20-14-8.png
source: http://www.alliedcatalogs.com/html/1950-120/hr113.html
 
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While I've never seen one exactly like that, the knob on the left looks like it could be a tuning capacitor. If you turn it, what sort of arc does it trace? A tuning capacitor would typically be 50% or less, or it could also have no stops at all.
 
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