I got a good one yesterday. Standard Telephone & Electric Co. with the Milde' Transmitter. Seems to be completely original. Won't have it for a couple days, and I hope it's as nice in person as it looks in the pictures. Milde' had an arrangement with Standard Telephone to use their transmitters back in 1895. It appears to have the original wood diaphram - the Milde patent makes reference to the diaphram being glued on instead of using the traditional screw which helps explain the use of wood for the diaphram. Can't wait to get it.
The phone finally came today. And it was worth the wait. Only a couple minor blemishes on the phone - phone is completely original, and working. All original wires in place, and I get resistance across the transmitter. Wood diaphram instead of the usual metal.
Can't seem to find much information about Standard Telephone who manufactured the phone, or Milde who supplied the transmitter. Milde is out of France and made phones for many years, but I still can't find anything about the history of the company. Maybe someone could help? Even Standard Electric seems to disappear even though they made equipment for many years. Would be nice to find the backboard and battery box for the phone. Another great piece of history.
What a catch, nearly 120 years old and almost like new! This should be a FOTM candidate.
Larry
I just noticed that the Standard phone is almost identical to a Couch phone I had from the same time period.
WOW very nice Dave!
There were two Standard Electric Works that made phones. The other one was an early Bell licensee, and their phones are rare and $$$.
Standard in my collection
And that's the backboard and lower box I need to complete mine! That's a real beauty. Wish I could find more info about Milde.
phone has never been refinished,never nickeled,probably ordered that way.Wrong rec,we pony.
WDS, your phone? I took the pic at Lancaster.
I need this.
Quote from: wds on June 11, 2014, 08:22:19 PM
I just noticed that the Standard phone is almost identical to a Couch phone I had from the same time period.
Dave your Standard phone is beautiful, especially with the Milde transmitter. Here is one a found a few years back. The wood is just amazing!!...Doug
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=3951.msg51972#msg51972
Very nice restoration. I sure do like these old wood phones, but they do take up a lot of space. I'm still admiring Intagas phone with the milde transmitter. It seems like one of these sold on Ebay not too long ago - just the upper box. I remember having a discussion here on the forum about the 'gravity' switch hook. I remember it because when I first saw the box, I thought it was a repro or a phoneco frankenphone - such a weird looking phone. Not too many of those phones around.