Captain Midnight was a popular U.S. radio series that began in 1938 in Chicago, created by Robert M. Burtt and Wilfred G. Moore. At the onset, "Captain Midnight" was simply an undercover name for pilot  Jim "Red" Albright. As an agent, he helped gather information to capture criminals. Captain Midnight was constantly trying to stop the plans of the evil Ivan Shark, remaining his evil nemesis throughout its radio run. He found help in Chuck Ramsey,a member of his Secret Squadron and Patsy Donovan. The series grew in popularity and was broadcast over the Mutual Network beginning in 1940 sponsored by Ovaltine.
The company had been looking for a heroic figure to sponsor their product, Ovaltine, as the country seemed headed for World War. Continuing the tradition of their previous series, Radio Orphan Annie, the company began to integrate coded messages and club identification into the episodes--brass examples of which were given out to viewers as premiums.
The "Mystery Dial Code-o-Graph" , first given in December 1940, was so called because the center of the inner disc was supposed to look like the dial knob of a radio. It was used to send a secret message to listeners about the next program episode. To decode, one had to turn the dial, which  proved to be a chore, what with the setting windows located at the back. The secret messages to decode were always given at the end as a "Secret Squadron Signal Session.".
The brass decoder has a slot for Capt. Midnight's picture (missing) and came with a manual, such as the one you see here. This highly prized radio collectible--available on ebay from a low of $69.95 to a high of $139--without a manual, was purchased complete and intact in its own envelope, originally addressed to a young radio fan from New Jersey.

Pharmaceutical collectibles are few and far between--the most popular being medicien cabinets, "botica" signs (mostly medicine brands like Casfarina and Cortal), medicine bottles and thermometers.  Even rarer are phramacy equipments--like mortar and pestles ("dikdikan') that were traditionally used to crush various ingredients prior to preparing a prescription. I found this complete example from a newly-open antique shop at the famed Sta. Rita Exit of Bulacan.
The set is made of heavy brass--and very deep and tall--12 inches to be exact, dating from the 30s. Older examples were made of wood and porcelain, but my mortar and pestle is outstanding for its size and heft. Pharmacy was a popular course among ladies as early as the turn of the 20th century in the Philippines, a popular course in the early years of  U.P. and Centro Escolar de Senoritas. Graduates would go home back to their provinces to set up their "botica", personally preparing solutions, or crushing pills using their indispensable mortars and pestles.

Today, of course, these are becoming extincts in modern drugtores and pharmacists as the same medicine can come in many forms--liquid, powder, tablet. So, I'll probably stash this away in my kitchen and use it to pound peanuts for my favorite kare-kare. How's that for adaptive re-use?