He's a phone I have had for over 25 years. I found this at a flea market and the phone was filthy. It looked as if it had been under water. I knew there was something on the dial blank, but didn't know what. Imagine my surprise when cleaning off the crud on this guy I found this Brass Navy dial blank. Steel wool and brasso and my favorite skin so soft ( I should buy stock ) and it came out good as new. I have never seen another like it and it does work. I was a newbie at the time and didn't know the difference between an AE40 and an AE34. This is one of my favorite phones. All original as found. The handset cord was horrible, but what was left of the outside cloth case, I removed and my wife braided the cord.....Doug
Beautiful, just beautiful. I'm speechless.
Your wife did an excellent job plaiting that cord. I've never been able to figure out the pattern.
Your phones are simply amazing. I cannot wait until the photo gallery is up and running, to see more.
Please keep showing us these wonderful phones.
What a great phone for a novice to have found!
That is awesome! One heck of a dial blank! I've never seen anything even close.
Kidphone ,
That's great looking phone 34A3 !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have you ever found a 34A3B ? stub
What's a 34A3B?
Ntophones,
It's a 34 with a # 41 handset. stub
Kidphone,
I noticed that the clearance of the handset seems to be very close or is just the pic? The reason for asking is on the 34A3B the cradle is wider, front to back, to accept the # 41 handset. The only way I have found to check this is to put a #41 handset in the cradle with the transmitter facing left and try to center the handset in the middle of the phone. If rides up before centering it is a 34A3, if not and the 41 handset can be centered, with equal space on each side of transmitter and receiver it is a 34A3B!!!!
I"m sure someone somewhere sometime has changed out the handset on their phones from a #41 to a #38 in order to sell it at a higher price , not knowing about the #34A3B.!! What do you think? stub
Was this a common dial blank, or a custom made job.
Simply amazing collection.
D/P
You folks know more about these handsets than I do. I only thought there was one on the AE34. I never knew there was more than one AE34 design! Sometimes this was called the "Walking Handset." I never knew there was a difference. The handset sits in the cradle as it should. What is the difference between a #41 and a #38 handset. Pictures of each would be great. Thanks....Doug
Way cool phone! Wonder if it was given as a commemorative or retirement type gift?
Kidphone,
The handset in question, #41 , is the handset on the AE 40 and the AE 50. Your phone has the #38 handset. Automatic Electric Catalog # 4055-C pg 48 shows the phone I was asking about. Here's pic of #41 handset. stub
I used to work for the US Navy, so I think that you should send the phone to me ;)
Larry
The 38 is definitely the one that belongs on the AE34. The 41 is a much later handset that went on the AE40s. I have never seen an AE34 with one on it. I have three AE34s and all came equipped with the 38. The below handset came after the 38 and was on the AE1A with the ringer in the base and other period AE phones.....Doug
Kidphone ,
Great handset!!!!!!!! It's for the 32A14 deskset. This handset has an induction coil receiver and a single coil ringer in base . If you get the chance sometime could you send a pic of the ringer? These phones were for isolated private exchanges. Your phone is 34A3, and beautiful one I might add!!!!!!!!!!
The handset is a complete phone by itself, minus the dial and hookswitch ofcourse! stub
One jaw-dropping phone after another--Kidphone, you're spoiling us!!