The Black Museum
The Sash Cord
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The Black Museum is a crime anthology presented by Orson Welles as a tour through Scotland Yard’s collection of objects connected to real criminal cases. Each story begins with an artifact—a weapon, personal possession, or other piece of evidence—and follows the people and events surrounding it.
Welles’s narration frames the drama, introducing the object and guiding listeners into a self-contained tale of crime and its consequences. The episode title, “The Sash Cord,” points to the object at the center of this installment. The program combines a host-led introduction with acted scenes, using dialogue and sound to bring the case to life.
The mood is dark and suspenseful, with the museum setting lending the stories an eerie sense of history. Welles’s measured, distinctive delivery gives the series a strong narrative presence, while the focus on tangible evidence makes each case feel like a mystery being uncovered piece by piece.
This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.