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Remarkable Eiffel Tower Phone on eBay

Started by TelePlay, May 23, 2014, 07:28:05 AM

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TelePlay

An interesting 30 day auction: BIN $12,500 with free shipping . . .

Antique-Ericsson-Eiffeltower-Telephone-1880s-rare-MUSEUM-QUALITY-RESTORATION

Seller said this of the phone: "This is the rarest of all the different variation of the Eiffeltower Telephones, if you see one, it would be the one with ONE receiver, but this has the DOUBLE or "INLAW " receiver, fully restored, pin striping was done by an artist by hand, decals are available too, for allot of less money, but I choose to go first class all the way, check out my web site were RARE collectables are COMMON, does this telephone work? I have not tested it, but ..... I can do it WITHOUT ruining the antique value of this rare telephone vintagephone.com shipping out of the USA  can be arranged at extra cost, questions? Please call me 650 571 9070

Matilo Telephones

Instersting price level.

What is he saying about testing? That it may ruin the character of this phone, unless done by him?
Groeten,

Arwin

Check out my telephone website: http://www.matilo.eu/?lang=en

And I am on facebook too: www.facebook.com/matilosvintagetelephones

poplar1

Quote from: Matilo Telephones on May 23, 2014, 09:26:51 AM
Instersting price level.

What is he saying about testing? That it may ruin the character of this phone, unless done by him?

I think what he means is this:
He didn't test it, because he didn't plan to sell it as a working phone. And that anything he did to make it work, would only diminish the value.

I have not tested it , but ..... I can do it WITHOUT ruining the antique value of this rare telephone
vintagephone.com



http://vintagephone.com/EWTele.htm
is a link to his website.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

unbeldi

I don't know why anyone would spend that kind of money with a person who lists a phone that is so poorly described. Unless its state is obvious from the pictures, but that isn't the case here.
Exactly what one is getting is dubious, but looks pretty.
Does it work or doesn't it? Why would a restorer not test his work?
Is it really restored when the wiring may be bad or wrong?
For that price one ought to receive a list of restoration activities to evaluate the authenticity.
Are there others that can be compared to assure correctness?
Perhaps this is just a piece of art.


Matilo Telephones

Quote from: unbeldi on May 23, 2014, 05:51:48 PM
Exactly what one is getting is dubious, but looks pretty.
Does it work or doesn't it? Why would a restorer not test his work?
Is it really restored when the wiring may be bad or wrong?



Yes, the character of any phone is that it works, isn't it?
Groeten,

Arwin

Check out my telephone website: http://www.matilo.eu/?lang=en

And I am on facebook too: www.facebook.com/matilosvintagetelephones

poplar1

If you had a $10,000+ Williams Coffin Phone, would you really want to convert it to work on VOIP or a POTS line?
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

unbeldi

#6
Quote from: poplar1 on May 23, 2014, 07:27:51 PM
If you had a $10,000+ Williams Coffin Phone, would you really want to convert it to work on VOIP or a POTS line?

No, I would create a simple telephone circuit to simulate the conditions. It probably does not take much to make them work to another manual station.
A William's is probably a lot rarer than these Skeletons. They were made until about 1930, albeit not with the shown transmitter and receivers.

BTW, I asked the seller whether it does work or not, and what he really meant with his statement about testing the phone.  Here is what I got back:

"You are a COMPLAINER , NOTHING could make you happy , so why do not you just get lost and fly a kite ,IDIOT"

poplar1

I was talking about Charles Williams Jr. in Boston, that made phones for Bell prior to the 1881 switch to Western Electric. Not Williams Electric in Ohio.

http://www.telephonearchive.com/phones/wood/coffin-1878.html
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

TelePlay

#8
Quote from: unbeldi on May 23, 2014, 07:53:10 PM
"You are a COMPLAINER , NOTHING could make you happy , so why do not you just get lost and fly a kite ,IDIOT"

You're not the first get get that type of response from "ampw (1362 ) 97.9% Positive feedback

WesternElectricBen

Wow. That guy is just a jerk. Obviously, I wouldn't go for it/didn't, but that would really bother me if he served me that way, especially when it came to optimal shipping preferences.

Ben

tallguy58

We should all ask him about what he means by testing.

Make him spin. :)
Cheers........Bill

unbeldi

Quote from: poplar1 on May 23, 2014, 08:13:56 PM
I was talking about Charles Williams Jr. in Boston, that made phones for Bell prior to the 1881 switch to Western Electric. Not Williams Electric in Ohio.

http://www.telephonearchive.com/phones/wood/coffin-1878.html

Yes, I understood that.  That's what I meant too.  Perhaps my placement of "they were made until 1930" was poor, creating the wrong context. Ericsson made the Skeletons until about 1930.

Matilo Telephones

Quote from: poplar1 on May 23, 2014, 07:27:51 PM
If you had a $10,000+ Williams Coffin Phone, would you really want to convert it to work on VOIP or a POTS line?

By working I meant more along the lines of working as in the way it once was intended to do. Not adapted or converted for modern networks.
Groeten,

Arwin

Check out my telephone website: http://www.matilo.eu/?lang=en

And I am on facebook too: www.facebook.com/matilosvintagetelephones

TelePlay

#13
Just noticed it's back on eBay, and discounted down to $11,000 BIN with free shipping in a 30 day auction.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Ericsson-Eiffel-Tower-Telephone-1880s-rare-MUSEUM-QUALITY-RESTORATION-/221684098679

Doug Rose

It is Fantastic!! but 11K for a phone.

Inflation value report: in 1972 I bought a brand new Chevrolet Red Camaro for $3300. AM Radio and NO AC. I was 18. The Red Rat......Doug
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