Northern Electric UNI #1 Production Dates

[Doug Rose]

I was of the understanding that the #1  phone (fat 302s) were made by Northern Electric in the early 50's, even though they are bakelite. The NU handset was short lived and changed to the F1,although made in both Black and Mahogany.

I was told by a Canadian Collector that he has them from the late 30's to the mid 50's. Does anyone know the production range of these really cool phones?....thanks....Doug

[Wallphone]

I don't know when they stopped making them but Paul F's site < http://www.paul-f.com/neUNI.html > dates them as early as 1940 so that fits in with the 302 time frame. They are listed in my T7 "catalogue" but the catalog doesn't have a date on it. Does anyone know when the T7 catalog came out?
Doug Pav

[DavePEI]

I don't know when they stopped making them but Paul F's site < http://www.paul-f.com/neUNI.html > dates them as early as 1940 so that fits in with the 302 time frame. They are listed in my T7 "catalogue" but the catalog doesn't have a date on it. Does anyone know when the T7 catalog came out?
Doug Pav

HI All:

They are in the 1947 T-7 catalogue, but also in the 1936-37 T-6 catalogue. I also have some late 30's.

Speaking of NU Handsets, here is a Burled Walnut Uniphone with matching NU handset from my collection. Below, a pair of near twins in which the differences between the NU and F1 handsets can clearly be seen.

Dave

[Doug Rose]

Dave/Doug....thanks guys....I appreciate the info. I was wrong.....yet again!!!....other Doug

[Wallphone]

Thanks for the T7 date Dave. If they were listed in the 1936-37 T6 catalogue I wonder if it came out at the same time as the 302 or before? And were they always made of Bakelite or is there an early metal version? I have at least one North Galion "pyramid" phone with a metal housing. It is stamped H190  12/39.
Doug Pav

[DavePEI]

Thanks for the T7 date Dave. If they were listed in the 1936-37 T6 catalogue I wonder if it came out at the same time as the 302 or before? And were they always made of Bakelite or is there an early metal version? I have at least one North Galion "pyramid" phone with a metal housing. It is stamped H190  12/39.
Doug Pav

Hi Doug:

I have never seen a metal version, but I'd love to be the first to find one! I do think they were always bakelite.

Dave

[Wallphone]

Thanks again Dave. How many members have, or have seen a metal North Galion phone?
< http://www.paul-f.com/north1.htm >
Doug Pav

[Doug Rose]

Thanks again Dave. How many members have, or have seen a metal North Galion phone?
< http://www.paul-f.com/north1.htm >
Doug Pav

I own two in my collection and I have one for sale or trade if anyone is interested.

Please message me if interested....Doug

[rdelius]

I was under the impression that the uniphone was designed and in productuon before the 302. It seems crazy to build both but they seem more rugged than other Bakelite telephones.The early F1 handset with no grooves had  the same or similar cross section as the NU handset
Robby

[DavePEI]

I was under the impression that the uniphone was designed and in productuon before the 302. It seems crazy to build both but they seem more rugged than other Bakelite telephones.The early F1 handset with no grooves had  the same or similar cross section as the NU handset
Robby

My understanding is that it was a stipulation of the licensing agreement between Western Electric and Northern that 302's could only be sold to Bell affiliated companies, and that the Uniphone was designed to supply to non-Bell independants, whereas the 302 was the standard in Bell areas. That is why there are so many Uniphones to be found in the Maritime Proviinces as well as the Prairie Provinces. If anyone has more details on this agreement, I would love to hear them...

Dave

[LarryInMichigan]

That theory sounds plausible, but since the internal parts are identical between the two, the construction of the housing would seem like a technicality.

Larry

[DavePEI]

That theory sounds plausible, but since the internal parts are identical between the two, the construction of the housing would seem like a technicality.

Larry

Ahh, but they aren't - quite. Try mounting a 302 ringer in a Uniphone - won't happen without drilling. Same for the induction coil. The holes don't line up. Just a small hole placement difference between the Uniphone parts and those made for the 302 series.

Dave

[LarryInMichigan]

I haven't tried it, but the last time that I looked, they seemed to be identical.  My memory must be failing, or maybe I just have too many phones.

Larry

[DavePEI]

I haven't tried it, but the last time that I looked, they seemed to be identical.  My memory must be failing, or maybe I just have too many phones.

Larry

Hi Larry:

You are correct, they are pretty well identical, the chief difference being the layout of the mounting holes. A 302 ringer won't correctly go into a Uniphone without drilling new mounting holes. Electrically, they are identical. The main thing however, is they weren't supplying a phone which looked identical to those brand new shiny Bell 302s to the independants!

Dave

[paul-f]

I recently returned from a local consignment show, where I found a 1941 Uniphone with NU handset.  (See the find report and photos here:  http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=5475.0)

Looking at several others, I found dates from II38 to 9/51.

It was interesting to note that the early sets had a different bottom plate layout than later sets.  Also, the 38 set has a much larger (and rectangular) capacitor than sets found from 6/40 on.  It also has a NB1A ringer with a cylindrical clapper.

There's an opportunity for more research here to identify variations and component changes!