My latest project.

[Dan/Panther]

Even though it's not a rotary phone, I wanted to share my latest project.

It's a Kellogg Type 317-E. Oak Wall Phone, I purchased it off Ebay for $91.00. It took me about a month to completely disassemble the phone, clean it up and put it back together. As money and time permits, I will be taking the black parts off and re-nickel plating them.
Photo one is how I got it, Photo two is now.

D/P

[Dennis Markham]

Dan that is very very nice!  You did an excellent job on that phone.  It ALMOST makes me want to collect wood phones. 

Actually I do have one---the standard Western Electric 317.  It was given to me by a friend.  It's collecting dust in my work shop.

Your phone is awesome.  I look forward to seeing it when you are completely finished.

Dennis

[HobieSport]

Nice phone D/P!  When you're done, will it actually work?

[Dan/Panther]

Dennis;
Thanks for the compliments.
Funny you should mention 317, on the back it is stamped Type 317-e. Yet most hardware is marked Kellogg. I think it is actually made up of 3 phones, Kellogg, Swedish American, and Western Electric. Inside the capacitor, is marked Western Electric, even though it is mounted upside down, I left it as is, so as not to change the original wiring, or to add anymore holes.

Hobiersport;
Yes when finished I hope to have it as my only functioning kitchen phone.
Here are some more photos.
D/P

[Dan]

Ok Dan, help me with this. I'm trying to read your directions how to use this phone. I only go back to 302's and AE 40/35's. How do you work this?

My only experience is "Flora, get me Mount Pilot"

[Dan/Panther]

Basically the same, you lift the receiver, crank the crank according to phone service direction, two short, one long crank etc. When the operator answers, you say; "Flora, get me mount pilot". When you have call, the operator notifies you that you have a call.

D/P

[bingster]

God help you if you wanted to call long distance.  It could easily take five or ten minutes for all the connections to be made to get your number.  Before the 1940s or so, you'd ring for the operator, ask her to get the number, and then hang up the phone.  Many minutes later, the operator would ring you back and tell you your call was ready, and you could then begin talking to your party.

[Dan/Panther]

Can you imagine how uncluttered the phone system was then, that a real person did the connections. With todays system, it would take millions of operators.
Is there even such a thing anymore as an operator ?
D/P

[bingster]

I dunno, but next time you photograph your phones you might want to take the baggies of drugs out of the bottom of the phone.  Geez, Dan.  I thought we'd taught you better.   

[Dan/Panther]

Bingster;

Apparently not....

\D/P

[BDM]

Dan, WOW

[Dan/Panther]

I love my vintage radios, and televisions, but I admit, I don't get a rush with them, like I do with the phones.
D/P

[BDM]

I get a rush from restoring anything vintage. Tractor, car, phone, radio....Love'm all!

[HobieSport]

BDM;  Ever restored a Henry Dreyfuss designed John Deere Tractor?  But I digress;  How's the phone going,  D/P?

[McHeath]

Fantastic phone!  What does the crank do now?  My understanding is that they sent a signal to the central office in the old days to alert the operator you wanted to make a call.  Wonder what would happen if you set it up to do that today?

Really nice restoration job!