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Why not connect to phone system?

Started by Dan, June 08, 2010, 08:52:06 PM

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Dan

"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

Phonesrfun

No idea.   Seems odd to have a modular telephone plug, but a sticker telling you not to plug it in.

And what is with the hole in the back for the phone that says Ring.  One would probably need to see under the hood to tell anything.

Lastly, did Northern Electric also make a 591? or is it a WE 591 base with a Northern Handset?  The anodized base with round rubber feet is definitely a later version than the real two-tone phones.

Mystery, mystery, mystery.
-Bill G

paul-f

#2
With a little help from photoshop, we can just make out the "Made In Canada" stamping on the bottom, so it's probably Northern.

There should be no reason for a stock 591 to need a warning sticker like that.  Perhaps it was modified somehow.  

The sticker does look similar to stickers that were put on some WE phones that were wired for business systems, such as the 500M and 2500M.  There was some concern that the ringer put on the second pair in the line cord could potentially cause havoc if a home was wired for 2 lines or one line with transformer for Princess/500U lights on the second pair.

I agree with Bill.  A closer exam is needed to be sure.
Visit: paul-f.com         WE  500  Design_Line

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Jim Stettler

My guesses: It is a power fail phone. Donot connect to the PBX, because if power fails,it won't work either.
The hole in the back may be for a "buzzer" adjustment.
Just Guesses,
Jim
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

bellsystemproperty

Maybe it is a digital phone system? With those PBXs you have to connect the manufacturer's proprietary sets.
C*NET # 794-5953 (KYLE)

Bill Cahill

Has anyone noticed that there are no bells in the phone?
Look in the bottom. The volume for the bells that is off the bell magnet is there, but, no bells. Looks like a Frankenphone to me.....
Bill Cahill

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

LarryInMichigan

It is probably more than a frankenphone.  My guess is that it was modified to use with some special sort of equipment, perhaps radio.  Connecting it to a POTS line might damage the components.

The red shell looks like soft plastic since it is so thick. 

Larry