Geradezug-Nummernschalter

[countryman]

"Straight pull dial" might be a rough translation for this Siemens device. A forerunner of the the "Trommelwähler", used in central offices for professional operators on a more or less experimental basis.
https://www.ebay.de/itm/114388108391 ( dead link 05-20-21 )


Not my auction.

[Jack Ryan]

By the letters, I assume that was used prior to WW2.

Jack

[dsk]

I wonder where that has been used, operators unit?
dsk

[Jack Ryan]

I wonder where that has been used, operators unit?
dsk

That's right Dsk, it's an exchange operator's dial.

Jack

[countryman]

Here's a link to a German page with some pics and a page from a book (1936). It describes the use of this dial in operator's desks:
https://www.wasser.de/telefon-alt/datenbank/inhalt.pl?tin=&kategorie=1000249&zwischenebenen=1

The last pic in the link suggests that those dials were still used post-war.

The Trommelwähler (picture below, Siemens Fg Tist 261 and 264) was released in the 1950ies and was a desk phone. It's dial mechanism is different, while the operation is similar.

[dsk]

For years, the AE40 was my daily driver on my desk, but the last months it has been the Trommelwähler. 

[countryman]

It scored 51 €.
Still not mine 
Not really expensive for a rare item but then again what would you go to do with it? Could only showcase it unless someone already owns the operator's desk it has been sitting in originally.