Stromberg Carlson "Coffee Grinder" on eBay

[phonium]

Just listed is a rare 1894 Stromberg Carlson Coffee grinder, already at $300 with 2 bids. I expect this to go high.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Stromberg-Carlson-1894-Antique-Coffee-Grinder-Upright-Telephone/154011137489

[phonium]

Picture

[RB]

Wuts up with that hook???
How do you hang that thing up?

[Jack Ryan]

Wuts up with that hook???
How do you hang that thing up?

Do you mean the "steer horn" type hook?

That was common then but was phased out in the very early 20th century. I thought it might have been because subscribers stabbed themselves in the hand or poked their eye out but that was not the reason.

Some subscribers, while hanging the receiver on the hook, managed to poke the point of the hook through the hole in the receiver cap and dent the diaphragm. This generally caused the receiver not to work and a tech had to be sent out to fix it at great expense to the company.

http://telephoneexchange.info/ART_SteerHorn.html

Jack

[phonium]

I think RB was talking about how the hook doesn't move up and down.

[Doug Rose]

Yes...it is real. That being said, one of the most homely designs for a telephone I have ever seen.

I could have easily walked by one in my early years and thought it was a home brew. ...Doug

[Jack Ryan]

I think RB was talking about how the hook doesn't move up and down.

Ah, sorry about that.

Back in the day, Bell bought the patent for the gravity hook preventing others from using it. There were all sorts of other mechanisms used to "hang up".

There are two different versions of the SC Coffee Grinder - one has a lever that is pushed to one side when the receiver is hung up. The other, like this one, has no visible mechanism to "hang up". It is possible that the wood section on the side is a slide switch. Or perhaps it is a reproduction.

Can someone ask the seller how it works? It is a well known shop.

Edit: Correction - there are three different versions, another uses a gravity switch.

Regards
Jack

[.....]

Now that's different, I have never seen one before. interesting.

[TelePlay]

More information about this telephone can be found in a Special Auction Contest at

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=24115.0

[Jack Ryan]

Following up on my previous post, of the three versions of the SC Coffee Grinder:

• one has a lever that is pushed to one side when the receiver is hung up
• another, like this one, has no visible mechanism to "hang up"
• and finally, another uses a gravity switch.

I can only find documentation on one, the one with the lever next to the hook.

This is a sound powered telephone and therefore has no battery to be switched out of circuit when hanging up, but it does have to switch from talk mode to signal mode so a hook switch is required.

I believe that all the the SC Coffee Grinders that I have seen are full or partial reproductions. Further, the only one that is accurate is the one shown here:

http://oldtelephones.com/telephones/top-50-rarest-candlesticks/phone/1894-stromberg-carlson-telephone-manufacturing-company-1894-model-no-1/

I think the subject of this post is missing its hook switch but is likely otherwise original. A peek inside would be nice.

Comments?

I changed my mind, it may not be original but it has some original parts.

Jack

[FABphones]

Looking these up, the same almost cut and paste basic info is available on several sites but not much additional detail. Those I saw had replacement part/s, including one which had a replacement hook made.

To my eye, I have always considered this an ugly phone, and whilst appreciating it is a piece of history, I still wouldn't want it in my humble collection for a fifth of whatever it's value is.

Bidders need to look closely, and due their research. Personally, I would definitely want to take a proper look inside before considering a bid.

[Jack Ryan]

I have been asking around and others agree that this Coffee Grinder is a reproduction.

I don't know why it disappeared from eBay - either the seller decided it was a reproduction and pulled it or someone offered a lot of cash.

Jack

[FABphones]

I have been asking around and others agree that this Coffee Grinder is a reproduction.

I don't know why it disappeared from eBay - either the seller decided it was a reproduction and pulled it or someone offered a lot of cash.

Jack

That's interesting. If poss, would you jot down here some of the things they spotted which led them to that. Am always keen to learn and I wouldn't know what to look for on this.

Guess we will never find out if it was purchased in good faith as an original, but if it turns out to be a repro, upon receipt the seller will have one very unhappy buyer.

[Jack Ryan]

That's interesting. If poss, would you jot down here some of the things they spotted which led them to that. Am always keen to learn and I wouldn't know what to look for on this.

Apparently that phone has been on eBay before and was at one time, a lamp. One of my correspondents claimed to have seen it in person and found multiple issues with dimensions. Some of the internal parts are original and correct but not necessarily from this type of phone.

One fundamental issue is, as I pointed out, the hook switch is wrong and if you look carefully, the holes needed for the correct hook are not present.

Guess we will never find out if it was purchased in good faith as an original, but if it turns out to be a repro, upon receipt the seller will have one very unhappy buyer.

The happy new owner probably has it sitting next to Hitler's phone.

Regards
Jack

[Doug Rose]

it got bid up to $1625 with 53 watchers when it was removed...Doug