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Contessa or Princess?

Started by paul-f, March 05, 2013, 03:51:15 PM

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paul-f

The following was posted to the TCI and ATCA lists and is being repeated here with the permission of the author.



Hello Everyone  .....     Over the last several years, and on a number of occasions, I've seen many references made to an alleged fact that the Western Electric "Princess" telephone set, is, or was called a "Contessa" telephone set when it was manufactured and sold by Northern Electric in Canada.

The late Bruce Crawford made reference to the "Princess / Contessa" telephone in an article on the subject he wrote for the Singing Wires newsletter of February 1994.

I have a "pdf" version of a number of Northern Electric telephone catalogs, one of which lists the "Princess" telephone as exactly that, a "Princess" telephone.

Because of the obvious conflict between the Northern Electric catalog, and the information which continues to show up on telephone collecting list servers, I decided to do some research on the subject, and I've conducted several searches both with the Canadian Patent and Trademark Office, and the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

At the suggestion of Paul Fassbender, I'm going to put my findings in a short article in the Singing Wires Newsletter.

If anyone has "ANY" advertising brochures or literature on the "Contessa"
telephone set made by Northern Electric, could I trouble you to scan the
brochure / literature and forward it to me or Paul by e-mail.  [or post it here]

Paul suggested it would be good information for the library, and he's right.

Was the "Princess" telephone set called a "Princess" telephone set in Canada? Yes.

Was the "Princess" telephone set called a "Contessa" telephone set in Canada ? Yes.

Read the newsletter for the full explanation.

Jeff Lamb
Visit: paul-f.com         WE  500  Design_Line

.

Contempra

If you have all scan from a princess phone, i'm interested. Just letting me a message.;) thanks

paul-f

Jeff's article was published in the April 2013 issue of Singing Wires.  It includes several catalog page scans.  Back issues, including this one are available on-line to all TCI Members.  Simply log in to your Member's Area.

December is our annual renewal month, so it's a good time to remember to renew your membership or join.

http://www.telephonecollectors.org/member.htm
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=10623.msg115778#msg115778
Visit: paul-f.com         WE  500  Design_Line

.

poplar1

#3
This phone is marked "Northern Electric" and "702BQ1A", without mention of the name. However, the box shows

                                     The Princess phone

                          IT'S LITTLE...IT'S LOVELY...IT LIGHTS!


                                    Le téléphone Princesse

                         IL EST PETIT...IL EST JOLI...IL S'ALLUME!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Northern-Electric-Vintage-Princess-Telephone-Blue-with-Original-Box-/111620500502
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

Contempra

En tout cas, c'est fabriqué au Canada :P :D.