Western Electric B1 paster diagram question

[tubaman]

Many years ago I picked up this nice WE B1 on eBay. When it originally came to me it had an F1W handset and an AE dial. I have since got it an E1 handset and an appropriate WE dial (a 5H, but it's the best I can find), but what has always puzzled me is the paster in the base that says "WE Monophone". I thought that "Monophone" was a term only used by AE, so what goes on here? The fact that the paster is cut to shape also seems odd, so perhaps it is homemade?

[tubaman]

No one have any thoughts on this?

[rdelius]

might have been used by the associated telephone company a  early ancester of GTE. Many telephone companies at one time  used dials matched to the mfg of the switch.

[tubaman]

That's a good thought, but the dial connection layout on the diagram is as per a WE dial, and that is partly what is so odd.

[HowardPgh]

Maybe at the time the diagram was made "Monophone" was a generic term, like "Scotch" tape or "Kleenex" tissues.
Maybe used outside the Bell System instead of handset mounting.
I like the term Monophone, reminds me of Monoplanes which was the term for single wing aircraft.

[Jack Ryan]

When it originally came to me it had an F1W handset and an AE dial.

Both of those parts suggest that the phone was not used by Bell and may have been original. I think most exchanges being installed then were AE (even the WE installations) and it is easy to see how auto handset telephones would be called "Monophones" in the independent domain as that's what AE called them.

Using WE terminology, it would be called a 202 and that might cause conflict as it uses a B1 (round base) handset mounting.

Jack

[tubaman]

Jack, I suppose it might have been original as you say. I still have the dial and the F1W so could put it back. For the time being it can stay as is, as it really looked very odd before.
This still doesn't explain why the diagram has the WE contact layout for the dial connections though?

[FABphones]

What baffles me is why the paster is cut to that shape. It has no number code, no border, and the text to top right is very close to the cut. Almost like it is just a part of a larger schematic. A copy cut to fit.

I'm wondering - and have no docs to back this guess up - if it was a war shortage put-together using what was available. Maybe that paster was an adaptation by the refurb house, they knew what they had to work with and mocked that one up for use. Is there anything out of the ordinary re the paper, glue, font, or ink used?

Either way, great find, and I like it just the way it is now, nice addition to the collection and not an easy find in the U.K.

[tubaman]

It looks genuinely old and there is nothing unusual about the paper or the font. The cut shape is indeed most odd, and certainly does look like it was cut from a larger diagram.
I think it's going to remain one of those unsolved mysteries.