National Improved Telephone, and an old Watch Case Receiver

[wds]

I tried to snipe these old receivers with a last second bid of about $40, but was out bid to the tune of $320.  Very old receivers - National Improved Telephone was in a patent dispute with Bell back in the early 1880's over the original patents for the telephone.  Bell must have won.  I did pick up this very old watch case receiver - can't wait to get it and maybe find out who the maker was and what box it would have hung on. 

[rdelius]

I think the watchcase rec is an 1890s Manhattan

[G-Man]

 Receivers with lorgnette handles were typically used for church services or other large functions.

"Telephone Equipment for Churches Telephone apparatus designed for use in churches lecture halls and theaters where the acoustic properties are poor or where the audience includes persons whose hearing is not normal has been developed by the Western Electric Company 463 West Street New York. This equipment consists of a special telephone transmitter for mounting on the pulpit or platform and receivers to be used by those in the audience requiring them. The transmitter consists of three special microphone transmitter units in an ebony finished case. The receiver is of the ordinary watchcase type with a lorgnette handle provided with a special sliding extension to vary its length from 4 in to 7 in. The receiver is convenient to use it is declared and may be held to the ear for any length of time without fatigue. Each receiver is provided with a cord and plug. A jack which is connected to the line leading to the transmitter is placed in the pews. When the plug attached to the receiver is inserted in the jack the user is in a position to listen through the telephone to everything that is said on the pulpit or stage no matter where he or she may be sitting. The apparatus is designated as the church telephone equipment but it can be used equally well in theaters or lecture halls."

[Sargeguy]

The National Improved Telephone Company case was one of the earlier patent suits.  I thought these were going to go for more, since they are from the early 1880s. 

[wds]

that's what I was thinking - should have gone for much more.  Very very early receivers - would have looked nice in my collection.  I kind of doubt that receivers like this from 1880 would have been made for use in a church pew.  I think that may have been the case many years after these were made.  The suits that were brought against Bell make for some interesting reading.  Clearly Bell was not the easy going guy that is portrayed on the history channel shows. 

[G-Man]

that's what I was thinking - should have gone for much more.  Very very early receivers - would have looked nice in my collection.  I kind of doubt that receivers like this from 1880 would have been made for use in a church pew.  I think that may have been the case many years after these were made.  The suits that were brought against Bell make for some interesting reading.  Clearly Bell was not the easy going guy that is portrayed on the history channel shows. 

The excerpt that I pasted in my original message was from the late 1800's so yes they were used in the venues mentioned in the article. However I do not know if the National receivers shown were definitely used for those purposes even though lorgnette receivers in general were.


Here is a photo of the transmitter shown in the article.

[wds]

I guess I'm a little confused.  The article you posted was for Western Electric Company who wasn't incorporated until 1915, so i don't think that article applies to these receivers.  I'm sure these types of receivers were used for a multitude of applications - the reference to these particular receivers was for historical reference.  At the time these receivers were made, or there-abouts, National Improved Telephone was involved in Patent disputes with Bell, so depending on the actual date of manufacture of these receivers, they could be historically significant, and worth quite a bit more than the $320 selling price. 

[Sargeguy]

I thought they were a pair used for transmitting and receiving as shown in this picture:

[HarrySmith]

Pair of what, Greg???

[G-Man]

These receivers were manufactured over a decade after the invention of the telephone so there were already a number of other companies manufacturing telephones despite Bell's patent as well.

Neither I nor anyone else knows what these receivers were used for and I only presented the Western Electric article to illustrate what this particular style was typically used for.

As far as Western Electric is concerned, the company predates the invention of the telephone and was a mature concern by the 1915 date that you cited.
The illustration of the telephone on Sarge's plate shows the sound-powered "potato -masher" style instruments and not the lorgnette type.

But yes I can see where it may be confusing and a bit too complicated to follow so please ignore the possibilities that I have raised.[/font]

[G-Man]

Pair of what, Greg???

The telephones, look at the pair of telephones; otherwise looking at that other pair in the picture may cause your eyes to pop-out Harry!

[Russ Kirk]

I thought they were a pair used for transmitting and receiving as shown in this picture:

Isn't that the plate that was lost in shipping?  The one with the "adult" drawing on the back?

[wds]

The confusing part is the quote you posted, which is from a different time period, and discusses a different product.  "In 1872 Barton and Gray moved the business to Clinton Street, Chicago, Illinois and incorporated it as the Western Electric Manufacturing Company.  In 1915, Western Electric Manufacturing was incorporated in New York, New York as a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T, under the name Western Electric Company, Inc".  Maybe you could clarify the timing of the article?

[Mr. Bones]

Wait a minute...

     There's a telephone on the plate picture? I better re-investigate. Apparently I missed a thing, (or two)!

Best regards!