Vintage Large Green Painted Industrial Acoustic Speaker Horn, c.1930

A wonderfully sculptural large vintage acoustic speaker or public-address horn, dating to approximately the 1930s, retaining a particularly attractive distressed green painted finish.

Constructed from sheet metal in a series of graduated conical sections, the horn has the dramatic flared bell associated with early public-address, factory, railway, fairground and institutional sound systems. Before compact electrical loudspeakers became commonplace, horns of this type were used to efficiently project and amplify sound over considerable distances.

The construction is particularly appealing from an industrial-design perspective. Three progressively widening conical sections culminate in the substantial 500 mm diameter bell, with rolled and joined seams clearly visible. Towards the narrow end is an original transverse mounting arrangement with threaded bolts, suggesting that the horn would originally have been secured to a bracket or connected as part of a larger speaker assembly.

What really makes this example is its surface and scale. The old green paint has developed extensive natural wear, oxidation, crazing and areas of exposed metal, producing exactly the sort of authentic patina sought after in genuine vintage industrial objects. We would strongly recommend leaving this finish untouched.

Today it makes a superb piece of industrial sculpture in its own right. At 105 cm high, it has sufficient presence to stand as a floor-mounted decorative object and would look particularly striking in a loft, converted factory, bar, restaurant, music studio, retail interior or contemporary home. It could also make an imaginative shop display, lighting installation or decorative feature.

An increasingly unusual survivor from the early age of amplified sound and an excellent piece of British industrial design and social history.

Dimensions:
Height: 1050 mm / 41.3 in
Diameter: 500 mm / 19.7 in

Stock No. 2266

Please note: sold as a decorative vintage object. No speaker driver or associated sound equipment is present and it has not been tested for acoustic use.