Ericsson Beeston Telephone No 16

[FABphones]

My collection is fairly run of the mill, so when something special comes along I am always delighted to have found it. In this instance an Ericsson Beeston GPO telephone No 16. Date approximately 1909, putting this phone in the region of 110 years old - and the Magneto still turns beautifully.

As I understand it, the GPO ordered these from the Beeston (Nottingham, UK) factory, hence the title. I believe this style are called Eiffel (Skeleton) Telephones in the US.

A No 16 has been on the 'I would like...' list for some time. Usually way above my price range, this one came along in a fairly nice condition, at a nice ish price, so it has come into my guardianship to live with it's cousins. Not quite sure as yet how best to display this, but with a weight of approximately 10lbs it certainly won't be on a glass shelf.

An earlier design was introduced in 1895 (made on the same factory site) for The National Telephone Company, these had a transfer to the turret stating the NTC name. Prior to their 'Telephone No 16' designation they were just called 'Telephone, Table, with Generator B, Complete'. The GPO versions were plain, later versions had stencils added to the legs. This one may have had stencils, have looked closely under glass and there may be traces. Or not.

My cords spares box has a nice handset cord with a matching wall cord, I just need to keep a lookout for a wooden terminal box for the wall.

Further Beeston Telephone Works reading:
http://www.beeston-notts.co.uk/industry_ericsson.shtml
https://www.britishtelephones.com/ericsson/factory1.htm

Screenshots:
Beeston Factory inc Generator Assembly room (courtesy of first link above), additional screenshots showing developments of Beeston Factory to circa mid 1900's.

[.....]

That's an awesome find and in great shape too. I can see myself having one of those in my collection.

[Jack Ryan]

I'd be quite happy with one of those myself - congratulations.

An earlier design was introduced in 1895 (made on the same factory site) for The National Telephone Company

Those telephones came from Ericsson in Sweden. The Beeston factory was established in 1903 and was originally the NTC repair and refurbishment centre. In 1906-1907 the factory was expanded and I suspect that is when some manufacturing began. Prior to that, phones and switchboards were assembled from imported parts. Up until 1911, LM Ericsson only owned half of the enterprise so whatever technology and techniques Ericsson brought to Beeston, it effectively gave to NTC so I expect they were hesitant to go full steam ahead.

Regards
Jack

[Doug Rose]

congrats CJ....wonderful! Find of the Month Contender....Doug

[tubaman]

Nice find - so many of these have the black parts brassed-out and spoilt. Yours looks just as it should.
Remember never to pick it up by the cradle (I'm sure you know that already).

[FABphones]

Thanks guys. 

...The Beeston factory was established in 1903 and was originally the NTC repair and refurbishment centre...

Opps. I should have more correctly said 'assembled'. That's me getting interrupted at my end again...

Nice find - so many of these have the black parts brassed-out and spoilt. Yours looks just as it should.
Remember never to pick it up by the cradle (I'm sure you know that already).

Thanks tubaman, all the black is what attracted me to this one.
I've been asked if I am going to 'polish that one up'. Noooooo.....

Doing my research on these a while back I came across this site which advises re how to pick these up:
http://www.telephonetalk.com.au/images/ForSale2007MHTML/page1/SkeletonDONT.htm

[HarrySmith]

That's a fantastic find CJ! Congrats! 
I don't think I have seen one yet in such great original condition. Always see them "cleaned" up & shiny. I like the line you wrote "so it has come into my guardianship to live with it's cousins". That is a great description. We get to protect & admire these century old wonders of technology for a short time and hopefully pass them on to the next guardian at some point. May I ask where you found it and how much it was?

[FABphones]

That's a fantastic find CJ! Congrats! 
I don't think I have seen one yet in such great original condition...

Thanks Harry. It took a while to find, I looked at quite a few before finding this one. All had been polished up in some way, many had the wrong handset, and several were broken in places or missing pieces. And they all cost at least twice the price of this one.

I'll try and take a better photo, the photo above is as it came out of the box.

[FABphones]

New photo after a quick dust over: