In 1902, Arthur Atwater Kent built a factory at 6th and Arch Streets in Philadelphia to make telephones and voltmeters. He moved on to East Stenton Avenue to build automotive ignition devices, lighting systems, and fire control equipment. After World War I, he turned to radios and in 1923 he built a radio manufacturing facility on 32 acres on Wissahickon Avenue. This facility produced a million radios per year in its heyday and was the largest manufacturer of radios in the world. In 1935, confronted by intense competition as well as lawsuits over technology he may have stolen, Atwater Kent decided to quit radio the business and escape with his fortune.

This Model L Atwater Kent Radio Speaker horn was originally manufactured in Philadelphia in the 1920s. Philly Loud is approximately 17” tall x 10.5” deep x with a 14.25” bell (whole piece is 20.5” tall) and attached to a cherry base made from a reclaimed mantel. The base is finished with Betty’s Board Butter (beeswax & mineral oil). You may wish to re-oil your base occasionally. If your phone has stereo options you may want to play around with mono and stereo settings to see which you prefer.

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