I have a chance to pick up a Northern Electric CB LB wood magneto phone for a reasonable price, I think.
The phone's transmitter was replaced, the whole unit in that the front plate shows indentation and holes (varnished over a long time ago) from a rectangular mounting plate.
The mouthpiece is broken and the hook arm is missing. The internal switch is original and in good condition.
The hook side of the box had a button about level with the transmitter, original push button and contacts inside the phone.
The magneto turns and the crank is included.
The internal looks all original but not sure about the receiver since it has no markings and the wire used, attached to the terminals inside the box, look newer.
The clapper cover is missing but everything inside looks original. The front table is totally different in color than the rest of the phone and the phone is in clean condition.
Is this worth $85 as is?
Many sets were modernised like yours by replacing the long transmitter arm with a short one and dropping the angle of the shelf so it would not stick out as far with the short arm. Price not to bad but wooden sets have dropped in value except the best ones
The hook switch arm is totally missing. Nothing there. Thanks for the analysis. Here is a comparison of the one I found vs a WE phone.
Found this WE 317N very similar phone at this topic
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=9359.msg181822#msg181822
The first image below is the Northern Electric I first posted about and I based the manufacturer on the capacitor mounted on the back panel just above and behind the top of the magneto. That image has a red circle on the wiring diagram, a red box to the left of the magneto showing the switch in the diagram circle and a red box above the magneto showing the capacitor.
The second image, the WE 317N does not have the switch on the diagram (white circle), the switch to the left of the magneto or the capacitor above the magneto (two white boxes).
Did I find a WE 317 or did Northern modify the 317 to add the switch and capacitor?
The pushbutton allows signaling the operator without ringing the other parties on the line. That feature is common on NE 1317s, but not on WE 1317s.
The block of wood mounted on the inside, the spelling of "colour", the pushbutton, the NE condenser and the N prefix on the model number all suggest original NE manufacture. The receiver is neither WE nor NE.
Is the escutcheon for the crank round or trapezoid?
Also, the "catch" for the door is round (NE) rather than square (WE).
Quote from: TelePlay on January 17, 2018, 06:13:22 PM
I have a chance to pick up a Northern Electric CB wood phone for a reasonable price, I think.
Northern Electric MAGNETO Phone, not CB (common battery).
Terry
Quote from: AE_Collector on January 17, 2018, 10:56:51 PM
Northern Electric MAGNETO Phone, not CB (common battery).
Terry
Thanks, corrections made. I knew it was local battery, have no clue why I typed CB.
John,
I would think you could get a more complete and original phone for the same or maybe a little more. As pointed out by others, there have been modifications and pieces are missing/incorrect. By the time you obtain the replacement parts and put the effort into restoring it, you end up paying much more. I've picked up complete and original NE 317's for $100 and even less. I would think the shelf is a more recent replacement as the screws in the back look far too new.
Thanks for all the help. I really don't need another "project" so will take a pass on this phone.
John ..... Just sent you a "PM".
Jeff
I have a WE317E that looks very different than the one pictured.
D/P