W E Co. Ltd D III* 1917 Test Set?

[the phone house]

Any information is appreciated.

[Dan/Panther]

No personal experience , I've never seen one.
D/P

[G-Man]

Appears to be British or European.

An inquiry on the TCI or Strowger lists might yield some results

.

[AE_Collector]

Possibly indicating 3rd quarter of 1917 manufactur date for the handset at least. Handsets virtually didn't exist in 1917, maybe in Europe but not North Amaerica. So some cobled together handsets have been seen frequently in conjunction with installers test sets and then field phones.

Terry

[Phonesrfun]

The flap-type "spit cup" is interesting.  I have never seen that.  Seems practical, though, for a test set.

[Dan/Panther]

Just a curiosity, was technology so limited, that they could not make items more compact, or did they think bullet proof was necessary ? I bet you could stretch that handset cable straight up, and it would support the handset like a steel shaft. OR if you picked up that handset,  in photo 2, the box would tip over.
Dan

[AE_Collector]

Well bullet proof was part of the spec I would bet! I noticed the cord too. Looks like a piece of 14-3 electrical cable!

Terry