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How 'Bout Those Uniphones?

Started by Jester, May 21, 2009, 12:59:59 AM

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Jester

These have come up in other areas on this forum, and, for all the Canucks out there, I thought I'd offer a few chosen words on the virtues of the Northern Electric Uniphone.  As many of you may know, NE was originally the Canadian twin of Western Electric, and was the manufacturing facility for Canadian Bell Telephone.  Fast forward half a century to 1937, the Uniphone was NE's unique answer to a growing request-- How can my independent phone co. get Bell System-like equipment?  The uniphone was uniquely designed to fill a need the independents had, thus amounting to more sales for NE.  It was available in either wall or desk versions, and both used virtually the same base.  It's basic electrics were standard WE 302 components, and it could be set up for either common battery or local battery service.  The case is more comparible to the 354, since its width is @ 5/8" shorter than the 354's height, and the depth is@ 3/8" longer than the 354's width.  Some other interesting features--the original handsets originally used on these phones was a unique design that was similar to but visibly different from the F-1.  Another unique feature was the phone body was Bakelite.  This was completely anti-Bell System, but it did allow for a revolutionary difference in the Uniphone as compared to its metal bodied 302 brethren-- a different color!  The following photos show the 3 No. 1 Uniphones in my collection:
1) 1944 w/ NU handset
2) Mahogany (Burled Walnut?) w/ F-1
3) 1951 in black
4) Ivory 354 for dimensional comparison (OK,OK--I'm showing off a little! ;D
Enjoy!
Stephen

HobieSport

#1
Thanks Jester for the good info, eh? 

Well I'm not Canadian but coincidentally I was cleaning my room this morning and organizing a few phones and came across a black Northern Electric Uniphone # 2, the wall version, that I just hadn't paid much attention to yet.

It has the F1 style handset and black 5H dial. Opening it up I found that it's an early 1947. It seems well built and thoughtfully laid out, and it's the first phone I've seen that has a hinge between the base and the housing. I really like the unique style also. She's a keeper.

Jester

HobieSport,
I think you'll enjoy having that No. 2.  I've been trying to get my hands on one for awhile now.  My biggest problem is I still remember getting complete phones for $5.00 to $30.00-- rarity be hanged!! Not any more, my friend!
Stephen

HobieSport

As I recall the price on the #2 Uniphone was okay, about $20. last Winter.
It's that darn shipping from Canada that get's you. :P

contraste

Quote from: HobieSport on May 21, 2009, 02:30:35 AM
As I recall the price on the #2 Uniphone was okay, about $20. last Winter.
It's that darn shipping from Canada that get's you. :P

Try the darn shipping from the US to the UK!
That $40+ is a lot when buying phones off ebay which may turn out to be duds.

Really nice phones by the way Jester, especially the brown one.

foots

Nice phones Jester. Those Uniphones sure look nice, I like the mahogany one a lot. Your ivory 354 has a very elegant appearance to it.
"Ain't Worryin' 'Bout Nothin"

Bill Cahill

Geez. Wish I had one of those. Nice style.
Bill Cahill

"My friends used to keep saying I had batts in my belfry. No. I'm just hearing bells....."

HobieSport

Is Carl in NY still selling his Uniphone #1 or has someone here bought it? I thought of making an offer to Carl but my phone budget is low this month.

AET

Also to all you canuks out there, thank you for Trailer Park Boys. 
- Tom

McHeath

Pretty color on the brown one.  Never seen one of these in person, they look large.

Jester

McHeath,
The width is roughly twice that of the 302, but it is about 3/4 the depth.  An interesting story on the brown phone (at least to me), this is the second one I have been up close & personal with.  The first one I saw was in an obscure flea market some 40 miles from home while running an errand for my mother 25 years ago.  Being interested only in WE at the time, and recognizing instantly that this was not a Bell System phone, I started to discount it, but was drawn in by the color and the familiar shape of the F-1 handset, so I picked it up & read "Northern Electric" in the familiar block inside the handle.  It didn't take my mind long to draw a parallel between NORTHERN electric & WESTERN Electric, and I vowed right there to try for that phone.  Unfortunately for me, I was a broke high school graduate destined for college, & I barely had two pennies to rub together, much less a Jackson-- the price of the phone!!  What was worse, the trade I offered the dealer-- a very nice Huthinson style bottle-- didn't interest him in the least.  I did manage to find a black example some nine years later in Louisiana while I was in college (the third picture posted above), but I never forgot that brown one.  Finally, I saw the one pictured above on Ebay in February, and now you know "The rest of the Story"!!   
Stephen

mienaichizu

I also want to have one of those

HobieSport

#12
Here are two pictures of my one and only Northern Electric Uniphone #2 (wall model) black 1948.

Also depicted a North Electric Galion Signal Corps desk black 1951 just to compare.

Jester

I really like that #2, HobieSport!  It appears to be complete & in fine shape.  The one thing about all Uniphones I wish was different, it appears that almost 100% of them went through SOME kind of refurb. during their lifetime--even if it was just having the cords changed out.  I haven't seen one yet that I felt had been put in service right after being built & left alone.
Stephen

Jester

I didn't think I'd have anything new to add to this so soon, but I won an auction this evening for a #2 wall phone-- in brown!  This one also has the distinct N.E. type NU handset, which makes this an earlier example (see 2nd pic above).  F-1 handsets were eventually used on all later production uniphones, and many earlier sets had their handsets switched out during refurb., so finding a NU is a pretty big deal-- especially in brown.  See link below.
http://tinyurl.com/ma5436
Stephen