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what did I buy? (A very nice W.E. 293-A common battery wall set)

Started by Butch Harlow, November 05, 2018, 04:36:40 PM

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Butch Harlow

It was pretty cheap, but I cannot identify it. I know its Western Electric,  but aside from that I have no idea.

Old wood wall phone
Butch Harlow

Ktownphoneco

Butch  ....   You bought a very nice W.E. 293-A common battery wall set, and you got it for a steal.        Assuming everything is working OK, you can hook it up to you phone line and it'll work just fine.

Jeff

Butch Harlow

Sweet! Second great deal this week. I am kinda on a roll. My only question is is that the correct transmitter?
Butch Harlow

rdelius


Ktownphoneco

As rdelius states, it's a later transmitter Butch, but it'll give you better transmitter characteristics with the F-1 transmitter cartridge. 

Jeff
 

Jim Stettler

Quote from: Butch Harlow on November 05, 2018, 05:05:25 PM
Sweet! Second great deal this week. I am kinda on a roll. My only question is is that the correct transmitter?

That style of transmitter is called a "Bulldog" transmitter.
Jim S.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Butch Harlow

The only catalog reference I have found this far is in the 1908 apparatus catalog. I has the OST 122 receiver and an older transmitter. I am guessing like all WE products that it was refurbished and updated along the way. I am not one to undo the work the bell system intended. In fact, I tend to appreciate it more. I plan to hook it up and see if it works. From what I see, and what I know of Western Electric,  I would be surprised if it didn't.
Butch Harlow

Jim Stettler


That is a really old box and would really look nice with original parts. I doubt if you could find affordable parts for it. It is a late configuration and should have pretty good sound compared to the original transmitter.
Bell refurbished a lot of them over the years.  Collectors also refurbished them to the later spec, sold them  and kept the old parts for other phones.
I usually leave my phones in as found condition, I will buy the parts if I can find a deal. Otherwise I leave them be,
You should submit it in the November  Find of the month.
JMO,
Jim S.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Nick in Manitou


oldguy

Gary

Butch Harlow

It arrived this week. It's got a couple issues, but overall it's working. The seller removed the transmitter from its perch to ship. As a result one of the two wires is broken. I applied every type of trick and extreme force to separate the transmitter from the cup with no luck. I even heated it up in near boiling water for an hour, no dice. So, I will be looking for a replacement, or the original. The door lock is broken, so I will be searching for another as well. Otherwise, I get dial tone and it receives calls. The ringer needed a little adjustment, but works. The hookswitch seems to be cast rather than stamped, I am guessing its brass. I spent just an hour or so cleaning the phone and this is the result. I may decide I like the patination and keep it as is, or if I get totally bored I will take those efforts a little deeper. Some pics for your enjoyment.
Butch Harlow


Doug Rose

Quote from: Butch Harlow on November 11, 2018, 09:53:22 AM
It arrived this week. It's got a couple issues, but overall it's working. The seller removed the transmitter from its perch to ship. As a result one of the two wires is broken. I applied every type of trick and extreme force to separate the transmitter from the cup with no luck. I even heated it up in near boiling water for an hour, no dice. So, I will be looking for a replacement, or the original. The door lock is broken, so I will be searching for another as well. Otherwise, I get dial tone and it receives calls. The ringer needed a little adjustment, but works. The hookswitch seems to be cast rather than stamped, I am guessing its brass. I spent just an hour or so cleaning the phone and this is the result. I may decide I like the patination and keep it as is, or if I get totally bored I will take those efforts a little deeper. Some pics for your enjoyment.
Ya done good! Tis a beaut....Doug
Kidphone

FABphones

A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
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oldguy

Beautiful phone at a really good price. Congratulations Butch.
Gary