A Century of Progress International Exposition was the name of a World's Fair held in Chicago, Illinois from 1933 to 1934 to celebrate the city's centennial. The theme of the fair was technological innovation. Its motto was "Science Finds, Industry Applies, Man Conforms".

American industry and its designers used the 1933 World's Fair to excite consumers about their products in the height of some of the most difficult times that had ever faced the United States and the world.

The trade show would test public opinion when it came to the new Modern/Streamline design movement that was flourishing in major American cities like New York and Chicago the early 1930's.

The Chicago World's Fair would be a giant catalyst for industrial design that incorporated leading edge design from General Motors' Streamline buses to the amazing glimmering tower of the World's Fair Hall of Science. The industrial design movement of the 1930's used established art deco design along with Modern/Streamline design to attract depression era consumers to the difficult selling market. These impressive design styles gave products a new and expensive look.

In the midst of the Great Depression and the 1933 World's Fair, the Chicago-based Zenith Radio Company would go hard to work to create the ZENITH STRATOSPHERE 1000 Z, the most elaborate radio in the world in terms of deco design, long distance reception and Hi-Fi sound performance.