Stick with "hinkey" dial.

[Greg G.]

This dial looks a bit strange, what is it?

[Jack Ryan]

Probably a BPO pattern Dial No 12 which is mounted on (probably) a Tele No 150 (dial candlestick). The dial was designed by Siemens Brothers and made by quite a few manufacturers. There were also licensed versions in Scandinavia amongst other places.

It was not necessarily used by the BPO or even in the UK. The same style phone was used in Commonwealth countries, South America, the Middle East and parts of Asia.

Jack

[twocvbloke]

Canada being the biggest user of GPO hardware in UK-governed provinces back in the day, which is probably how that one made it's way over there...

[Greg G.]

Probably a BPO pattern Dial No 12 which is mounted on (probably) a Tele No 150 (dial candlestick). The dial was designed by Siemens Brothers and made by quite a few manufacturers. There were also licensed versions in Scandinavia amongst other places.

It was not necessarily used by the BPO or even in the UK. The same style phone was used in Commonwealth countries, South America, the Middle East and parts of Asia.

Jack

So IOW, it's a European stick that somehow made it's way into service in the US, and the dial is not hinkey-rigged onto the phone, it was meant for it?

[Jack Ryan]

Canada being the biggest user of GPO hardware in UK-governed provinces back in the day, which is probably how that one made it's way over there...

Do you have any statistics on sales? I would be interested to see them.

It's not really GPO hardware. The GPO bought stuff, it didn't manufacture it (except for short runs in its workshops). The GPO, as a large market, had a say through specification and feedback but so did other markets.

Jack

[Jack Ryan]

So IOW, it's a European stick that somehow made it's way into service in the US, and the dial is not hinkey-rigged onto the phone, it was meant for it?

What does "hinkey" mean?

The phone was designed (and in this case made) by Western Electric (British/BTMC) and the dial was designed by Siemens Brothers. It is not a European telephone. The dial and the phone go together.

I seriously doubt that it was used in the USA. It may have been used in Canada or South America - otherwise a collector has imported it.

Jack

[Phonesrfun]

You need to watch crime and detective movies.  "Hinkey" is a colloquial term for "something just not right".  A feeling that a detective can't quite put his (or her) finger on, but knows that something is just "hinkey" with a suspect's story, etc.

[Jack Ryan]

You need to watch crime and detective movies.  "Hinkey" is a colloquial term for "something just not right".  A feeling that a detective can't quite put his (or her) finger on, but knows that something is just "hinkey" with a suspect's story, etc.

Thanks Bill.

Presumably not a part of Australian English.

Jack

[AE_Collector]

Canada being the biggest user of GPO hardware in UK-governed provinces back in the day, which is probably how that one made it's way over there...

Not "UK Governed provinces" (no such thing) but the provinces (provincial governments) that operated their Telco's tended to use a lot of equipment from British manufacturers, particularly in the time frame soon after WW2 when equipment shortages were everywhere but Britain sold more equipment (and kept less for themselves) than it would have otherwise except it desperately needed the foreign income to help recover from the devastation of the war.

Other provinces that had non provincially operated Telco's had their own equipment suppliers such as Bell Canada in Ontario and Quebec with Northern Electric and BC Telephone in British Columbia with Phillips Electrical Works and then later AE Canada.

Terry

[Phonesrfun]

Thanks Bill.

Presumably not a part of Australian English.

Jack

Yeah, I think it is probably US.  I do see occasional Australia crime shows on TV.  The one that comes to mind is something like Mr& Mrs Murder or something like that.  A couple that runs a cleaning service and solves murders.  At least I think it is an Australian show. 

[Jack Ryan]

Yeah, I think it is probably US.  I do see occasional Australia crime shows on TV.  The one that comes to mind is something like Mr& Mrs Murder or something like that.  A couple that runs a cleaning service and solves murders.  At least I think it is an Australian show. 

Rosemary and Thyme? Two gardeners solving crimes - that's British.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e43mXqTHvXA

Jack

[Greg G.]

What does "hinkey" mean?

Jack

Strange or unusual.

[Greg G.]

  I do see occasional Australia crime shows on TV. 

Phryne Fisher Murder Mysteries is our favorite!  We're waiting for season 3 to come out on DVD.

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/programs/miss-fishers-murder-mysteries/

[Jack Ryan]

You need to watch crime and detective movies.  "Hinkey" is a colloquial term for "something just not right".  A feeling that a detective can't quite put his (or her) finger on, but knows that something is just "hinkey" with a suspect's story, etc.

As it happens, I have seen this before: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdPciselWuo

And I was and still am with Gerard.

Jack