I had the opportunity to view a phone collection from a collector who has passed and lived not far from me. I didn't think there were any other collectors in my town, but I guess you never know. I don't think he belonged to any of the collector clubs. He was a retired Bell Telephone employee, and the family said he didn't start collecting until after he retired. I'm hoping to work out a deal buy the entire collection, but I think I'm competing with a couple collectors from the west coast. Hope not - stay out of my town! Here's a few pictures. Mostly ordinary phones, but I saw a few I didn't have. The last picture is of a telephone pole he had in his garage.
More pics
And more pics
I hope you can get the entire collection.
JMO,
Jim S.
Man....That's a lot of stuff!
And a lantern...see that, John?
Good luck!
Benny
That is sure quite a large and varied collection. Those WE fans are probably worth a bit. I believe that would be pre-1926.
Good Luck!
Larry
What a great find!.
Yes, nice collection, but I need to convert it from a find to a purchase! Any quesses about how much this is worth?
How does one go about placing a value on a collection like that? First you would need a accurate inventory.
I saw a lantern in there! A Dietz 8-day maybe?
A very impressive collection. Love those early metal butt-sets. I think my wish list got a bit longer. ::) I hope a deal can be reached as there could be a lot of local pieces in there that would be best left there in town where they served so long.
Oh boy, John, you started a lantern pandemic... :o
Wow, quite a collection! I'm eyeing up some of the rare 500s in the second to last picture...
I sure hope you get the collection! ;)
Really nice find Dave. It'd take you 4 or 5 days to do a complete inventory of the collection. You may have already had this conversation with the man's relatives, but my initial approach would be to ask them if they have an idea as to what they want for "everything", and go from there. Taking an inventory is time consuming, and the longer it takes to come to some sort of agreement, means there's a bigger chance that some of the other "bears" in the woods will smell the honey.
Good luck and I hope you get it !!
Jeff
Instant museum. Wow!
Quote from: AL_as_needed on September 26, 2017, 08:58:43 PM
I saw a lantern in there! A Dietz 8-day maybe?
Yes, looks like a 1st generation 8-day (square tank, not round) but the globe cage is straight wire. It's a dead flame lantern. Really haven't paid much attention to deaf flame lanterns. Dates to the early to mid 30's. Don't know if that straight globe cage wire is early or later in that production run.
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As for that telephone pole, could it be the top of one of the poles that are shown laid down in the second photo from the top? The one standing in the background has a similar top. Possibly a souvenir of a rebuild job. And then again, maybe not. But if the photo could be tied to the pole, the provenance would make it worth a bit more, I would assume.
After I had gone to bed last night the seller called and told me the collection was mine! Now I need to figure out how in the world I'm going to pack all of this and get it to my house. They seem to be in a hurry to get the collection out of the house so i will probably have to hire some movers to help me. Holy Cow!
Quote from: wds on September 27, 2017, 07:01:25 AM
After I had gone to bed last night the seller called and told me the collection was mine! Now I need to figure out how in the world I'm going to pack all of this and get it to my house. They seem to be in a hurry to get the collection out of the house so i will probably have to hire some movers to help me. Holy Cow!
Congratulations, I wish I lived closer, I would love to be in on that move. :)
Quote from: wds on September 27, 2017, 07:01:25 AM
After I had gone to bed last night the seller called and told me the collection was mine! Now I need to figure out how in the world I'm going to pack all of this and get it to my house. They seem to be in a hurry to get the collection out of the house so i will probably have to hire some movers to help me. Holy Cow!
Congratulations! You will be able to make a full-time job out of selling off the stuff that you don't want to keep. There should be a pretty decent income from that. Of course, you will remember your friends in Michigan :).
Larry
I will divulge the purchase price after the collection is safely stored in my garage - and living room, and dining room and basement.
Does anyone know what the phone is in the first picture of the 3rd batch of pictures I posted? Is that a push button dial, or just a push button intercom?
Congratulations on your purchase. I paid $8,000 for the first collection I bought. At the time it was worth $20,000-$30,000. I have made my money back several times over and I still have items from the collection.
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Life will be easier if you can take a group photo of everything going into each box. Try to keep the phones grouped together, when packing them up. It will make finding the phones easier.
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You are going to be busy for a long time,
Jim S.
Wow! I'm glad (and jealous) that you got the collection.
I easily see $1000 from the 500 collection alone. I spot a definite Rose Beige in the lower righthand section, and another possible one above it.
I also think I see a Red 500 with a straight gray handset cord in the upper left section.
In the first picture, left of the red 500 is a gray 500 in really nice condition.
Wow, Dave!
You have made a bunch of collectors very jealous! That is a "change your life" kind of find! You are going to be a very busy guy...with a big smile on your face! Please post a lot of pictures!
Benny
In the fourth picture, middle bottom--is that an Oxford Gray 500?
I can't tell whether the black dot in the center of the fingerwheel is a stain on a dial card or the black mounting nut usually visible on an open-center fingerwheel without a dial card. The other 500 collectors here will probably know what I'm talking about.
It looks black, but it's hard to tell.
Dave,
Still looking at the pictures. To be able to buy a collection like that is such a privilege. That man spent years collecting those pieces, & not just phones. If I lived closer I would help you pack it up free of charge, just to look and touch that collection. I could learn and see so much!
Congrats!
Benny
Another 'find' in your sea of pictures...
The Green or Med Blue 500 on the bottom, to the left, on the righthand shelving unit in the second to last picture has a gray straight handset cord. I'm now drooling over that picture!
And a Walnut/Mahogany two-tone AE1A front and center in the 8th picture!
I just spotted a brown bakelite AE 1A in picture 9.jpg.
Larry
Brown A1, but the cradle and handset appear to be black. The two caps on the handset are brown. I will take all the free help I can get to move those phones. My head starts to hurt when I think about how I'm going to move them. I'm going to try and get them all in two days.
Dave....I am thrilled for you and horrified at the same time. My Dungeon workshop always looks like this. As long as you have a space to store and inventory you should be fine.
Jan and I bought a cleaned out Hotel awhile back. Three trips in her then Honda CRV. What we bought we in boxes and a lot sight unseen....for years.
Congrats.....I hope you got a good deal and a dozen that will stay with you.......good luck....Doug
Quote from: wds on September 27, 2017, 07:53:53 PM
I will take all the free help I can get to move those phones. My head starts to hurt when I think about how I'm going to move them. I'm going to try and get them all in two days.
I'm only 8 hours and one border away. Man would I ever love to be there and help. You are one lucky guy. Or maybe not. LOL
Quote from: wds on September 27, 2017, 07:53:53 PM
Brown A1, but the cradle and handset appear to be black. The two caps on the handset are brown. I will take all the free help I can get to move those phones. My head starts to hurt when I think about how I'm going to move them. I'm going to try and get them all in two days.
I may have a spare handle for that A1. Maybe we can do a trade
PM me
-MM
Thanks Doug. I just doubled or tripled the size of my collection.
Yes, I will contact you about the handle. The two tone does seem a little odd.
I had a scheduled vacation next week, so the first chance I have to pick up the collection is the following week. I tried to get in to the house tomorrow or Friday, but couldn't work out a time with the Seller so all I can do for now is dream about what might be hidden back on those shelves.
Quote from: TelePlay on September 26, 2017, 11:33:19 PM
Yes, looks like a 1st generation 8-day (square tank, not round) but the globe cage is straight wire. It's a dead flame lantern. Really haven't paid much attention to deaf flame lanterns. Dates to the early to mid 30's. Don't know if that straight globe cage wire is early or later in that production run.
Not to derail the thread and lead it down the lantern rabbit-hole.... Extra cookie points if you noticed the painted lamp oil container...
Ok, I'll stop with the lanterns now ;)
Quote from: wds on September 27, 2017, 09:00:39 PM
Thanks Doug. I just doubled or tripled the size of my collection.
Yes, I will contact you about the handle. The two tone does seem a little odd.
I had a scheduled vacation next week, so the first chance I have to pick up the collection is the following week. I tried to get in to the house tomorrow or Friday, but couldn't work out a time with the Seller so all I can do for now is dream about what might be hidden back on those shelves.
Sounds good, we'll talk soon.
I made my first trip with the uhaul and picked up some phones. Didn't get as many as I wanted, but still filled about 30 boxes. I figure I will need at least 200 more boxes, plus all the furniture and phones that are too big for the boxes. Here's a few more pictures. Found out the Seller was a ATCA member from way back. The more I dig into this collection the more I'm beginning to realize what an incredible collection this is.
Notice the little operators station - with the postcard on the top with a similar operator station.
more pics.
The AE payphone is beautiful. Not sure if the paint is original, but the phone looks brand new.
few more. Still don't know what this first phone is. Some of those signs are NOS and still have the unused sticky tape on the back.
Quote from: wds on September 29, 2017, 02:44:42 PM
Notice the little operators station - with the postcard on the top with a similar operator station.
That is Peg Chronister at the switchboard. She was the former curator @ the museum of Independent Telephony in Abilene, KS.. That photo is from inside the museum.
Jim S.
Back from vacation. Hard to enjoy myself knowing all these phones were at home waiting on me.
Still need to polish these the red and ivory phones.
Wow - I have been reading here for a while but had to join and post when I saw this! I know this basement well.
This was my grandfather's collection. He assembled it between his retirement in 1980 and death in 1999.
I'm sure he would have enjoyed talking to everyone here. We wouldn't have found him on the forum, though -- not just that it wasn't around, but he had never had any interest in using a computer. He was an ATCA and TCI member and involved with the Pioneers, so it's possible that anyone who was around at the time in the area might have met him.
He spent his entire career with Ohio Bell, aside from a few years in the Navy during the war. Starting as a linesman in Akron, he moved around to different positions in countless towns throughout Ohio, before finally winding up in Columbus, where he finished his career as General Plant Manager.
In 1980, he took early retirement -- after a mere 40 years with the phone company -- to spend more time with his family. He took up a number of hobbies, most of which involved collecting things -- ranging from antique tools to log cabins -- but his favorite was clearly the telephone collection. He and his wife of 50+ years spend many enjoyable years driving around the backroads of Ohio and the neighboring states visiting flea markets and auctions and acquiring phones, memorabilia, and pretty much anything that had the Bell System logo on it. In the last few years, he bought a few things on a newfangled thing called eBay, although he did that by having friends print out auctions that he would sort through on paper. (I found a binder of eBay printouts in the house at one point.)
Sadly, we lost him about 18 years ago. Some of his other collections were auctioned off after his death, but his wife couldn't bear the thought of letting the phones go. That gave another generation of great-grandchildren the opportunity to sit at the operator's station even though they were far too young to have any idea why a phone would even have buttons let alone a rotary dial.
I hope that the collection has found a good home! If I could have, I would have taken all of it myself -- but I don't have anywhere near enough storage space, nor the ability to move it (I'm on the west coast). I do have a handful of phones from the collection myself, some of which I've restored to working order.
Wow, how cool that we have one of the grandchildren of this man's collection here to see where the collection is going! :)
Trust me, this went to a good home. Some phones will stay with Dave (who will take very good care of them) or will end up with other very trustworthy collectors who will appreciate them as much as they possibly can be!
Stick around--you'll probably see many restored or cleaned up, and I'm sure anyone on the forum that ends up with a phone from this collection will post it here.
That is amazing now that despite being moved, the collection still has a familial connection. Always a plus when any bit of the personal history can be attached to items and their story continued. Cant wait to see more!
the move is complete. Some pictures of the boxes in my garage. I was sure that the boxes would take up the entire garage, but we managed to get it on one side. The metal shelves will end up in the basement - somewhere!
few more pictures. The wood phones are spread around the Living and Dining room. Nice sign also. And a not so good picture of a Western Electric fan that is feeling real good right now!
Instant collection...shelves and all. Still amazed.
Wow, Just Wow!! :)
Quote from: WEBellSystemChristian on October 07, 2017, 04:06:38 PM
Trust me, this went to a good home. Some phones will stay with Dave (who will take very good care of them) or will end up with other very trustworthy collectors who will appreciate them as much as they possibly can be!
Yes, I am glad that the phones will wind up in the hands of collectors, and I know that my grandparents would be as well! The local family have been very eager to get the house cleared out as soon as possible. I'm told they were even looking into paying someone to haul all the phones to a landfill (!!), which would have been tragic.
As far as I know, I'm the only one in the family with any interest in phones -- as a computer science researcher, I do a lot of work with network devices, and have come to appreciate them in both their modern and antique forms. :-)
Pulled this out of the garage to test - wow is it loud. It seems to be a ringer for a very noisy setting - I tested it in my basement and I'm sure my neighbors heard it.
That Wisconsin Telephone sign with the pointing hand is pretty sweet. Other than the phones I also see a few Waltham 8-Day clocks. Are they N.E.T.&T.? What is in those display cases, badges?
Which picture has the clock? Yes, lots of badges. It is going to take me quite a while to find everything again. Wish I could remember what I did with the sign. Here's something I found, an ATCA ribbon from the Collections owner - from the year he passed, and a bunch of punch cards.
This whole thing is just too cool.
It is so great that a family member is on the forum to be a witness to this...Welcome and thanks for speaking up.
I wish I were still in Columbus to assist in some way. (We are now in Tucson)
I'm so glad it all went to other collectors.... such neat items.... Use the outdoor horn for a burglar alarm....
I don't think I had seen that ribbon. It's actually from just a few weeks before he died. I don't recall hearing about that one specifically (not too surprisingly, it was close to 20 years ago), but he had been going to telephone shows for years.
I'll find and post some photos of him. I don't think I have any of him with phones, but I'll see what I can turn up...
Quote from: wds on October 16, 2017, 08:17:10 PM
Which picture has the clock? Yes, lots of badges. It is going to take me quite a while to find everything again. Wish I could remember what I did with the sign. Here's something I found, an ATCA ribbon from the Collections owner - from the year he passed, and a bunch of punch cards.
The picture with the photo of the operator on the switchboard has the 8-day clocks. One of them is in it's original housing. The Wisconsin sign is a very collectible sign, I am sure that you would have many takers if you wished to part with it. Once you get settled in I'd love to see some more pics of that stuff.
The mid-century stuff has all been noted by our eagle-eyed members. Are there any interesting early phones in the lot?
there is a picture of one of those clocks on page 3 - front and back. I think it's the only one I have not counting the one on the switchboard. And I will probably sell the extra one.
I'll have to dig out the wisconsin sign and post a better picture. I have not found any early telephones other than a few candlesticks. I was hoping that there might have been some early stuff buried in there but there wasn't. Not even any extra candlestick receivers. the collection is mostly mid century phones.
Dave....did you ever get to trade with OPW for the handset for the AE1A?......Doug
No not yet. I'm still trying to figure out where I'm going to put all those shelves that's still in my back yard!
Quote from: wds on October 17, 2017, 12:16:45 PM
there is a picture of one of those clocks on page 3 - front and back. I think it's the only one I have not counting the one on the switchboard. And I will probably sell the extra one.
That is a calculagraph, the clocks are in this picture:
Are there different models of the calculagraph? Or just different finsihes? The one in the picture with Peg is black, the one on the switchboard is brass and the spare one is nickel.
Ok, those clocks are still packed. Here's pictures of the sign - it wasn't buried too deep in the pile. I think I would be willing to part with the sign. PM me if interested. Some of the markings on the sign is just tape glue - looks like it might clean up a little better than it is now.
Found those clocks. The one one the left is missing the plastic cover and the hour hand. Otherwise they seem to be in good shape.
Cool. These clocks were Bell System issue as can be seen by the KS number on the backs. Most 8-Day clocks were used in vehicles but notice that the smaller register goes from 1-10. This is also a telco thing-dividing the minute by 100 Erlangs instead of 60 seconds, and would seem to indicate it was used in an exchange. FYI: Watch experts advise you to remove the lenses as they will de-gas and cause the clocks' faces to corrode. Do any of them work?
I wound them up and am waiting to see if they keep time.
The two with the lens covers are keeping good time. The other one tries to run, but just won't go. Winding spring seems to be good - maybe just needs to be cleaned.
Cool finds, especially as they are Bell System clocks.
Quote from: Sargeguy on October 19, 2017, 08:34:00 PMFYI: Watch experts advise you to remove the lenses as they will de-gas and cause the clocks' faces to corrode.
Wait a minute Sarge--did you mean that the clock lenses should NOT be removed, so that the faces DO NOT corrode from atmospheric gasses; or did you mean that they SHOULD be removed, in order to prevent gasses sealed in the clock from corroding the faces?
Celluloid lenses degrade and release formaldehyde gas that can corrode the painted surface of the clock. My NET&T version was corroded by this process.
I unpacked a few boxes today, mostly tools. Here's a few pictures - maybe someone can ID some of theses.
In the first picture, the tool on the right is Eureka. All the others are either marked Bell System, or Western Electric.
The third picture - the contraption on the left - any ideas?
The fourth picture - the item on the left is a stapler.
Those are some strange looking tools. I would be interested in what they were used for.
The item on the right on the last picture marked KS 14792 L2 isn't a tool. It is a bracket for a loudspeaker.
I'm attaching a picture of the speaker for reference.
Unloaded a few more boxes, and found these pins. The small box are Bell pins, not sure about the larger box. Even a couple belt buckles.
few more pictures. The second picture is some kind of a burner.
Interesting, you don't usually see the code stamped on the flange of the '39 Bell signs
Found this 1997 Catalog from PhoneCo Inc. 28 Pages total. A thread was started just a day or two ago with a phone listed on the last picture. Hope to find more of these.
127A Ringer.
Interesting example. I like how they put the contacts so they connect when the lid is closed. I have a couple like this. I imagine this was not the most reliable method.
The thing next to the Eureka, looks like a cable pulling clamp.
next pic, looks like a solder iron. with a can crimper? opener?
the thing with multiple wing nuts i believe is also a cable puller, but for multiple strands at same time.
Some Preferred Stock in Associated Telephone Co. Wonder if these are worth anything.
Cute Valentine Card.
Not really telephone related, but interesting for anyone from Columbus Ohio. 1930's newspaper among the telephone magazines I was going through. The Columbus Dispatch had always been an evening newspaper, and a competitor, the Citizens Journal was the morning paper. The CJ was printed by the Dispatch - until the Dispatch decided that Columbus should be a one paper town. So they stopped printing the CJ and put it out of business. The Columbus Dispatch became the morning paper instead of the evening paper. Lazarus was a very large department store in Columbus until it shut down and sold out to Macy's. Lazarus downtown was a destination - we would always go there to mess around before we went to the Lincoln Leveque tower to throw toilet paper rolls off the observation tower. Good old days. Now there's no shopping in downtown Columbus. The Lucky Stripe ad is quite interesting - I didn't know that they were actually good for your health!
Couple of candlesticks - Select O Phone, and a 20DA with an H in a circle below, Operator phone.
That Associated Stock might have value.I think it was a forruner of GTE (Verizon) now
Quote from: wds on November 25, 2017, 08:26:54 PM
The Lucky Stripe Strike ad is quite interesting - I didn't know that they were actually good for your health!
Oh of course they are....just ask the manufacturer!
Terry
What do you mean by Associated Stock?
Ok, I understand now - you were referring to the Preferred Stock Certificates. I will do some research on the Stock Certificates and see if I can retire early.
Really nice Kellogg wood phone, and not so nice Bell toy truck.
Anyone have an idea what this is? There was a tag in the box labeled "Dial Pluse Recorder", but I have no idea if the tag went with his item as it was loose in the box.
It is a "Pen Register". It records dial pulses on paper tape. They were used to trace outgoing phone call number .
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I have also seen them offered as an "answering machine" type application. A wax cylinder recording instructed the caller to dial their phone number. The pen register recorded the phone number. I think it was offered thru stromberg carlson.
Jim S.
Pen registers, of course, are still around and now extended to tracking all kinds of metadata (ask the NSA...)
Interesting to see one that might have actually involved a pen!
Tag says its a Southwestern Bell Tele. 237C IMPulse Counter. KS-7608
Some kind of portable field set. Quick crank got me 90 volts ac.
Quote from: wds on November 25, 2017, 07:59:47 PM
Some Preferred Stock in Associated Telephone Co. Wonder if these are worth anything.
These are not bearer securities, meaning value, if any, would revert to the owner (or their heirs) named on the certificate and not who had them in hand. Check the back, this is where the owner would sign when the security was sold or transferred.
I'm not sure where I put those stock certificates, buried them somewhere. As soon as I find them again I will look.
Type 905 11 ringer or magneto. It looks like it started life as a magneto, then converted to a ringer?
Appears to be Canadian. Bells ring when I crank the magneto. 1940's?
Unpacked a few more boxes in between Christmas movies. There are lots of manuals that I will post pictures of later, but these smaller books caught my eye. The first book is the Bell System Practices for Business Equipment, including hazard phones, elevator sets, telephone answering sets. I remember unpacking a lot of the equipment listed in this book.
2nd books of all the different 500 phones, Station number cards and holders, Coin collectors including the 030,162,163,181-195 and diagrams.
3rd Book is all wiring diagrams, from candlesticks to subsets, to station instruments.
4th book is Telephone Booths, Turrets, Key systems.
Very nice books.
Those are fairly desirable books. I haven't followed them on eBay for quite awhile now but in the past I have seen them sell for surprisingly high $$$.
Terry
Found this 684 Ringer in a box - everything is dated iV 36, has the early 101 coil, and even the original wiring diagram. I've never seen a wiring diagram in any of the 684's I've had. Also the base plate is brass.
WDS,
I for one would like to thank you for continuing to post updates as you unpack your envious acquisition. I look forward to your updates as you go through your treasure.
Keep it up!
Benny
A few more.
more. I've fallen behind on my postings with the holidays and all. Some of these have or will be sold.
Dave ....that certainly was a "killer find." Hopefully you will be able to sell enough off to pay for this fine haul. Simply outstanding!! I look forward to each installment of that you show on the Forum.....Doug
Opened a few more boxes today. Lots of tools, paperwork, and a few phones.
Call boxes
Opened up a couple more boxes today. First item is a Kellogg Ringer. Each of the bells measures 6" across. Cool looking ringer.
Not sure what the first item is. Some sort of relay?
Ringer is marked 43S. The wood is not in the best of shape, and missing the bottom, but the ringer is interesting. Smaller than the ringers you normally see in these boxes.
Can anyone identify this first ringer? Next is a Bell System lamp.
Last item is quantity 4 of these glass lamp shapes. Vintage Curtis X Ray shades.
This is an interesting Candlestick. Seems like an ordinary candlestick, until you notice the lever is on the right instead of the left. So I thought maybe it's just put together backward. The tab on the base is on the front, not the back. The date on the base is aug 16 04 sept 13 04 jan 26 15, same as the 20al, or 40al. The base and stem are brass. No markings on the Perch. Original paint is in great condition. Has the updated transmitter and receiver, but is attached to a 534A subset. Haven't torn it apart yet, but I don't see any dates. Notice the terminal board in the base of the phone - also notice that there isn't a mounting bracket mounted to the stem either. The two end screws in the bottom plate screw into the terminal board. Any ideas about a model number or where it would have been used?
More pics
That is very interesting, I have never seen a stick with that setup in the base. Anybody?
Quote from: wds on January 15, 2018, 03:22:51 PM
Last item is quantity 4 of these glass lamp shapes. Vintage Curtis X Ray shades.
I've never seen anything like those lamp shades! Well....except maybe these that I have. I have the two shown below and two spares as well. Haven't broken one yet but they look quite fragile!
And, I can fill in some blanks. Of course there could have been many uses for these but being as yours (like mine) are telephone related, they are aisle lamps from Automatic CO's. Mine were acquired at the removal of British Columbia's 4th Automatic SxS exchange installation at the provinces capital city of Victoria installed in 1930. No such thing as fluorescent lights then, these had 150 watt bulbs in them every 8 feet or so down every aisle.
Nice. I need to find the fixture to mount the glass shade to.
There probBly wasn't one. Mine are mounted on wood painted black with old fashioned ceramic sockets screwed to the wood. The guy who gave them to me riggged itbuo for over his pool table.
I recall newer versions of incandescent light shades (similar shape to the bankers desk lamp shades) being effectively mounted directly to electrical boxes with ridged conduit running between each of the boxes. Many of the SxS CO's that I worked in through the 70's and 80's were built in the 40's and 50's had incandescent bulbs/fixtures running along the back aisles and continuos strings of fluorescent fixtures in the front aisles. Back aisle lighting wasn't switched on very often where front aisle lighting was on all day long and likely depended on the CO guys whether it was turned off at night when they went home.
Terry
Would a standard light fixture shade holder base (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Westinghouse-4-in-White-Glass-Shade-Holder-Kit-7023800/204836032 (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Westinghouse-4-in-White-Glass-Shade-Holder-Kit-7023800/204836032)) work for these? I see that Home Depot has them in at least two sizes.
Larry
Those won't, these shades have a very narrow opening but yes they have the typical rolled over lip that three or four screws from the side will hold on to.
I just have CFL type floodlights in mine.
Terry
The opening at the top is 2 1/4" o.d. I'm going to hit Home Depot in a couple days after the snow melts a little and see what they might have.
Identical model numbers (696) to each of our shades and ironic that we each have four of them. Decal is identical except mine has a Toronto Canada and yours Chicago Illinois. Probably an early predecessor to floodlights from a time when incandescent bulbs had not been around for all that long!
Being these are likely so fragile...I wonder if there would be a market for them?
Terry
A specialty lighting store may have appropriate holders for these shades.
Larry
Next Box - unopened Telephone Trivia game. Then an unusual Stromberg ringer.
Everyone should have one of these. Noteworthy Message Center.
Are they a Nortel item?
Terry
Quote from: wds on January 16, 2018, 09:14:46 PM
Everyone should have one of these. Noteworthy Message Center.
Especially in that extreme 1970s rust color! Those phones were marketed heavily by the local AT&T telcos (at least by IL Bell) in the 1970s. I don't recall actually seeing any in peoples' houses though. Like all the other premium phones, they were quite expensive.
Larry
Chinese or Japanese Phone. The entire phone feels like metal, even the handset. The bottom part of the shell is steel, a magnet will not stick to the rest of the phone so I'm guessing some sort of pot metal. Maybe brass. Got an intermittent dial tone. I can make out the initials as DK and NEC.
Paint is in nice, I still need to clean it up.
Your Japanese set was built in 1942 (Showa 17) Poss in August.. NEC would be Nippon Electric Company.NEC was part of the international Western Electric .
1902 Scientific American featuring the Faller Automatic Telephone Exchange.
A few more X Ray shades. Hopefully more will turn up.
Quote from: wds on January 17, 2018, 02:23:19 PM
1902 Scientific American featuring the Faller Automatic Telephone Exchange.
I really enjoy reading old newspapers and magazines to explore life then versus now, like this ad for mined and prepared clay.
An old 1800's unused telegram Book. I have stacks of magazines and books to go through.
Some Telegraph Keys.
Field set of some sort.
Mine phone. Paint is in great shape, even has the key. This phone looks too good to have ever been used.
Quote from: wds on January 19, 2018, 03:04:50 PM
Mine phone. Paint is in great shape, even has the key. This phone looks too good to have ever been used.
WOW! That definetly looks unused. I have never seen one look that nice. Must be NOS. Congrats!
Yes, very clean indeed, looks NOS.
The gongs are on the dial side so what's this, in the red box, a counter weight for the ringer, or something else?
That arm is part of the ringer mechanism and goes through a hole to the clapper on the outside where the gongs are
IIRC it is the same setup with the dial. The fingerwheel on the outside is connected to a rod that turns the dial inside.
What would YOU do if you walked into an Estate sale and saw this "partial" pay phone (photo attached) sitting in the middle of an empty 2-car garage? That was how it happened, honestly!
The family running the estate sale told me that they had decided that it was worth $150.00 if I was interested in it......... They actually GAVE me the other phone stuff in the photo (phone booth fan & early buttset), and the buttset had a #2AA dial in it! The colorful box on the left in the photo (sitting on the bed-floor) was a still-in-the-box Lionel Train Set that they sold to me for $40 ;-)
Aww gee, not another project for Ray....it's never ending! Looks like you scored a nice wooden salad bowl to go with the Silver Dollar Paystation?
Terry
Quote from: AE_Collector on January 22, 2018, 12:42:34 PM
Aww gee, not another project for Ray....it's never ending! Looks like you scored a nice wooden salad bowl to go with the Silver Dollar Paystation?
Terry
Yea, Terry; they actually gave me all of the wooden bowls and the cool wooden crates for buying that "UGLY" old "Partial Payphone" as they called it!
Yeah, things that aren't "plug and play" aren't worth much in today's world. Just taking up space in the garage. Even came with the key which devalues it further since they were able to clean out the cash box :(
Terry
Not sure what the red "barbell" on the left is, and it's quite heavy. Phone book holder on the right?
Candlestick - Oddly enough, I bid on a phone with the exact same pencil holder less than a week ago. Glad I didn't win!
BSP Books. Books 1 thru 4, another book C59 thru C69, and a book of wiring diagrams.
Book #1. Way too many pages to try and post all the pictures.
Book #2.
Book #3
Book #4
5th book. The first two pictures are answering machines - I have both of them in this collection.
Wiring diagrams. A whole book of wiring diagrams covering just about everything.
Wow, really cool books! I would guess they are from 1955 or very early 1956, based on some of the 500 features shown.
Do you think you could get those scanned?
I'd guess that from the line about the yellow 500 that 1956 is the date, because it said it came with either yellow or gray cords. Red probably says the same thing. Red, yellow and dark beige were the first ones to match all over, cords and all, in spring, 1956. Those are very nice booklets!
You can see dates on the top of some of the pages. Seem to range from the 30's to 1956
Interesting item - not sure what it is.
Looks like a calculograph or at least part of one?
Area code map of Ohio. I live in the 614 code - what is shown on the map for 614 is now 740, and 614 is pretty much just Franklin County only. No date on the map. There are 12 area codes now in Ohio.
Postage scale. Date on the back is 1906.
Kerosene cans. I'm guessing something is missing on the 2nd can.
Some pins and other paraphernalia.
Gold coin?
The wood board with the time clock is for use with a WECO #3 or 3cl toll switchboard. If the dimensions are correct I would have interest in it.
If you visit www.stepswitch.us and go to switchboards and test boards you will see my 2 position 3cl toll board with the newer clock, (center of the 2 positions)these were for used for time stamps of toll tickets.
The board is approx 19 3/4 x 6 1/4"
Quote from: Weco355aman on February 02, 2018, 05:15:19 PM
The wood board with the time clock is for use with a WECO #3 or 3cl toll switchboard. If the dimensions are correct I would have interest in it.
If you visit www.stepswitch.us and go to switchboards and test boards you will see my 2 position 3cl toll board with the newer clock, (center of the 2 positions)these were for used for time stamps of toll tickets.
It is a calculograph, correct?
Yea, it is a model #33 calculagraph. They were often mounted in a switchboard. Don't see them often with the mount.
Here's mine on a Magneto Board.
Terry
Quote from: AE_Collector on February 02, 2018, 11:24:11 PM
Here's mine on a Magneto Board.
Terry
Thanks Terry,
Your pictures just helped me. I now know what to do with my calculagraph that Dave Hunter gave to me when I was there last summer.
I have this answering service switchboard that has an opening that I didn't know what it was for, I do now.
I also have the tool/key for adjusting the time on the calculagraph. I got that from Jeff Lamb.
Ok, next box. This one was so heavy I couldn't lift it. Unpacked it in the garage and carried it in one piece at a time.
First up is a WE 385A box.
Western Electric KS-20599L4 - any one know what this is?
Wheelock Relay
Weston Electrical Instruments Corp
No. 54617 - don't see a maker name on it. Ohm or Volt meter?
Weston Instruments DC volt meter. I don't think the meter goes with the wood box.
Small switch box.
Swedish American magneto
WE 299G Magneto.
315H magneto and a 1002 handset.
And a few phones were in the box, which I won't post pictures of right now. One heavy box.
That wooden box without a name but has a crank is a "Megger".It puts a high voltage across the object being tested to look for leakage.
I was able to pull up the patents for it. Made by S. Evershed? Looks like Evershed became Megger in 1987.
I contacted Megger for some more info about this item, and here's what they said -
"Sorry it took me too long to answer, Dave. This is an insulation tester, and one of very limited range. I'm guessing it was an economy model for relatively undemanding pass/fail testing, where they didn't require a lot of extra data, just good or bad. That role is presently played by the MIT200 family. Of course, we have full-featured models that are best on market too. Let me know if I can be of any assistance.
Thank you for your interest in Megger products."
Does anyone know what this phone was used for? It's not a pay phone. It has a 10A on the inside, didn't know if that was the model number. It seems to function like a regular phone.
Possibly a prison phone? I remember seeing one at a local antique store, and I think that's what the price tag said it was.
Its a Charge-a-call (coinless) payphone.
Used at Rest area's or locations that need extra public phones. Cheaper that regular payphones, also used as Toll Stations.
Another box, another bunch of test equipment. This one was unusual - looks like a trunk off of a pirate ship. M9B meter. WE KS-13785 ? 1946 on the instruction manual.
Test equipment. Not sure of a model #, maybe J54701B Western Electric. Bottom is marked PBX Repair West.
Ringer - multiline? Buttons push or pull.
A couple dozen hand sets. The first two were interesting - all marked Western Electric. Transmitter on the top one is marked 234w. The bottom one has two receivers?
The next one has a #2 dial, with an older notched celluloid number plate.
Not sure what this test piece is - marked 139B
Small magneto - marked 17B on the bottom. Next item I'm not sure of - looks like a battery box. The last item I'm not sure what it is. Western Electric, but no part number.
The black plastic thing is a buzzer for toning out cable pairs.It also was used as a talk battery source and a continuity checker
The yellow 139A looks as though it could be a toner (buzzer) as well as talk battery source though I don't know what it is by it's 139A Numbers.
Terry
Quote from: AE_Collector on February 14, 2018, 07:58:23 PM
The yellow 139A looks as though it could be a toner (buzzer) as well as talk battery source though I don't know what it is by it's 139A Numbers.
Terry
It is. I have seen them with a special battery and some with 4 AA batteries. It provides tone for tracing, a continuity light, and can be used between 2 telephone as "talk Battery"
Jim S.
Have you figured out what type of #2 dial that is?
More items. Not sure what the first item is - it's marked Western Electric 4C.
Solid brass/bronze plaque. Was attached to a building or sidewalk?
Sargeguy - No, I haven't taken it apart yet. I will do that today.
Western Electric Data Phone 804 B1. Anyone know if that top cover opens up?
Bell System Wheelock Duo Potential Signal. KS-8229-L13
Kellogg Banjo Phone North Galion phone - this is a "before" picture - anxious to see if I can clean it up.
Pictures of the butt set with the #2 dial.
"Bell System Wheelock Duo Potential Signal. KS-8229-L13"
Potentially a "Code Call" Chime for anyone looking for one. PEI Dave was looking but pretty sure he got one.
Terry
Here's an interesting item. A piece of a cable that was removed from service in 1905 in Pittsburgh(?) PA, then relocated to Shadyside Ohio. The author didn't know when the cable was originally placed in service, but obviously it's quite old. He says that only a few of these samples are in existence.
The letter
13 gauge...WoW! Likely trunk cables between Exchanges unless was for long distance circuits. Open wire of course was large gauge wire good for trunks and long distance circuits but cable isn't usually that heavy. Eventually repeaters and amplifiers then Carrier relieved the need for heavy gauge to minimize losses on long circuits.
I've read about cable being removed here and reinstalled elsewhere too. Once outgrown it can still be used somewhere else.
Terry
First item - not sure what it is. Don't see a part number.
2565 HK with a rolodex automatic dialer and power supply.
AE space maker.
Nice Blue AE spacemaker.
Kellogg spacemaker - can't tell from the picture but it's brown. Dial card says Select O Phone.
I think a Stromberg Space Maker. Interesting dial card.
I have bought many collections, fun ain't it. 8)
Yes it is. Although I've only unpacked about half of the collection and I'm out of room. Maybe the city will let me put a very large room addition on my tool shed.
The fun and excitement never end :)
We look forward to the opening of the Central Ohio Telephone Museum.
Larry
"Rolodex Dialer" is a DASA Corp "MagiCall Dialer". Needs a programmer so watch for it. It's a dial in a plastic box with a short cord that plugs on to the plug in the back of the Dialer. You will think the dial is broken because it has no speed governed, wind it up, let it go and it seems like it keeps picking up speed until it hits the stop. Is the key set and Dialer black or brown? Looks brown in the picture.
Sand Beige AE 183 SpaceMaker
FORGET me Not Blue AE 83 SpaceMaker that looks identical to one I have. The painted metal body stays blue and the plastic handset turns green looking exactly like AE Turquoise!
Terry
I also have a segment of a trunk line removed from Pittsburgh, though apparently a newer one -- perhaps from the same source?
Great - now we have found two of the samples. Only 8 more to go?
More test equipment.
The "rolodex" dialer is color matched to the phone, Brown. I don't see a dial in there!
Quote from: wds on February 16, 2018, 12:13:50 PM
The "rolodex" dialer is color matched to the phone, Brown. I don't see a dial in there!
I think that is called a magicall dialer. The "programming" dial is a seperate unit. The dial turns up at phone shows.
Jim S.
OK, I'm going to ask.
How much did the collection cost you. If it's listed, sorry, I missed it.
D/P
is this the dial you were referring to? Would the set up on my phone require the extra dial since the multiline phone already has a dial?
Link to another thread about the dialer:
Magicall Dialer (http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=14173.0)
ironically, that same dialer is still for sale on Ebay:
KS 19594 L2 (https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Bell-System-Western-Electric-Dial-In-Unit-KS-19594-L2-Dasa-rotary-dial-/391086267855)
Only been up for 3 years. I have had stuff on ebay for longer. Finally sold though. I always tell my wife, everything sells eventually. I may be wrong with this thing!
That is the dial. My understanding is that you need that dial for programming, and, that dial won't work in a phone.
Jim S.
I'll keep my eye out when I open up the rest of the boxes. It might be in there somewhere.
That Ebay dial has been modified note the bnc connections instead of the cord. I have a complete dasa unit I will sell or trade.The dials on the programmers are motor driven and useless for any other thing
Dave, your first picture under test equipment is a Teletrainer and not considered test equipment unless you want to use it to test ringers. It was used in schools to teach children how to use the telephone and teach telephone manners. Boy could a lot of people benefit from a lesson in telephone manners.
You plug 500 sets into the two 4-prong jacks and in my experience you have to have them wired for ground ringing, which means black ringer wire to G and yellow mounting cord wire to G. Then you can ring two different phones and they can talk to each other. Kids love playing with the thing, but it can make lots of noise. The phones for it came with 25' cords so the teacher could control the unit while the students were on the phone. They were fairly well made units and most of them still work after all these years.
Yours is the original model Teletrainer and there were at least two other later models that were smaller.
Thanks for the info. I will plug a couple phones in to it and play around with it.
Back to the MagiCall Dialer....
Yes, like the black dial box. The green one may have been correct once but has been modified into something else as Robby said.
I don't think I have ever seen a brown MagiCall Dialer but maybe just a colour we never had here. That is a keeper! Keep eyes open for a dial though it is just to program it, not to use the Dialer.
<edit> Looking closer it looks like the Dialer May be painted brown to go with the phone. Oh well, they are a very "60's" retro item. <edit off>
The Cast aluminum square thing is a SxS bank cleaning and device. Fill it with Freon (I think!) and then you pump it out onto a little tool with rollers and run it over SxS switch banks to clean them. I hVent seen one of them for a long time!
Terry
Is this the roller you are referring to?
That's it! You're all set to clean SxS banks. Well, as soon as you find some Freon.... Freon isn't sounding right all of a sudden...may just have that stick in the "now banned chemicals" portion of my brain. It will come to me...maybe. I have some more of those disposable rollers and probably the handle for them as well.
Terry
The North phone cleaned up pretty well, but looks like the ringer has been replaced.
Quote from: wds on February 19, 2018, 03:28:25 PM
The North phone cleaned up pretty well, but looks like the ringer has been replaced.
That looks like one of those military ringers which I have found in some of my phones. This phone probably originally had a frequency ringer in it. These are stylish phones, and collectors pay plenty for them in any color other than black.
Larry
Western Electric Pulsing Test Set.
T&N phone, looks like new.
Probably TN, not T&N? And then would that be TeleNorm?
Terry
T&N is correct, Telefonbau & Normalzeit GmbH (T&N) pre 1985, after renamed Telenorma, 2000 Tenovis and 2004 sold to US unter the name Avaya.
Haf
Volt Meter. Quite large and heavy - 1907 patent date.
An odd contraption of a telephone.
Here's another interesting butt set. E1 handset with #2 dial. And it works.
Test Set of some sort. Has all the parts of a telephone, including a ringer. Works, but it seems like it might have been a little easier to just carry around a 302.
I'm just starting to look at all the wood phones, and came across this 160-AC. Does anyone know how this was used?
Does anyone know what this is? Can't tell if it's a ringer or loudspeaker?
Is there anything inside the tube?
160 AC box was used by railroads.special key switches or a special lever dial encoder would step the switch under the clear cover to the satation you wanted to call and it would ring that large DC ringer on the front
Quote from: wds on April 18, 2018, 01:51:14 PM
Does anyone know what this is? Can't tell if it's a ringer or loudspeaker?
S1A ringer (warbler)
What is inside the tube looks like a handset receiver module. How do I hook it up to test it?
Found the diagram for the modular version (S1AM Tone Ringer) in the TCI library:
Tip (green) to 3
Ring (red) to 4
Very Cool! I seem to recall an experimental 500 model with an electronic warbler ringer type thing that was on eBay a few years back, same principle?
I needed to use a condensor to make it work properly - No condensor built in which seems a little odd. Now I know what those warblers sound like.
Thought it was a chime ringer until I saw the inside. Virtually the same packaging.
Terry
Quote from: wds on April 18, 2018, 03:46:41 PM
I needed to use a condensor to make it work properly - No condensor built in which seems a little odd. Now I know what those warblers sound like.
Diagram snows a capacitor connected to 2 and 4 on the terminal board.
This one was wired with the red wire coming off of #5, where the resistor is between 5 & 4. So I moved the red wire to #2 and added the cap. between 4 & 2. (there was no cap there before). Works great now.
Here's a magneto with an older style bell on top. Generator puts out 100 volts ac, ringer nice and loud. Don't recognize who the maker is for the ringer or magneto.
Found another Warbler. This has different internals - has the cap and a transformer the other one didn't have. Has the same sound to it as the other one.
I've seen these before, but can't remember where. Some sort of Operator Foot Pedal.
Quote from: wds link=topic=1894thinkquote author=wds link=topic=18947.msg207477#msg207477 date=1524073874]
Does anyone know what this is? Can't tell if it's a ringer or loudspeaker?
It is a tone ringer. I think it is the same technology as the Morris field trial sets. It is HTF.
JMO,
Jim S.
I don't know what that box is but it looks old, like 1890s.
The cast iron box with the foot pedal was part of a RR dispatching system. I think it used a 295AK subset and headset type candlestick.
Found this in a WE catalog. The foot pedal is part of the 502A Subscribers Set. Railway Train Dispatching Telephone Systems catalog. Second picture is a list of the components for the 502A, and the third picture is the wiring diagram.
I found the 386 transmitter and the 189 headset that's part of the 502A subscriber set - I'm sure the rest of the parts are on one of the shelves I have yet to explore.
Quote from: wds on April 19, 2018, 06:58:26 PM
Here's a magneto with an older style bell on top. Generator puts out 100 volts ac, ringer nice and loud. Don't recognize who the maker is for the ringer or magneto.
Those two look like test fixtures, or school science class parts...
I'm not sure what this is - can anyone tell where this was used and it's purpose? There was a piece of paper with it that said "Toll transmission Selector"
I'm not very good at this but I think it might be a toll transmission selector!
Okay...more generically it is a Strowger SxS switch in a switch stand. A nice piece of telephone switching history!
Terry
Here's a NOS SxS switch I just uncovered.
It's 52nd birthday will be this summer! I assume it is a WECo? AE only had the hand grips in the cover on the oldest switches I believe. I see Western Electric (installer) on the box now as well....
Terry
Box is marked Western Electric - but I don't see any markings on the switch itself.
A nice Signal Corps Camp Phone by Western Electric. Although the handset doesn't look like the traditional western electric, it has the we markings, D-12024. In nice shape and works.
pics
Interesting.
That's a beauty. I am in the process of selling off a bunch of my WWI memorabilia, mostly maps and aerial photos related to the Meuse-Argonne offensive. With the 100th Anniversary of those battles, the market is pretty robust. You might want to consider selling that one in the next few months.