What if your piano, radio and record player were all built into a single piece of furniture?
- Curator
- Jul 25
- 4 min read
In 1939, that futuristic vision became a reality with the Storytone, one of the most ambitious musical instruments ever produced. Combining the expertise of the Story & Clark Piano Company with the technological innovation of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), the Storytone was far more than a piano. It was a complete home entertainment centre, designed for a modern world captivated by electricity, radio broadcasts and recorded music.
Although it never became a commercial success, the Storytone remains one of the most fascinating examples of twentieth-century industrial design—a remarkable snapshot of a time when the future seemed just around the corner.
A Piano Without a Soundboard
At first glance, the Storytone resembles a stylish Art Deco spinet piano. Look more closely, however, and it becomes clear that this is no ordinary instrument.
Traditional pianos rely on a large wooden soundboard to amplify the vibration of the strings. The Storytone dispensed with this entirely. Instead, each string was fitted with electromagnetic pickups, similar in principle to those used in electric guitars decades later. Rather than producing volume acoustically, the vibrations were converted into electrical signals, amplified electronically and played through loudspeakers.
This innovative system offered several advantages. The piano could produce a surprisingly powerful sound from a compact cabinet, while electronic amplification allowed players to enjoy a consistent tone without relying solely on the natural resonance of wood. It was an early glimpse of a future in which electronics would transform musical instruments.
Born at the 1939 World's Fair
The Storytone made its public debut at the 1939 New York World's Fair, an exhibition dedicated to "The World of Tomorrow." Visitors encountered televisions, streamlined automobiles, futuristic kitchens and countless inventions that promised to reshape everyday life.
The Storytone fitted perfectly into this optimistic vision. Here was a piano that embraced modern technology instead of traditional craftsmanship alone. At a time when radio was rapidly becoming the centre of family entertainment, the instrument suggested that music itself was entering a new electrical age.
Although electronic organs already existed, an electrically amplified piano was something genuinely novel, making the Storytone one of the earliest commercially produced electric pianos.
More Than Just a Piano
Perhaps the most remarkable feature of the Storytone was that it served as an entire entertainment system.
Its matching piano stool was not simply somewhere to sit—it formed an integral part of the instrument's design. The upholstered seat could be pulled down when needed for playing and folded neatly back into the cabinet when not in use, allowing the piano to present a sleek, uninterrupted appearance. This ingenious arrangement reflected the streamlined aesthetic that defined late 1930s design, where every element had both a practical and visual purpose.
The bench also concealed technology that would have astonished many visitors in 1939. Built into it were an RCA radio and a Victrola record player, allowing families to listen to live broadcasts or play their favourite records through the same amplification system used by the piano.
Instead of several separate pieces of furniture occupying a living room, the Storytone combined everything into one elegant unit.
Its closest competitor, the Ansley Dyna-Tone, also attempted to integrate home entertainment in a similar way, reflecting the growing desire for multifunctional furniture in modern homes.
Art Deco at Its Finest
One reason the Storytone remains so visually striking today is its extraordinary cabinet design.
The instrument was created by John Vassos, one of America's leading industrial designers. Best known for his work with RCA, Vassos designed radios, televisions and other consumer products that embodied the sleek optimism of the Art Deco and Streamline Moderne movements.
His Storytone piano reflects these principles perfectly. Smooth horizontal lines, gently curved edges, carefully proportioned surfaces and minimal ornamentation give the instrument an unmistakably modern appearance. Unlike the heavily carved Victorian pianos of previous generations, the Storytone celebrates simplicity, geometry and technology.
Even the concealed folding bench contributes to the overall effect, allowing the piano to resemble a sophisticated cabinet rather than a conventional musical instrument.
Story & Clark Meets RCA
The Storytone represented a remarkable collaboration between two very different companies.
Founded in Chicago in 1857, Story & Clark had earned a reputation as one of America's respected piano manufacturers, producing thousands of instruments for homes, schools and concert venues.
RCA, meanwhile, stood at the forefront of electronic innovation. Famous for its radios, broadcasting technology and later its television developments, the company brought its expertise in amplification and electronics to the partnership.
Together they attempted to redefine what a piano could be—not merely an acoustic instrument, but the centrepiece of an electrically connected home.
Ahead of Its Time
Despite its technical ingenuity, the Storytone never achieved widespread commercial success. Electronic components remained expensive, many pianists preferred the familiar resonance of a traditional soundboard, and the Second World War soon shifted manufacturing priorities away from luxury consumer products.
Yet many of the Storytone's ideas would later become commonplace.
Today we take electronic keyboards, digital pianos, built-in speakers and integrated home entertainment systems for granted. In 1939, however, these concepts seemed almost revolutionary.
A Vision of Tomorrow
The Storytone is much more than an unusual piano. It captures a moment when designers believed that technology could transform every aspect of daily life. It brought together music, radio, recorded sound and modern design in a single elegant piece of furniture, reflecting the optimism and creativity of the late 1930s.
Its concealed pull-out bench, integrated radio and record player, innovative electric amplification and striking Art Deco styling make it one of the most distinctive keyboard instruments ever produced.
Although the future ultimately took a different path, the Storytone reminds us that innovation is rarely straightforward. Some inventions become everyday objects, while others remain fascinating glimpses of the future people once imagined.
The Storytone belongs firmly in the latter category—a beautiful reminder that, for one brief moment, the piano was expected to become the entertainment hub of the modern home.
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