@th the thing on the left looks like a variable capacitor
@transmundane it sort of does, although there is no rotating component. The radio's variable tuning cap is on the other side of the board.
@transmundane Philips 122ABC super hetrodyne medium wave receiver from the early 1940s that was abandoned by its former owner on the street.
@transmundane As I admired the frequency display and tried to decide if I needed to take home another feral medium-wave vacuum-tube radio project, the former owner shouted from her window "het werkt niet maar staat wel mooi op jouw boekenplank!"
@th i'd have a hard time passing it up :)
@th looking at circuit diagrams they are filled with obscure unlabeled things but this may be a bit helpful https://elektrotanya.com/PREVIEWS/63463243/23432455/oldies/philips/philips_122abc_ac-dc_and_battery_portable_receiver_1946_sm.pdf_2.png
@th Great design of the tuning indicator. And in general quite a unique design by of-the-day Philips.
@th The two things on the top are variable caps. Might have spare parts if needed.
@th Hm, yes. The coils(?) inside are a bit weird too... what sort of device is this?