1929 STURM MONARCH OF THE ROAD TRAVEL-TONE Automotive Head Unit FIRST CAR RADIO!

I have been researching this radio for over a year. It originates from my Dad’s antique store in Chicago, Penn-Dutchman Antiques. He has done estate sales since 1973 throughout Chicago. Many of them epic and legendary. He actually bought out much of the last of the Chicago Stockyards in the 1970s.

What makes him different is that he knew and understood history, and kind made it his lifelong duty to ensure that things that should not wind up in the landfill do not. He’s preserved things that most people in estate sales would dump in the dumpster first thing. My Dad, all while I was growing up, was constantly sorting, organizing, and researching. Without google or youtube videos.He would look stuff up old school. He would use books. And, if there wasn’t info, he’d network.

The number and quality of people that came through that store over 36 years is also legendary. Every now and then, someone would know someone who knew. I benefit from the ease of technology, and the fact that most things I’ve ever looked up to see what I can sell it for on eBay, there’s always some sign of it out there on the internet. A picture, and ad, and of course, if it’s got value, it’s been sold on eBay.

It’s the things that you can’t find another that are truly interesting. And, this one is one of the most difficult research objects I’ve ever had. Part of the reason for listing it right now is because I can only tell you what I know so far. There’s a mystery and theory I have about it.First of all, this is the type of radio that was the very very first car radios. The first ones appear to have been by Chevrolet in 1922, but throughout the 1920s, the cost of them and SIZE of them were prohibitive – considering most people didn’t have cars either. It was pretty much for the rich. So, it’s marked clearly with a name and trademarked slogan. Go ahead and look for “monarch of the road”. It was used by a company for unrelated things 40 years later, but there’s nothing from the 1920s-30s. Odd that it would say trademark, but not be findable in the databases. I looked worldwide in case it wasn’t US. Nope, there’s just no record.Now, I have to say, at first I didn’t know it was a radio.

I thought it might be a speedometer or gauge at first glance. But, the numbers are backwards, and the range is 55-155. And, the big giveaway is the dial. You can turn it to any number you like – just like a radio. Why there is a keyhole or you’d lock your radio is currently a mystery for another day. I searched for old radios or the first radios, and started to see the shape and pattern. But, that made me stumble onto the frequency 141.3, which is in this range, and was considered at “travel tone” for emergencies. Radio nerds will confirm, this is something in a frequency range most of us haven’t seen.

Fine, good info.

But, I start to notice that in those searches and on antique car radio sites (yes, plural), there’s similar looking automotive head units (new term) for the actual radios – that might take up the trunk or back seat. It then had these cables that connected to the base unit. And, they wore headphones – or maybe with only one ear. Initially, the public didn’t like radio in cars and felt it was distracting or dangerous.

Back to the dial, noted that one company, Philco, had a slogan – Transitone. There it was. Transit-Tone, Travel-Tone. Someone was copying someone else, in my estimation. I then read up on how Motorola was formed. Victrola combined with a motor car, and you get motorola. They had a model that looked pretty similar to this one. Model “75”. OK, that’s leading me to my next discovery.

I look up the “Monarch of the Road” trademark, as I said earlier, but I can’t find anything. But, then I see yet another early maker – Majestic. They made wood cabinet radios for indoors – and a mint doing so. Beautiful radios. But, they have a slogan too: “The Mighty Monarch of the Air”. OK, this is getting weird. So, we have one radio company with Transitone and another with Mighty Monarch of the Air, and then this Sturm is the Monarch of the Road AND Travel-Tone. Either Sturm is copying both companies, or they both copied Sturm.

Either way, there’s no Sturms out there. Well, after a year, I’m pretty certain. If anyone has one, they aren’t selling it, taking pictures of it or talking about. This is the one and only person talking about a Sturm automotive head unit from 1927-33. And, all because my Dad liked a good mystery and sensed it was probably important.

Which leads to me calling him today, April Fool’s Day, which is his favorite day, and asking him if he can recall where he got it. We got to talking about people he knew that were in early tech, and, of course, in the 1980s, he did an estate that was related to American Television inventor, Ulises A. Sanabria. Apparently, Mr. Sanabria invented TV on the north side of Chicago, and through networking, my Dad wound up with things that included a recounting of how TV was invented. Apparently, the practice of taking other people’s ideas was kind of rampant with the red hot stock marketing throwing money at anyone who was in “tech”.

So, could this be an original that the names you know ripped off and got famous?

Or, is it that Sturm was doing the copy-catting? I can’t find enough information on the internet at this time to tell. So, posting on eBay, I’m also soliciting information from anyone who may know or have evidence. What’s most curious is that there’s no ADVERTISING for these things – which is the clearest way to find evidence of objects that once existed. Which may mean it didn’t have success.

Which leads us to what I’m asking for this object. A wise man once told me it is not about what IT is worth, but what it is worth TO YOU. And, this is the point. I think the fact that this is one of a kind means it has some important history. Maybe someone still knows or can figure it out. But, the person who needs to keep this from the landfill needs to VALUE it to ensure this is the case. Whether an individual or institution, I know it is asking a tidy sum. But, this is about rewarding the man, my Dad, for preserving history. He could use a boost to secure his future.

He didn’t take the traditional path, and while he’s certainly seen his share of treasure, he’s by no means living the life of luxury. This would go a long way for someone who deserves it.

So, in that sense, for the right person or institution, part of this is about the journey and the story that comes along with it.Best Offer is available. We want this to find the perfect home to preserve this part of early radio history. Feel free to email us through eBay for any other serious offers if the automation rejects it. It will remain on eBay until sold.

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