Bad Packing Good Ending - American Electric Oak Ringer Box

[Doug Rose]

A few years ago, I came across a great American Electric Ringer Box on eBay that I felt I stole. When I opened the box with NO packing at all, I was the one who was robbed. With a little elbow Grease and a lot of luck, the end result was better than anticipated. Yes, that is the damaged side in both pictures. The gongs were actually knocked off in shipping and were rattling around the box with the nuts. This is all original.....Doug

[Dennis Markham]

Nice job, Doug.  Tell us about it.  It's unfamiliar territory to me.

Good thing it wasn't plastic or it would have been shattered.

[Doug Rose]

Dennis....I love to restore old furniture so this was right up my alley. I was fortunate that it broke evenly and there were no missing pieces.  I used wood glue on it and wrapped it with rubber bands and let the glue set for a week. I sanded the wood and found a beautiful grain under the grime  Lots of steel wool after. I stripped the remaining paint off the metal and shined with brasso and steel wool. A walnut stain and this looks brand new. They don't always come back to life like this, but it was rewarding. I still gave the seller Hell, but he said it was packed fine?? Packed, it was in a box!....Doug

[Dennis Markham]

Doug, when would this ringer box have been used?  What phone would be connected to it?

I like it when the people that pack poorly say, "you should have purchased insurance" like that will bring the item back from the dead.

[Doug Rose]

Dennis ..American Electric was bought out by Automatic Electric and had similar cradle desk sets just like the one Stub won. These were desk ringers that were used with sticks and early cradle phones....Doug