Two American Electric double box wood phones

[Russ Kirk]

In recent holiday travels I found these two phones.
I believe both are dated around 1899. 
Not too sure which one is older the swivel transmitter or the elk horn switch hook.

First one - American Electric wood phone
Two bar generator
Shield holes in the switch hook
Swivel swing away transmitter
American Electric transmitter
OST receiver
original cords.

Second one - American Electric wood phone
Three bar generator
Elk Horn switch hook
OST receiver
no name on the transmitter

What also came with the phones are two glass batteries. 
A round Samson glass jar with the original top and insert
and a square glass jar only


Oh boy!  Another two projects to complete.

[AE_Collector]

Nice Haul!

Presumably A steal like most wood phones these days. First one is what was usually referred to as an "American Electric Swing Away". I have one like it though yours is probably already in better shape than mine. That's it for what I know about these! "Find of the Month" material?

Terry

[Russ Kirk]

Nice Haul!

Presumably A steal like most wood phones these days. First one is wha twas usually referred to as an "American Electric Swing Away". I have one like it though yours is probably already in better shape than mine. That's it for what I know about therse! "Find of the Month" material?

Terry

Thanks Terry,

Well.... not quite a steal, but in California, these are seldom seen. Heck,  glass jars go for $25-75 each.  So I knew if I did NOT buy them i kick myself later and it would take me several years of hunting to find them again.  I was thinking about some of the phones I have seen at telephone shows and the prices they were asking.  So after much negotiating i did get everything for $800.  

Now I'm on the hunt for info on these sets.

One thing I forgot to mention,  the mouth pieces are inside threads but don't fit quite right.  I have to look into this issue.....

No i will have to re-arrange a whole wall in my phone room.  I am thinking about placing the horizontal slats of wood to mount the phones.  This will eliminate all the BIG holes in the sheetrock.

[AE_Collector]

Well they are extra old and pretty complete. I ran a piece of 1 x 4 through the table saw at a 45degree angle and screwed the larger peice to the wall. The smaller piece was cut up into lengths the same width as each wooden phone and attached to the back of the phone via the top screw holes. That makes moving them around real easy when a new one arrives or you want to change the order of things. You can almost see it in this picture.

Terry

[Sargeguy]

I agree, not quite a steal at today's prices, but they are two fine un-monkeyed with examples and are rare for that reason.  Like you said, each phone is the type of thing that you buy it when you find it (so long as it is not unreasonably priced) because you may not see one again.

[Sargeguy]

And Russ, if you need to make room for these two, you can always sell me the 317.