Eiffel Tower

[wds]

Bought this Eiffel tower and thought I got a pretty good deal even if it was brassed out.  After it came in the mail, I quickly figured out that it was not brassed out after all, but is either gold plated or brass plated.  Can't tell if the copper paint is original, but my initial thoughts are that the copper is not original.  Does anyone know if these came with the gold plating option?  Any thoughts?

[Doug Rose]

Hey Dave....I watched it until the end and could not pull the trigger. Great looking set.

Didn't it have a dial with it on a WE Stick base?

It is sharp looking....Doug

[wds]

Yes, a dial mounted on an AE candlestick base.  Don't plan on keeping the dial.

[poplar1]

Ebay link please?

Arthur Seifert sold some non-dial phones (mainly from Denmark?), with a WE or AE candlestick dial base added, in the 60s-70s.

[tubaman]

It's a nice looking phone for sure.
As far as I know these had the handset, cradle, bells etc either in black for the UK GPO version (which this is one is not) or nickel. The frame is always black painted as far as I know - either plain (GPO) or with transfers (Ericsson).
The GPO didn't generally have any brass parts on show as they would tarnish.

[Etienne]

As far as I know, European telephones made before the 1970's never left factory with brass or copper finishes. Either black or nickel in all cases when made of metal.- except of course ivory paint in some cases.

[FABphones]

I have seen many of these, always Black, some with Decals.

This one in gold looks like it has been painted and brassed. Cords look new too.

I'd look under a strong lens for any evidence of original finish, but due to every part being different it was likely stripped down.

No hard evidence to say it's original or otherwise. Just looks a bit garish to my eye. It will still display well though.

Link to auction please.


*Some of these are much later versions, removed from their bases and sold on.

[Doug Rose]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304574417385?

[Doug Rose]

Although the Brass or gold plating was superb, the copper paint is what bothered me. It was done great and well worth the price spent. I would have kept it together with the dial as I bet it worked!!...Doug

[FABphones]

Thanks for auction link.

Now I look more closely, besides the coating, I see paddle spreaders, possibly a small turret, and four terminals. All on the one phone.

The rattlecan coating underneath shows missed areas so I now doubt this was thoroughly stripped down for repainting.

The additional ensemble, no, I can see why that would be better off removed.

For comparison:
https://www.nostalgietelefon.de/Eiffel/06Skeletons%20lo-res.pdf

Hope this comes good for you (maybe a later version 1900's AC130,140 although yours has a cut off button), but looking at those auction photos I do have a bit of a yikes thing going on.

[wds]

Yikes!  thanks for the microscopic analysis of this phone!

Plans are to restore the phone to black and gold, and enjoy.

[FABphones]

...Plans are to restore the phone to black and gold... 

Keep us up to date. Looking forward to finding out more as you progress.

 

[Doug Rose]

Yikes!  thanks for the microscopic analysis of this phone!

Dave not your ordinary phone. You got it at a great price. I think it looks great just the way it is. The Brass or Gold Plating is superb. My vote, I would leave as is an enjoy.

Did you hook it up to dial tone and see if it worked with the dial on it?...Doug

[wds]

Not yet.  I did test the magneto and it works.  I will clean it up this week and test everything.

[Doug Rose]

Here is a similar set...Doug

https://www.ebay.com/itm/334526083426