Bidspirit auction | A 1920s FOLK ART CARVED

A 1920s FOLK ART CARVED & PAINTED FIGURAL CRYSTAL RADIO - This unique figural crystal radio was probably inspired by something like the article in Popular Science of December, 1922 that has been included in facsimile with this lot. The article was titled ' Doll Receiving Set Is a Christmas Radio Novelty ' and appeared on pages 82/117 of Volume 101, Number 6 in December of 1922. The aforementioned article states that the example pictured there could be constructed at a cost of only 75 cents, .'exclusive of telephone and aerial…' But given that, in 1922 a hard-working lean-living Midwest farm family could instead buy 15 one-pound loaves of bread for 75 cents (bread was 5 cents per loaf in '22), the early radio enthusiast that built this egg head example was probably operating on a tighter budget than the author of that article. Instead of going around hungry, it appears that the builder of this set took matters into his or her own hands, beginning with the improvisation of the doll's head. While the head looks identical to an egg, upon closer inspection it's clear that it's much thicker than an eggshell and probably originally served as a dummy egg in the chicken house. Placing dummy eggs in brood boxes encouraged hens to lay. They also discouraged a hen from hiding her eggs somewhere other than in the brood box. And there were other strategies with fake eggs, not the least of which was discouraging the girls from pecking a hole in and eating the payload of their own eggs. Pecking a thick cardboard dummy egg offered no reward and blunted the inclination. The head, with its primitive hand painted features, is mounted to a hand whittled chunk of hardwood that looks to be walnut. The body and the arms are colored red with a dash of paint that strongly resembles the color found on rural barns and outbuildings everywhere. Two jointed arms made from folded tin serve as sliders on the coil which was either resurrected or requisitioned, we'll never know. The whole apparatus is mounted to a free salesman's advertising sample of Old Ironsides 'Panelized Timber', a sheeting material made by Cornell Wood Products and retailed by the CJ Harris Lumber Company of California, Missouri. With these found objects, the passionate, and very determined, radio enthusiast that made this had to have saved at least 65 cents, maybe more. California, Missouri is located mostly in Moniteau County. The 1930 census shows the population of the entire county at 12,173. Jefferson City, 22 miles away, began its first voice broadcasts over WOS which began in March of 1922, about the same time that WEW in St. Louis came on line, having obtained the first broadcast license west of the Mississippi. Call letters 9XAB, later WDAF, was launched in Kansas City at about that same time. It's worth noting that the number of stations in the U.S. grew from four at the start of 1922 to 576 by the close of that year. Sedalia, 43 miles from California, didn't have KDRO until 1939. According to Frank Currier at the University of Missouri who wrote a thesis on early radio in Jefferson City, Missouri, 'The early days of WOS featured programming that could be obtained without financial costs, often musical programming from inmates at the state penitentiary. The most famous such inmate was Harry Snodgrass, who became known throughout the state as 'King of the Ivories.' As a result of the popular response to Snodgrass' broadcasts, a WOS announcer at the time negotiated a vaudeville contract for Snodgrass, secured Snodgrass' release from prison, and became his manager.' The operating condition of this crystal receiver is unknown, but it sure is cool. Measures 7.5 x 6.25 x 6.25 inches. Without proof of exemption, be aware that internet sales tax applies to all Internet transactions and local sales tax may apply to local pick-up transactions. We happily provide seamless in-house packing and shipping services on nearly everything we sell. Until further notice, we cannot offer international shipping in-house. Dimensions Measures 7.5 x 6.25 x 6.25 inches. Condition Good condition, noting minor issues consistent with age, usage, storage and materials exposure.