Northern Electric Oak wall phone, eBay

[rfkimba]

Hi guys,
I was looking at this current Ebay offering at item #331210603163 . I am  not that  familiar with the NE older wall phone line and was trying to determine other than the wiring what parts are not original to this phone. I don't see a coil or condenser present and the transmitter shape  looks odd. Other than receiver I don't see any manufacturing labels.

Can anyone more knowledgeable about this phone offer some information about what is not original or the phone's age ?
Thanks,
Bob
ATCA 4685

[poplar1]

There are some original "pony sets," such as the WE 305, that contain all the parts found in the larger magneto wall sets, other than the batteries. This would also include an induction coil.

Usually, however, the Ebay/antique mall versions are modified top boxes from 2-box phones. And the transmitters are added after the fact to make a top box "look like" a complete phone (other than batteries). Sometimes they won't even bother to run wires to the transmitter they just added! At least this seller points out that the wiring looks new and that the receiver cord is probably a later one. $40 is probably a fair starting price for the generator and receiver.

Interesting generator with the long shaft and the chain drive on the opposite side--but whatever it is, I doubt any of it is Northern Electric other than the receiver. Plastic wires? Using insulated wires instead of bare wires in the wire troughs on the back of the phone? Sloppy wiring?...Please! There appear to be new holes for the transmitter wires.

Originally, on a 2-box phone,  the transmitter mounted directly to the backboard, between the top box and the battery box. Many of these transmitter assemblies contained an induction coil in the transmitter base,  rather than in the top box. That might explain the lack of induction coil here.

Another frequent deception by sellers is to take just a magneto subset, normally used with a desk stand (candlestick)-- so without a switch hook in the subset. There are plenty of these around left over when hot wiring desk stands and manual 102s/202s. Add a new backboard, new battery box, and some shiny brass repro Korean parts (transmitter, switch hook), along with a repro receiver, and they have an instant "original" (or not) 2-box "antique."

[poplar1]

Additional pictures from the listing showing inside and back:

[rfkimba]

Thanks
Bob Farber