Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Telephone Talk => Auction Talk => Topic started by: McHeath on September 21, 2009, 01:41:33 AM

Title: Hush-A-Phone on E-Bay
Post by: McHeath on September 21, 2009, 01:41:33 AM
Never seen one before, only read about them:

http://tinyurl.com/mhkxaq (http://tinyurl.com/mhkxaq) ( dead link 01-18-22 )
Title: Re: Hush-A-Phone on E-Bay
Post by: HobieSport on September 21, 2009, 01:50:34 AM
Interesting. I can't figure what it actually does by looking at the picture or reading the description. Does anyone know? As usual, things that I don't understand tend to scare me.

Is it bakelite and art deco? Or perhaps a forerunner of very early "Googie" design way before it's time? ;)
Title: Re: Hush-A-Phone on E-Bay
Post by: McHeath on September 21, 2009, 09:56:58 AM
It's a cover that you slip on the handset over the transmitter end to muffle your voice to nearby parties in the room when you talk.  Ma Bell sued the maker claiming that only they could make any device that interfaced with telephones or the telephone system, and in 1956 the Supreme Court of the US found in favor of Hush-A-Phone.  It was the first crack in the Bell System. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hush-A-Phone_v._United_States (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hush-A-Phone_v._United_States)
Title: Re: Hush-A-Phone on E-Bay
Post by: Dennis Markham on September 21, 2009, 10:40:28 AM
It appears to be similar to those cups that court recorders talk into during a trial.  They can speak to the recorder without interrupting the proceedings.
Title: Re: Hush-A-Phone on E-Bay
Post by: bingster on September 21, 2009, 11:53:06 AM
I think that's the first one I've seen for handsets.  They had another one that was a wide boxy thing that hooked onto the transmitter of a candlestick:

http://bpastudio.csudh.edu/fac/lpress/471/hout/telecomHistory/hushbig.jpg
Title: Re: Hush-A-Phone on E-Bay
Post by: Tonyrotary on September 21, 2009, 07:55:24 PM
Interesting. Never knew they made them for models other than the candlestick.
Title: Re: Hush-A-Phone on E-Bay
Post by: fingmachine on January 28, 2012, 05:01:46 PM
Hi,

Before I listed this Hush-A-Phone at auction I took some pictures of it for you. I found this thread but never did find any pictures of a modern Hush A Phone so I'm back to add the missing images.

I knew the person who owned this Hush-A-Phone. If the device works, then no one will ever know what was said through it ;) It's purpose is singular: to amplify a 'hushed' voice for the receiving party. A Hush-A-Phone would allow one to speak in quiet voice (so quiet it would be a challenge for audio surveillance) and be heard loud & clear at the receiving end.

I do know that a model similar to this one was manufactured at the advent of the telephone handset (a 102 in late 20's?). There is a Hush-A-Phone newspaper ad from 1940 showing this device which, like the handset, went unchanged for decades.

Perhaps someone here knows more.

-

(http://somethinginteresting.com/wp-content/gallery/hush-a-phone/hushaphone01.jpg)
(http://somethinginteresting.com/wp-content/gallery/hush-a-phone/hushaphone02.jpg)
(http://somethinginteresting.com/wp-content/gallery/hush-a-phone/hushaphone03.jpg)
(http://somethinginteresting.com/wp-content/gallery/hush-a-phone/hushaphone04.jpg)
(http://somethinginteresting.com/wp-content/gallery/hush-a-phone/hushaphone05.jpg)

There's an article with more information about this particular Hush-A-Phone at somethinginteresting.com.