Well, it looks like you've got a television set there. A sort of receiver for mindless images and sound. That particular one appears to be a black and white model. It also looks heavy.
<grin>
Looks like one of the classic 14" RCA metal portables - I know they made them in many different colors and styles, mostly in the late fifties or so. Here's a similar set -
http://www.vintagetvsets.com/redrca.htm
Don't know much about them though. I'm sure someone here has more information. I do know that some of the small metal cased sets had issues with heat, or rather the overabundance thereof.
-Ian