Named in honor of the famous Café L’Aiglon, this Atwater Kent radio horn is perched on a base made of reclaimed Chestnut. From 1905-1929, Café L’Aiglon was a popular restaurant at 15^th and Chestnut Streets in Philadelphia and was host to the first live radio broadcast of dance band music in June of 1922. Charlie Kerr and his orchestra played live in the restaurant and were broadcast over WIP (Wireless in Philadelphia), which was owned by Gimbel Brothers Department Store at the time. Some people likely listened to this broadcast on Atwater Kent’s first kit radios, which were built in Philadelphia in 1921. Later in 1922, Atwater Kent produced their first complete factory-assembled radio, the Model 1.

This rustic radio speaker horn has its original label, lots of patina and some rust, and stands approximately 16.6” tall with a 14.25” bell. The whole piece is 12” deep x 16.5” wide x 19” tall. The base is made from a reclaimed piece of chestnut from a barn built in the early 1900s with all its original worm holes and cracks. We filled in the major cracks with resin to stabilize the base. The base is finished with Betty’s Board Butter (beeswax & mineral oil). You may want to re-oil the base occasionally. Each Siren is signed on the bottom of the base.

This horn now lives with one of our favorite ceramic artists, Kristen Buck of Crooked Curiosities.