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Ivory ENTel 'Antwerp' Phone from Argentina

Started by LarryInMichigan, August 19, 2013, 01:38:09 PM

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LarryInMichigan

I just reassembled my new Argentinian ivory 'Antwerp' phone: ebay link.  The seller didn't ship it until two weeks after I paid.  Despite what the ebay listing states, this phone is Argentinian.  This model is not uncommon, but the ivory version is apparently rather rare.  According to the Russel Johnson Imports website (link) only one of these was made for every 1,000 black ones.

The plastic on this phone is some sort or hard brittle material.  There are a number of scratches and cracks and some chips along the bottom of the shell.  I did a small amount of sanding, but I HATE sanding, so I mostly lefts the scratches.  I did use chlorine bleach to whiten some of the dirt embedded in the cracks to make them less noticeable.

The phone does mostly work, but the sound from the receiver is a bit weak, and the transmitter sound quality is awful.  It sounds like an old candlestick type metal diaphragm transmitter.  I replaced the transmitter capsule with an AE type 81 which fits into the handset and sounds better.  If someone has spare transmitter and receiver elements, I would be interested.

Despite the design, this phone cannot be from earlier than 1957.  According to what I found online, the ENTel name was not used until then.  All of the wiring in the phone is vinyl insulated, and I believe that the vinyl coiled handset cord is original, though it was obviously shortened at the handset end.  The phone arrived with a white flat modular line cord, and I replaced it with an ivory modular cord from a dollar store.  The color of the dollar store cord very closely matches the phone color.  The finger wheel is plated pot metal, and the plating is in very bad condition and largely worn off.  The dial center card is a photocopy of the one from my black ENTel phone.

On the inside of the shell is an interesting logo painted on the plastic.  I tried to preserve the logo when cleaning the shell, which was extremely dirty inside, but I only partially succeeded.  There is a picture of the logo below.  I have no idea whose logo it is.  

Larry

LarryInMichigan


dsk

I really like this one :). And the brittle plastic should ensure this are probably one of extremely few today.

As you know I am a quite focused on the circuitry, so please open it, take some more photos, and look for a diagram.

dsk

LarryInMichigan

#3
The inside looks like wds's picture here: forum link.  There is no diagram in the phone.

Larry

dsk

#4
Then I guess the diagram should be close to or equal to this:
The strap L1 to E is for bridged ringing.
The values of the components are some  different, and the telephone uses the same capacitor for voice and ringer.
Except from this, the circuitry are quite equal to the WE 302. (Still, I have to admit the superior quality of the 302)
dsk

rdelius

Ron Knappan at Phoneco or Old telephone works should have the rec capsule.They had lots of belgium handsets

LarryInMichigan

This phone has only a single capacitor, and there is no strap for the ringer.  There are only two terminals for the line.  It is hard-wired for bridged ringing.

Larry