Tri State Tel & Tel Candlestick with Mercedes Dial

[Fabius]

Got this for $53 from the Goodwill site. Stromberg dial candlestick phone with Mercedes AE dial in excellent condition and a marked Tri State T&T transmitter. The mouthpiece was destroyed and instead of a SC receiver it came with a Western Electric receiver.

I replaced the mouthpiece but otherwise the pictures show it in as received condition.

[LarryInMichigan]

That's a very nice catch.  I used to find some good things on the Goodwill site, but lately, most items I see are bid way beyond their value.

I am anxious to see pictures of the phone after it has been restored.


Larry

[Fabius]

I think it sold at the below value price, at least in part, because they posted a picture of the phone with the smashed mouthpiece.  See the photo Goodwill used below. I plan to clean up the nickle, get a Stromberg Carlson bakelite receiver and a cloth receiver cord. I'll also try to find out about the Tri-State T&T Telephone Company.

Tri-State Telephone & Telegraph Company served the Minneapolis St Paul area of Minnesota. Tri-State competed with the Northwestern Telephone Exchange Co so the twin cities had dual service from these two companies until they merged around 1922.

I'd gladly trade the Tri-State C/S for this Tri-State sign:

[LarryInMichigan]

The smashed mouthpiece may have scared away some prospective bidders, but I have watched many items sell for several times their value on that site.  I suppose that it is a consequence of the small supply of interesting items on the site.  At any rate, your phone is certainly worth much more than $53.  The dial is probably worth more than that.  Note that the finger wheel comes out after the spring on the back is removed and the finger stop is removed.  Once the finger wheel is out, those dials are fairly easy to service.

Larry

[TelePlay]

Note that the finger wheel comes out after the spring on the back is removed and the finger stop is removed.

Is that a spring under the finger wheel (between the finger wheel and the number plate) or a spring on the back of the dial?

[LarryInMichigan]

Is that a spring under the finger wheel (between the finger wheel and the number plate) or a spring on the back of the dial?

I was referring to the spring on the back of the dial which causes the dial to return.  It is what holds the finger wheel down.


Larry