Homemade Crystal Radio with Electrical Research Laboratories parts

This early crystal radio was likely made in the early to mid 1920s. The builder appears to have used scrap wood, some of which may have been part of a discarded cigar box.

Some of the electrical parts, notably the “Fixed Crystal Detector” and the mica condenser were products of Electrical Research Laboratories (ERLa) of Chicago, Illinois. RadioMuseum.org assigns the condenser a 1923 production date. ERLa made radio parts, kits, and complete radios.
Crystal Radio with ERLA Parts detector

 

References and Resources:

RadioMuseum.org has a page describing the ERLa fixed crystal detector
https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/erla_fixed_crystal_detector.html

Reference page for ERLa created by Harvard Museums of Science & Culture
http://waywiser.fas.harvard.edu/people/3129/electrical-research-laboratories-inc