This unknown sculpture over at jo-ka is reminiscent of a similar listening sculpture that was a star attraction at Burning Man.
incredible listening devices
A gallery of giant ears. Before electronic RADAR, acoustic listening devices were like giant mechanical ear trumpets which could locate sounds and even calculate distances by bouncing sound waves in exactly the same manner that SONAR works in water. Ear trumpets themselves were only fully replaced by electronic devices in the middle of the 20th Century, because of their conspicuous nature, they were often hidden in anything form beards and wigs to table ornaments.
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This is the front view of the pair of devices that are seen from the real elsewhere in this chart. We liked it so much we included it twice. We have no idea about the provenance of this device. If you know anything about it, let us know in the comments.
This photograph shows a sound locator used at First Army Maneuvers, Pine Camp, New York, in August 1935.
This hearing device is from the 19th century. More great concealed acoustic devices after the link.
Aged members of the House of Lords in England could often been seen curled up, fetus like, with their ears against the sites of the padded benches. <p /><p />Nothing was a greater reminder of a frail and crumbled empire. What they were doing was pressing their ears to the acoustic outlets within the benches themselves, not too unlike this example.
This photo links to the definitive collection of acoustic radar devices. its a must see, including the infamous Japanese tuba radar.
