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O.K. What is it?

Started by Dan/Panther, September 30, 2008, 01:00:59 PM

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Dan/Panther

Can anyone say for sure this is a reproduction, or authentic ?
I spent a good portion of last night looking and searching websites for a simlar model either Authentic, or a Reproduction. I could not find anything close enough to say for sure.
It's stated as an "American Bell" patended in 1910.
The closest I've come is about 1919.
I found several reproductions, but none that has the patina as this one, at the price I paid for it, it's still way under reproduction prices, so real or not I feel I got a real bargain. Go lightly I embarrass easily....
Any ideas comments.
Bill Cahill, save your; It's  P.O.S. phone" for tonight when I call, that way I can remind you of how lousey your phone sounds...... ::)

D/P

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

Mark Stevens

Quote from: Dan/Panther on September 30, 2008, 01:00:59 PM
Can anyone say for sure this is a reproduction, or authentic ?

D/P

Hmm... I just don't know enough about those early phones. I will say that the receiver doesn't look quite right, at least not as I picture them....the shape just looks a little off.  I know, I'm a lot of help!  :-\

Dan/Panther

Mark;
I must have looked at 100 phones since yesterday trying to match it.
Very little out there on American Bell, But all the reproductions, had modern hookups, if this is a fake, it's adarn good one, it is wired for early telephone, not modern hookup.
I also contacted the seller, and he said it's solid brass, no plastic. What would have been the point in reproduction a phone way back then?

D/P

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

BDM

May be authentic, though someone stripped the paint off. Ma Bell never left the brass unpainted. The receiver looks to be the later 706. It also could be a repop. There have been plastic repops of those receivers. Look here
http://www.oldphoneman.com/Fakes.htm
--Brian--

St Clair Shores, MI

Dan/Panther

BDM;
Your site link convices me it's a reproduction, However, still less than what they are asking for Repros.
I could not afford a real Brass Candlestick, so this is probably the closest I'll get.

D/P

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

bingster

I have an identical repro, Dan.  I got mine from a place called Billard's Old Telephone in Cupertino California.  I got mine in the 1980s and it had a bright brassy finish, and now has aged to look just like yours.  Mine's mounted to a 500 base with an oak box cover to act as a subset.  Mine has the same deep stampings, same Automatic Electric  dial, same cloth covered flat cord  (remember when that was all that was available?).  Still, it's a nice phone, and perfectly useable.
= DARRIN =



Dan/Panther

Bingster;
I've been looking at Candlestick for quite awhile, and I've come to the conclusion that either I would not be able to afford a genuine Candlestick. I also saw that the reproductions are not cheap either.
I got this for less than the cheapest solid brass rerpro I've seen. Though disappointed that it not authentic, I'm still very pleased to ahve one for my desk.

D/P

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

benhutcherson

#7
If you eventually want an original, you might be surprised at what can come along if you're patient. I thought that I'd never have a dial candlestick either.

I was able to get my 151AL, "some assembly required" without a dial or a receiver for $40. I paid another $20 for a reproduction receiver, and then $20 for a junker 302 with a good #5 dial. Total cost of right at $80, and I have a really nice(and surprisingly usable) 151AL.

In any case, though, it looks to me like you did get a nice reproduction.

By the way, both of my WE candlestick telephones are marked American Bell on the back of the transmitter cup. I'm pretty sure that all of the ones I've seen are marked as such.

bingster

Uh oh.  A 151AL shouldn't have anything on the back of it's transmitter cup. 

As a clue, "American Bell Telephone Company" is AT&T's original parent, and the name wasn't used after 1899, if I'm not mistaken.  Reproductions, though, almost always use the "American Bell" name.
= DARRIN =



BDM

If I remember correctly, 151 series came with the "bulldog" transmitter and 706 receiver also. Plus, they're naturally anti-sidetone sets.
--Brian--

St Clair Shores, MI

Dan/Panther

So these reproduction are not plug and play, which means they were made purely to deceive people into thinking they are originasls, and not just reproductions for home use.
How could anyone be fooled by such an obvious fake ???? ;D ;D

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

bingster

The repro I bought came with a subset made from a 500 base, as I showed in another thread.  I strongly suspect yours was, too, and that it's just been separated from the phone over the years.
= DARRIN =



BDM

Quote from: Dan/Panther on October 02, 2008, 02:22:45 AM
So these reproduction are not plug and play, which means they were made purely to deceive people into thinking they are originasls, and not just reproductions for home use.
How could anyone be fooled by such an obvious fake ???? ;D ;D

Not true. They come in all sizes and flavors. Some are plug & play. Originally, these repops started life as honest attempts at well built CS telephones. There were several manufactures of these parts and no doubt, some did start life for deceptive purposes.

Again, I remember someone from one of the clubs wrote an article about these quite a few years back. Even using names of some of the folks initially involved in these reproductions.
--Brian--

St Clair Shores, MI

Dan/Panther

Bingster;
BDM's link is the article you speak of, that is where I found out it's not authentic, but I still think I got a great deal, as it sold for 1/2 what most retailers are selling them for, and mine now has character, ME I'm the CHARACTER that bought it...
D/P

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