What is it? -> 1970's "Majesty" Brass Floor Standing Phone

[boynblue27]

K I was in a thrift shop today and saw this.  It is solid brass.  Tested with a magnet.  It is going to need some attention as the dial doesn't move freely and the transmitter needs some rewiring and screws but all is there.  Cannot find anything on it though or manufacture without disassembly.  $30 btw so hope it's worth the effort.  Any idea who made this?


Mike

[AE_Collector]

I think they are made in Taiwan aren't they? There were all sorts of phones like that and other designs sold in North America in the 70's.  I used to say they were low quality (as compared to the North American manufactures in the 70's) but as compared to todays *crap* thay probably aren't half bad.

Terry

[paul-f]

I haven't looked twice at these in the past, assuming they were cheap Asian products, but recalled seeing them in several catalogs from the 1960s and 70s, identified as a "Roman Candle" or "Majesty."

The most interesting reference is in an undated catalog titled "The Paul Greenhill Collection" of "decorator extension telephones."  It's on page 4, identified as a Majesty. The back of the catalog shows photos of plants in Japan with the following text:

The "Paul Greenhill Collection" of Decorator Telephones is manufactured by the Japan Telephone Industry.  The Japanese pioneers in the telephone industry commenced manufacturing in 1881, shortly after Bell invented the telephone.

Over the years, the Japanese Telephone Industry has developed into one of the world's leading integrated makers of tele-communications, its products ranging over a wide field: telephone sets, exchange equipment, transmission apparatus, wireless communicaiton equipment of all types, electronic computers, business machines, military electtron tubes, and tape-recorders.

And now, 80 years after its inception, the Japanese Telephone Industry, with the finest of production facilities and severe control standards, furnishes the distant corners of the earth with products of superior quality.

EXCLUSIVE PRODUCT OF INTERCONTINENTAL TELEPHONE COMPANY

An aside on the catalog:  It came to me from a former Bell System employee and has a sticker on the front stating:

  Cases Nos. 7839 & 7933
  Exhibit No. 54
  Witness: Joseph Segal
  Date:  9-23-65

Some day it would be interesting to try to find out what that was about!

In the meantime, perhaps this and similar phones are worthy of more study.

Please let us know about the quality of the parts as you examine it more closely.

(Edited some touch-typing errors.)

[TelePlay]

Here's a 1970 Majesty on eBay right now starting at $99. The brass looks in good conditon.

http://tinyurl.com/c6w74u5

[GG]

So if you light the fuse at the bottom, will it blast into space and jettison the lower stages until the upper stage with dial and handset makes a touchdown on the Moon?   And if so, how do you get it back?  (Sorry, but that was irresistible:-)

[LM Ericsson]

I heard those can be quite difficult to repair.