More Ebay stuff - early WE dial, and Federal candlestick

[wds]

I picked up a couple items from Ebay, a Federal Intercom Candlestick, and this Bell Telephone - Western Electric Dial.  The Federal is a little rough, but seems to have all the parts in the bottom.  Some corrosion that will have to be dealt with, but I think it will look nice when finished.  Came with the Federal shorty receiver, but missing the receiver element and the cap.  Hopefully I'll be able to find those couple of parts somewhere.

The dial is old and predates the WE #1 prototype and the #2.  I'm guessing somewhere around 1915.  I know this was made by WE for their European operations, as Europes automatic switching systems were years ahead of ours.  I'm having trouble getting exact dates for the WE #1, #2 dials and this dial, so if anyone can share any info about this dial it would be greatly appreciated.  The dial seems to be in pretty good shape, except that the main spring isn't returning.  Hopefully it only needs a good cleaning.  

[AE_Collector]

Isn't the WECo dial that predates the #1 called a 7001? Used on the Rotary system that was primarily used in Europe? I think it's digits are laid out like this one so maybe it is a 7001? If so, it is worth a bundle! Doesn't the fingerwheel rotate but not return on a 7001, same as the AE Sunburst dial? And I think a 7001 dial would have the 1 on the lower left where the ) is and count up and around to the lower right.

What happens when you try to dial a digit on this dial? Does the fingerstop and the plate between the ) and the 1 rotate a distance? Otherwise there would be no fingerwheel movement when you dial a digit 1.

Terry

[AE_Collector]

Here's a picture of a 7001 dial that Remco posted into this previous discussion that was primarily about #1 dials. I am going to try to get "Telcoman" (Gary Goff) on the line here to see what he thinks this dial is.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=5670.0

Terry

[wds]

Terry your picture is a GPO #5 dial, which was also made by W.E., I think the same time they made my dial.  Mine says 7006A on the fingerstop.  I have looked and looked for info. about this dial, and even the GPO version, but there's not much out there.  Any info. would be greatly appreciated.  

My number plate does spin with the fingerwheel.  The spring isn't working on mine, and I didn't move the fingerwheel back to the left before I took the picture.  Steve Hilsz is going to take care of that problem next week.  The number plate in the picture is actually a cardboard overlay, ad the porcelain number plate is underneath - hopefully in good shape.  

Here's another thread about this dial and the WE #1

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=3913.0

[teka-bb]

The 7006 dial was made by the Bell Telephone Manufacturing Company (BTMC) in Antwerp, Belgium.
At the time BTMC was part of the International Western Electric Company (incorporated in 1918) which became International Standard Electric Corporation (a subsidiary of ITT) in 1925.

The 7006 model is actually a 7002 model that produces short and long break pulses and is provided with a back cover. The mounting is such that the dial can be used to replace the earlier 7001 dial. (from the 1923 - 1926 maintenance instructions)

[teka-bb]

The 7006 dial is older than the 7001 and the WE #1 and WE #2 dials.

[wds]

Can I assume then that the GPO #5 dial is the same as the WE 7001?

http://www.britishtelephones.com/dials/dialbrit.html#no6

[teka-bb]

Actually the 7001 looks the same as the no. 6.

The no.5 appears to be an even earlier version. I haven't been able to find the IWE / BTMC type number for the no. 5 / earlier one.

[wds]

Here's a few pictures of the Federal Candlestick.  Need to fit a leather strip to the bottom, and clean the receiver cord, but what a job.  Soaked the base and inner base in muraitic acid for a while, then a little body putty to the pitting and presto - good as new.  Everything underneath works, including the buzzer.  Before and after pictures.   The internal base and parts remove from the outer shell without disconnecting any wires.  The two transmitter cords make contact with the hook switch by metal contact points, so removing the inner mechanics involved loosening one screw up by the receiver arm.

[wds]

After pictures

[Doug Rose]

Dave...you are a magician! Came out fantastic. What a great job!!....Doug

[wds]

I sent the dial off to Steve Hilsz - he repaired the main spring and tuned it up.  Next I cleaned the paint off the dial, including the number plate.  I always forget to take before pictures, but here's the plate after I had cleaned about half of it.  I was going to send the fingerwheel off to be nickeled but I've decided to leave it original for now.  There are some cracks around the #2, but otherwise the dial is in great shape.  Any ideas for a value for this dial?

[LarryInMichigan]

Very interesting.  That dial plate is numbered backwards.  The story I read was that when AT&T first introduced dials, they numbered them backwards to be different than AE, but soon gave up the idea (which remained in Oslo and New Zealand).  The backwards number plate would explain the cardboard overlay.

Larry

[canuckphoneguy]

What a beautiful job you did on the phone!!

[wds]

I picked up another of the old WE dials, this one stamped Standard.  Nickel is a little faded, but otherwise is in nice shape - spins real nice.  It came with an Ericsson test hand set, which didn't fair as well as the dial.  I'll post a better picture of the handset after I've cleaned it up a little.