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Introduction jsaxe

Started by jsaxe, September 14, 2008, 10:18:23 AM

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jsaxe

Hello, all.

I've been accumulating, rather than collecting phones for a while now but have trimmed down to four really interesting ones.

I've been a telecommunications manager for a large New York City non-profit and a product trainer for a large Canadian telephone equipment manufacturer (not Nortel).  

My small accumulation consists of a North Galion of late 1950's manufacture, a very nice 1950's Japanese replica of an Ericsson "French" phone, an Automatic Electric steel wall magneto phone, retrofitted with a brass AE dial, a 1957 white Ericophone, and what is possibly the ugliest wall phone you'll ever see, most likely from the 1960's.

I'm not an active collector, I usually let things find me.  The wanna list includes a good candlestick, a spacesaver, and maybe a WE 302.

I'm looking forward to participating in this forum and sharing technical information and war stories.


John


Mark Stevens

Hey John, welcome to the forum!
That wall phone... what is it?!  I must know more.  It has a certain "Eastern-Bloc Country" look, doesn't it? Thank you for sharing it, and send us pics of your other acquisitions if you get the chance.  Thanks for joining, and we'll see you around!
- Mark

McHeath

Welcome on board.  I agree that this wall phone does have a Sovietish look about it, it's pretty curious.  Anybody recognize that logo?  Have you had it apart and seen anything inside that would hint at it's paternity?  Also would enjoy seeing pics of your Japanese made phone.

jsaxe

Re: The ugly phone, I haven't opened it up for a while, but I don't recall anything inside to give a clue.  It came to me through one of my trainees who I believe was from Ohio.  He told me it was a take-out from a warehouse. 

It's due for an overhaul, so I'll be opening it up soon to see what's what.  More to follow. 

I'll be taking pictures of the rest and will post soon.

John

McHeath

Last night the missus and we were watching a Midsomer Murder, one of our shared hobbies being British Murder Mysteries.  Anyway, in a scene in the squadroom there was, hanging on the wall, this odd wall phone you have.  So, perhaps it's British.

Mark Stevens

#5
Quote from: McHeath on September 17, 2008, 11:55:57 PM
Last night the missus and we were watching a Midsomer Murder, one of our shared hobbies being British Murder Mysteries.  Anyway, in a scene in the squadroom there was, hanging on the wall, this odd wall phone you have.  So, perhaps it's British.

I know this doesn't really qualify as a murder mystery, but there's a cool old British Mystery on Turner Classic Movies later this morning called, The Ghost Train.  It's on TCM at 10:45 Eastern Time.  I just now saw it on the guide, otherwise I would have given you more warning!

jsaxe

OK, mystery phone is German.  I peeled off the installer's label and found a label that said "Made in West Germany", googled around and found the picture below, which is from the Telecom Museum in Frankfort, Germany.  You can see the similarity of the desk sets to the wall phone I have.

Mark Stevens

I love the way you posted that photo to illustrate the phones, but didn't comment on how hysterical it is!!!  :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D

McHeath

Ah yes, the old German Telesheepen Mk. V, a little known project from the late 50's when several vats of leftover heavy water from WW2 came into contact with 2 cases of Scotch Whiskey, 6 old scientists, and 1 vial of gray goo recovered from the Roswell crash site and smuggled into West Germany by Fritzin das Hammerheimer.  It was thought that all the specimens were destroyed after the Hamburg Incident of 59', yet this photo seems to prove that at least a small breeding herd have survived, probably in the Austrian Alps or Black Forest. 

jsaxe

I f I had had that image when I was a telecom manager, it would have been framed and hung up in my office.  Along with this one.

John

Mark Stevens

Quote from: McHeath on September 18, 2008, 11:33:38 PM
Ah yes, the old German Telesheepen Mk. V, a little known project from the late 50's when several vats of leftover heavy water from WW2 came into contact with 2 cases of Scotch Whiskey, 6 old scientists, and 1 vial of gray goo recovered from the Roswell crash site and smuggled into West Germany by Fritzin das Hammerheimer.  It was thought that all the specimens were destroyed after the Hamburg Incident of 59', yet this photo seems to prove that at least a small breeding herd have survived, probably in the Austrian Alps or Black Forest. 

You're loosing it, Heath!  :o ;D :D