Heemaf Type 1955 Telephone

[Matilo Telephones]

While we're on the subject, here is a link to an article I wrote about a white clock version of the Heemaf 55:

https://www.facebook.com/#!/notes/matilo-telephones/incredibly-rare-white-heemaf-1955-but-not-quite-a-clock-phone/153559411521272

[unbeldi]

Wow, your wall model is a GDK-version. I have never seen that as a wall version. I have a desk version (new!).

Well, LOL, I hadn't seen one either... before I bought it for $16 plus shipping, but I had the instinct that this dial was special and frankly I just wanted to know how it worked. I am a lot closer to the answer to that now.
PS:  I do think this dial placement on the wall phone is original, as the phone itself has a Philips logo on the circuit diagram inside. The diagram however, shows a rotary dial. The diagram is in English.

I see it has a black black button, where normally the earthing button would be. Is there anything on that button?

Yes, the button contacts are indeed installed in the phone. It's just that the push-button has been replaced with a blank filler.

That is also new to me, a non-PTT specimen with a black insert for the earthing button. I have never seen that accept on a PTT-version.

Wouldn't it seem logical that Heemaf would ship the phone to Philips TI without the PTT logo? From what I have read, there were two versions of the GDK system. The earlier version still needed the Earthing circuit, while the later one did not. So, I suppose that my unit is of the later type, since the Earth button is a blank.

GDK means Gelijkstroom Druk Kiezen/Direct current push dialing. I have opened such a unit, out of curiosity. Also I wanted to see if it would be possible to convert it to dialing DTMF. (Sadly, not possible. Not easy, anyway).

I have taken mine apart too and examined it. I will show pics some other time perhaps.

The matt desk phone, have you cleaned and polished it?

Yes, I had cleaned it quite a bit after receipt last winter, but not attempted polishing until yesterday when I got an urge of discovering what could be done to get closer to my mint unit. It improved somewhat already, but needs a lot more work. One aspect I have learned with highly polished Bakelite surfaces is that exposure to water ruins the gloss. Someone else in this forum also observed this when he cleaned his 1955 housing in the dishwasher, resulting in a totally matt surface.  Water is a very reactive substance and an excellent solvent for polar compounds, and as such it adheres to many surfaces very tightly covering them with a molecular film. When exposed to phenol resin it can form a phenol alcohol which is the yellow-brown stuff that comes off Bakelite when polished with cleaning agents, such as a metal cleaner or even plastic polishing compound.

Why the fingerwheel is yellow I think is doubtfull. "Everybody" says it is because of sunlight. But why is it the same shade of yellow under the black paper label then?

Ah, very good point. Mine is yellow there too, indeed.  I do not think that the correct answer is "because of sunlight". Sunlight is just one of the catalysts of the process. I think the yellowing occurs at a slower rate regardless. The carbon-bromine bond is highly polarizable and much weaker than for other halogens.
I think, the chemical process may still be correct. Bromine is intensely colored so even extremely minute amounts present in clear plastic produce tint. But this could be an extensive research project all by itself.
PS: Despite the coloration that is visible on my finger wheel, I am certain that this coloration would be very hard to detect visually on an opaque telephone housing. The depth of harmful (energetic) sunlight penetration is extremely shallow and therefore they can be bleached to almost original color. The finger wheel is so thick that it can easily be seen with the visible light penetrating the entire bulk and even reflecting off the back surface. Western Electric finger wheels do not exhibit this at all.

I have reviewed pictures I accumulated of other examples of this phone and indeed a spectrum of intensities
may be observed of this coloration.
For comparison, I am going to post a picture of an original factory sample that I found last night from the historical archives of the company.

[unbeldi]

While we're on the subject, here is a link to an article I wrote about a white clock version of the Heemaf 55:

https://www.facebook.com/#!/notes/matilo-telephones/incredibly-rare-white-heemaf-1955-but-not-quite-a-clock-phone/153559411521272

Thank you. Congrats for finding an ivory housing, in what we would perhaps call a "Franken-device". :-)

[unbeldi]

For comparison, I am going to post a picture of an original factory sample that I found last night from the historical archives of the company.

Ok, here is the archive photo of the desk type 1955.

Credits:  http://www.holechistorie.nl/

I found it very interesting that this picture was labeled "heemaf1955t1970".  This appears to indicate that the model was made from 1955 to 1970. I have found one other reference to this exact timeframe on the Web.
From this I have to assume that my phone came from one of last production months of this type. It was stamped in October 1970.

The same site also provides an almost fascinating video about the manufacturing of the Type 1955.  Unfortunately the video has no audio track.  The video starts out with a review of telephone history, goes briefly into signaling history and switching, and finally shows the step-by-step production and assembly of the telephone, including the winding of capacitors, coils, stamping of parts, transformer assembly, wiring harness, etc.

Video link on Youtube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WsWOS3sAH8

On the same site, I found a picture of what appears to be a final product testing station from the late 1950s.

[Doug Rose]

I thought this looked familiar. Mental Health Day and I went checking my "to do rack." Sure enough, I had one sitting there with no cords. This are really a sharp looking phone. Love the plungers! It's a bit too late for what I collect, so I'll get it ready to move. Love the lines on this beauty. Has the look and feel of bakelite. Is that the concensus?..Doug

[unbeldi]

I thought this looked familiar. Mental Health Day and I went checking my "to do rack." Sure enough, I had one sitting there with no cords. This are really a sharp looking phone. Love the plungers! It's a bit too late for what I collect, so I'll get it ready to move. Love the lines on this beauty. Has the look and feel of bakelite. Is that the concensus?..Doug

Yup, looks like in good shape too. The lines and shapes still show some remnants of art deco design.
Also has about the same amount FW yellowing. Dial center again is not yellowed.
Only source for proper cords is probably a scrappy one with broken housing, but a broken Ericsson 1951 might supply very similar cords.
The date is probably obscured by the label, but the capacitor date inside should be good enough for dating.

[Matilo Telephones]

Unbeldi, my white clock Phone is not a franken device, I think. It was like that when it left te factory. It is not a mishmash of components from different era´s and types. It was made like this on purpose.

Indeed it seems that 1970 was the last year the 55 was produced. I know the picture and the film. It is a pity the sound is missing. I though I had a link to a version with sound, but cannot find it now.

The pic I also know. The site where it comes from is from the Historic society of Heemaf (later Holec). There is an article somewhere about a GDK-version. It was actually donated by me. 

Doug, another fine example! It looks great, but a bit oily. Did you put wax on it or something?

Some observations. I can see the bottom of the dial through the sound holes at the bottom. It means at least one bell is missing. I also noticed one screw is missing from the connectorblock. As it should be connected with 2, it is now partially loose.

Should you want Original replacements and if you are prepared to pay for the shipping I can supply you with these. I have plenty, no charge. Cords I never have enough of them. I may have a curly cord you can use with a little adaptation. You won´t see the difference on the outside.

About the production date. I see remains of glue. That might indicate that there once was a label of the CWP. It was the refurbishment center of the PTT. They used to paste a paper label on the bottom. They would also erase/remove the Original production date. It also may indicate that the dial is a later replacement.

[Doug Rose]

 

"Doug, another fine example! It looks great, but a bit oily. Did you put wax on it or something?"




[/quote]Just wiped of the layers of dust with a little Pledge, late in the day so the camera wouldn't take a pic without the flash. I have some NOS curly handset cords. It might not be genuine, but will serve the purpose. These are very cool looking phones.  Again...Welcome to the Forum. Your knowledge and input is most welcome...Doug

[Matilo Telephones]

Thanks!

[Doug Rose]

this explains why there are so many around in the states, sold under the Archer ame by Radio Shack....Doug

http://tinyurl.com/mkero2n

[jfrutschy]

Sweet Doug.  Have seen a few they do interest me.  Looks kinda of evil like or tank like?