Drrrrrroid.

As was said before the radio with the loop antenna is a deForest D-7A and the three holes are tube viewing holes. The small center knob is the crystal detector adjustment knob. On the first shelf above the deforest is a Adams Morgan Paragon RD-5 and matching A-2 two stage amplifier. The next shelf up sports a Tuska dual panel 225 which was a 224 receiver and a 226 two stage amp in one cabinet. To the right of the Tuska is a Crosley X. THe next shelp up has a Crosley VI surrounded by what appear to be RCA Aeriola sets based on the closed boxes. Probably an Aeriola Senior, an Aeriola Junior and a Aeriola two stage amp. These sets all used the same box so it is hard to tell what is inside.
Cheers,
Alan

The holes at the top of the front panel are not empty tube sockets nor are they for coils for other wavebands. In 1924, the shortwave bands were not exploited yet commercially so no other coils were needed, and in fact this set used a large diamond-shaped loop antenna for its main tuning coil. The holes are for observing the brightness of the filaments of the tubes inside the case. The filaments had to be illuminated just the right amount, not too much, and this was adjustable by a rheostat on the front panel. You can barely see the glass of a tube in at least one of the holes.

http://forums.fark.com/cgi/fark/comments.pl?IDLink=3772353

OK, all that radio equipment is cool, but it's literally being supported by the office furniture, the same kind of modular units seen in the Office Girls: 1925 photo and commented on there in my... er... comment. Here on the left we have a two-door cabinet with a top, and on the right, an assembly consisting of a wide-drawer unit (suitable for large maps or charts) over a glass-door shelf compartment. The versatility of this system derives from its uniformity of design and user-configurability, providing a wide variety of filing and storage solutions to accommodate the latest and most advanced requirements in both the private and public sectors. Office furniture: it's not just for holding your blotters anymore.

I couldn't help but think of the old Batman series, and Batman's obsessive compulsion to label everything in his lair with giant signs.

I would point out that radio was "the Internet" in 1924. How many politicos today could claim comparable familiarity with the technology we rely on in the 21st century?

According to the West Virginia State archives, "As governor, Gore improved the state's agricultural programs and acted on requests from rural areas for reforms in handling state funds. Through a bipartisan commission, he was able to disburse more tax money to counties and municipalities. In addition, his support of road construction earned Gore the nickname 'road building governor.' "

Eighty-four years after this picture was taken, couldn't we use more technologically savvy, infrastructure-aware leaders?

I believe this is one of Al Gore's predecessors working on a prototype of the Internet...

I know, but I couldn't resist.

The large radio displayed by Mr. Gore is a Deforest D-7A.
The shelves are full of various models of Paragon radios, notably several single-tube RD5 models manufactured by the Adams Morgan Company (no connection to Adams Morgan , a trendy D.C. neighborhood.).

he's related to Al? Could be titled "An Inconvenient Double Chin".

H.M. Gore's Agricultural Department was also instrumental in helping to create another web: the US numbered highway system. Geek indeed.

http://wwwcf.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/numbers.htm

The sockets at the top of the set are for coils that let the radio tune different wavebands.

Herbert Hoover was Coolidge's Secretary of Commerce and he was instrumental in setting up the Federal Radio Commission (forerunner to the FCC) in 1927.

A geek with deep pockets, I'd say. All that stuff couldn't have been cheap. The set he's plugged into appears to have three empty tube sockets at the top. Cool aerial, though.

[Those would be government radios. The deep pockets are yours. - Dave]