Information about soviet phones from the 20s

[fiume420]

Hi, everybody

I have a problem and I think this is the place where someone might have the answers I need. I'm working on the sound design of a play which takes place in Moscow between 1929 and 1931. At some point during action, the main character receives a phone call. I wonder if someone could give me any information regarding the kind of telephones probably used in Moscow in 1929 (and therefore built before that). Would there be any pictures? Besides that, I would also like to know what the bell of rotary telephones of that same time and place sounded like, as well as the periodicity in which they would ring. Does anybody have any suggestion on how to obtain a recorded version of these bells, like a movie or even the bell itself recorded?

Thanks in advance!

[rdelius]

I beleive Ericsson had a factory in Russia before the revolution, You might look at Ericsson telephones using Google. There is a Russian/Soviet? communication web page .
Robby

[fiume420]

Thanks, Robby.

I read at Ericsson's webpage that they had a plant in Russia until the revolution, when it was taken by the government and became the "Red Dawn" telephone factory. Anyway I didn't find any pictures.

The only picture I could find through Google was this one:



labled as: 1929, the Leningrad Telephone Factory - Krasnaya Zarya - the USSR

Would someone have an idea of what its bell sound like?

[Greg G.]

You might try here:  http://www.rustelecom-museum.ru/main/?page=1&langID=58 or here: http://telmuseum.ru/.

[Wallphone]

Here is the only link that I have to a Russian museum. < http://telmuseum.ru/ >
Translated to English - < http://bit.ly/iOYMJU >
The page you are looking for is probably up in the right hand corner.  Look for Emil Mollers.
Doug Pav

[dsk]

Just using a little common sense reflecting around this:  Russia had strong connections to France, and Sweden. They have 25Hz ringing US cadence. (long rings - long pause)  Dialtone was a little different, B=247Hz later 440Hz. Sometimes only a buzz just depending on the make.  I will guess around 247Hz.

Everything depending on mainsfrequency at that time was unstable 50Hz. Told it could drop to 45 during daytime. They adjusted it up during night so all clocks was right one time each day.  I know because parts of The Finmark area in Norway had connection to the Russian grid.

dsk

[Willytx]

I have an audio clip that was described as "Old Russian phone". It fits what D_S_K describes. It is in Midi format so I don't know if it is a recording or a computer re-creation.

[Willytx]

This phone looks to be the 1929 desk phone by the Leningrad Telephone Plant "Krasnaya Zarya". It is similar to the German made Mix & Genest of 1920. Under communist rule there was a lot of reverse engineering going on to get the Soviet Union up to speed on technology.

http://telmuseum.ru/gallery/room3.htm

[Doug Rose]

Sure looks like a 302 to me....Doug


Настольный телефонный аппарат
1937–40 гг., США
Телефонный аппарат с дисковым номеронабирателем общего назначения.

[Willytx]

Sure looks like a 302 to me....Doug


Настольный телефонный аппарат
1937–40 гг., США
Телефонный аппарат с дисковым номеронабирателем общего назначения.

США is Russian for USA.

[Doug Rose]

Sure looks like a 302 to me....Doug


Настольный телефонный аппарат
1937–40 гг., США
Телефонный аппарат с дисковым номеронабирателем общего назначения.

США is Russian for USA.

Спасибо

Спасибо

[Willytx]

Пожалуйста!

[Doug Rose]

Пожалуйста!

In A Gadda Da Vida

[Willytx]

Пожалуйста!

In A Gadda Da Vida

Olé!

[fiume420]

Wallphone and Brinybay: thanks for the sites, the "telmuseum" was very useful, I found some of the pictures I needed there.


d_s_k: thank you for all the information, I'm researching and trying to understand them, these things are totally new to me.


Willytx: Thank you very much! That midi file is terrific, really close to what I expected!


Doug Rose: Спасибо за вашу помощь!


I think that the Red Dawn, The Leningrad Telephone Factory and Krasnaya Zarya are all the same, new names to the old Ericsson plant. I'm not sure, though.