• Visit
    • Museum Accessibility
    • Community Access
    • Group Visits and Tours
    • Programs
      • History Café
      • MOHAI Mercantile Literary Series
      • First Thursday
      • Denny Lecture
      • Al Young Educator of the Year
      • Everyday Heroes
    • MOHAI Mercantile
    • Gourmondo at MOHAI
  • Exhibits
  • Events
  • Collections and Research
    • Collections Search
    • Themed Collections
    • Research Library
    • Image Ordering
    • Donate an Artifact
    • Curator’s Fellowship
  • Support
    • Donate
    • Membership at MOHAI
    • Gift Memberships
    • Corporate Support
  • Education
    • Field Trips
      • Self-Guided School Year Explorations
      • Creating Our Community
      • Cracking the History Code: Salish Stories
      • Cracking the History Code: Settling Around the Sound
      • Hands on History
      • Self-Guided Summer Field Trips
      • Homeschool Group
    • Portable Museum Program
    • Scholarships
    • Education FAQ
    • Primary Source Analysis
    • Online Curricula
    • Teen Programs
    • Idea Lab
    • Discovery Packs
    • Summer Camps
  • About
    • Annual Reports
    • The MOHAI Blog
    • Contact MOHAI
    • Opportunities
    • Leadership
    • Private Events
  • Donate
  • Tickets
  • Membership
HomeCollections and ResearchCollections Search

Collections Search

Explore stories in Northwest history through highlights from MOHAI’s collections. Search by keyword below or browse the entire online collection by entering the asterisk symbol (*). Filter your search by type of materials.

Download lower resolution images directly from an item page. MOHAI offers high-resolution digital reproductions of photographs and other materials from our collections for personal and professional use.

We have many more items in our collections and not everything you see online is on view at the museum. We have additional materials online at the University of Washington’s Digital Collections.

MOHAI Statement on Harmful Content

Search by Collection

Not finding what you are looking for?
Ask the MOHAI Collections Staff

4 results for: Western Electric

Share:
Image of Radio Announcing Carbon Microphone used by KOMO, 1927-1930

Radio Announcing Carbon Microphone used by KOMO, 1927-1930

KOMO radio was founded in 1926 by Birt F. Fisher and O.D. Fisher of Fisher Flouring Mills (no relation between these Fishers). It replaced Seattle radio station KTCL whose lease was expiring. The first broadcast was on December 31, 1926, and the next year the studio moved to downtown Seattle. Today, KOMO 1000 AM and 97.7 FM is primarily an…
ID Number:1954.745.1
Date:Circa 1927
Image of Western Electric 1-B Transmitter Microphone used by KOMO radio, 1927-30

Western Electric 1-B Transmitter Microphone used by KOMO radio, 1927-30

KOMO radio was founded in 1926 by Birt F. Fisher and O.D. Fisher of Fisher Flouring Mills (no relation between these Fishers). It replaced Seattle radio station KTCL whose lease was expiring. The first broadcast was on December 31, 1926, and the next year the studio moved to downtown Seattle. Today, KOMO 1000 AM and 97.7 FM is primarily an…
ID Number:1954.745.9
Date:Circa 1925
Image of Electric hearing aid, ca. 1925

Electric hearing aid, ca. 1925

Early electric hearing aids would use a carbon transmitter to amplify weak signal into a stronger one, similar to the technology used in early telephones. This one was made by Western Electric.
ID Number:1973.5728.6
Date:Circa 1925
Image of Phone-Kon-Trole device invented by Morton Clark and Carroll Priestley, ca. 1925

Phone-Kon-Trole device invented by Morton Clark and Carroll Priestley, ca. 1925

The Phone-Kon-Trole was invented by the donor's great-grandfather, Morton Clark, Sr. in the early 1920s. The device was used with early 20th century rotary phones. These telephones had a lightweight base with a rotary dial, small neck, and cradle for the handset. It took one hand to hold the phone steady and the other hand to dial, leaving no hands…
ID Number:2025.15.1
Date:Circa 1925

Land Acknowledgement

MOHAI stands on the historic and contemporary lands and shores of the Duwamish, Suquamish, Muckleshoot, and other Coast Salish Nations. We acknowledge the forced displacement of Native Communities from this land while honoring the endurance of the Duwamish people who still live here.
Address: 860 Terry Ave N, Seattle WA, 98109
Phone: 206 324 1126
  • Plan a Visit
  • Directions and Parking
  • Accessibility
  • Group Tours
  • About

Sign up to Receive our Newsletter

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Copyright 2026, Museum of History & Industry. All Rights Reserved