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Blue Bell Reproduction Batteries on eBay

Started by Ktownphoneco, February 13, 2019, 09:37:01 PM

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Ktownphoneco

Evening All  ...    For those looking for reproduction dry cell batteries for the old magneto sets, there a current listing for a pair of well made and operational Western Electric Blue Bell dry cell batteries on eBay.   Listing : https://www.ebay.com/itm/REPRODUCTION-FIRST-WESTERN-ELECTRIC-6-DRY-CELL-POST-1911/303052307738?    Click & double click to enlarge.

Pictures from the listing are shown below.    Have a great evening.

Jeff Lamb

Key2871

What a cool idea! The seller also has spring top available for $22. For a pair. Wonder why it took so long for some one to come up with the idea..

Ken
KEN

Ktownphoneco

#2
Ken   ....  There actually was a fellow who used to make them and sell them through his web site.      He still sells the labels and I think he still has a short tutorial on how to make functional reproductions.    He actually started his online business to focus on the old battery operated radios.     Here's a link to his web site:  https://www.radiolaguy.com/Batteries/Vintage_Batteries.htm
Some of his information is a bit hard to find on the web site, but he has a lot of information on batteries.
I sent him a label for a Northern Electric telephone battery, and he sent me back some labels.     Very good quality.    He said he had to quit making the functioning reproduction batteries as he ended up getting swamped with requests, and couldn't get anything else done.   Interesting web site.

Jeff

Key2871

Thanks Jeff, I just think its a great idea to have something renewable as far as these go. I thought those battery's were six volt, and I knew someone years ago that had a Mag set intercom between bed rooms in a large house, and they powered them with eveready batteries, that were the round type like seen there. But I thought those were six volt, but I guess they were three volts each.
I have seen dummies with labels, but those are just for show, where these could actually work.

Ken
KEN

Ktownphoneco

I believe the old telephone dry cells were 1.5 VDC.     I make dummy batteries which are basically empty inside, and use them for some of the re-stored 317 wall sets that I sell periodically.  Most people who are looking for one of the old wooden wall sets, want them to operate on their telephone line, so I reconfigure the wiring so that the sets operate as common battery telephones.    I add the reproduction dummy batteries merely to make the sets look as they did back in the day.      Examples attached.    Click, double click to enlarge.

Jeff

Key2871

Well I used to carry those, when I was in the hardware store.
But that was many years ago, and I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to the voltage. But it makes perfect sense, because anything old like that would be rather large in size.
I have some work to do on my 317-C to get it to the point where a nice old battery would look good in there.
But thanks for posting that information, very cool someone still loves those old radios and all that went with them.

Ken
KEN

Dan/Panther

We've used that same method for years in Antique Radio. It just never clicked to use them on phones. Maybe not a huge demand.
Is everyone aware that Everyready made a dry cell battery that was 220 volts ? I'll dig mine out and post a photo.

D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Key2871

Wow, that packed a punch... No I have never seen one, so how large was this 220 volt cell?
KEN

Dan/Panther

Quote from: Key2871 on February 14, 2019, 03:15:12 PM
Wow, that packed a punch... No I have never seen one, so how large was this 220 volt cell?

About 6X6X3. Not really too big.

D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson