Thorola

The Thorola iHorn is made from a Reichmann Company Thorola radio horn which was made in 1923.  The horn is bakelite, as are both the gooseneck and base.  Unlike most bakelite which is brittle but durable in form, the Reichmann formulation has proven to warp over time, which has made non-warped Thorola’s extremely rare.  When it originally sold, its selling price was $15.00.  Adjusted for inflation, today it would equate to $212.00 with a cumulative inflation rate of approximately 1,312%.  Junior horns were smaller, taking less space, and in fact are far more collectible and rare than larger horns.

The Winkler-Reichmann Co., was located in Chicago, Illinois.  The late 20’s were a rough time in the radio and speaker markets and Winkler-Reichmann which changed its name to the Reichmann Company in August of 1924 experienced declining sales and economic ruin.  It filed for bankruptcy on July 27, 1927, disappearing altogether shortly thereafter.