Zenith Royal 500

Last weekend, while visiting antique shops in Gladewater, Texas (best known among genre fans as Joe Lansdale's birthplace), I found this radio. It was made in 1956, and was the first transistor radio made by Zenith. The Royal 500 had seven transistors and no FM. I bought it for $25 (it originally sold for $75). It didn't work when I got it home, but a local electronics repair shop patched it up for only ten dollars. This week I've done what I used to do when I was a kid, tune in late at night and listen to faraway clear channel stations. I've picked them up from Denver, New Orleans, Omaha, St. Louis, Chicago, Nashville and Cincinnati

Pretty durable technology. Now, here's a question: Why does it have a name inscribed on it? Joseph N. Rogers? Was it a presentation gift some time ago? I wonder who Joseph N. Rogers was.