the tower manufacturing company (boston) made four speakers in their factory, advertised in 1927: the tower adventurer ship cone; the tower castle cone; the tower meistersinger (a wood cabinet holding a horn speaker and openings covered in celluloid); and the tower midget (a tiny horn speaker with celluloid covering).
this is the tower adventurer ship cone. it originally came with a 17" marbled blue-and-gold paper cone attached to the back and a cord with a horseshoe magnet driver impedance (1000 ohms).
these typically sat on top of a victrola or phonograph, connected by a special cord, and projected the sound, increasing the volume to the room. it was sometimes called a "tube radio cone speaker."
when I spotted this in an antique store out in the middle of kansas, i simply loved its character: the patina, its heavy weight, and of course, the gorgeous look/design. you could tell it was old and something special. i thought it was designed as a door stop and would look wonderful with nautical decor.
i didn't realized part of it was broken, nor that it was missing anything. it originally came with a cast iron "o" around the ship. this one has the beautiful ship and the horseshoe pedestal, but not the finished "o", cone, or cord.
if complete, with all original parts, or if restored, these often sell well over $400 and up to almost $600.
even as-is, the ship is still a treasure. it would look perfect in a beach home, nautical nursery/child's bedroom, houseboat, or lake house. it's a special gift for sailers, boaters, ocean-lovers, or your favorite pirates, maties, or wenches.
or if you're a plain ol' land-lubber, this ship is so unique that it might tickle your fancy. it's a ideal door stop, fireplace mantel accent, entry table conversation piece, or book end.
size: 13" tall, 11-1/2" wide, and 7" deep
please take a careful look at the photos. the ship is vintage and comes as-is, but just as described/photographed. it's truly lovely, and i think you will love it.
