Western Electric TYPE 1 box

[Sargeguy]

Picked this one up off of eBay the other day for $33+$11 shipping.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/173278465380?

A Western Electric TYPE 1 box.  It just so happens that I have the correct generator (two actually) for this box on the magneto shelf.

[wds]

I wondered who got this.  Looked like a very nice box.  Congrats!

[RB]

You have a magneto shelf???
Dude, you rock!

[Sargeguy]

Box arrived today.  I added an early red magneto used on #1 boxes.  This type of box was used as a subset for early candlesticks.  I added a couple early steel bells that came off a TYPE 2 box.  The wiring on this box is very early, and the box is part of a circuit.  I had to use a jumper between the two outermost terminals atthe top to test the ringer. 

[RB]

is there a stick in that boxes future?

[Sargeguy]

I am looking to see what pops up on Craig's List.

[Nick in Manitou]

Greg,

Thanks for posting this. All of a sudden I find myself wanting to know all the details of the old wooden phones where my interest was much more casual in the past. The more detail the better!

Nick

[Sargeguy]

Wooden phones are fascinating, there is so much variety and relatively little of it is well documented.  The average wooden phone was modified numerous times over it's working life so each one is different and has an element of archaeology and forensic work involved.
You should find a copy of Richard Mountjoy's 100 Years of Bell Telephones and Kate Dooner's Telephones-Antique to Modern.

[Sargeguy]

The phone is pretty much finished, I removed all the screws and plates and ran them through a tumbler.  I plated and patined the handle to match the other parts, which have an oxidized? nickel finish.  I washed and used steel wool on some of the dark crud that had built up.  I broke down the magneto and cleaned and lubricated it.  I can do a full restoration at some point in the future if I feel the need, but for now it is a survivor-ish.  I just need to add a screw to the key escutcheon and I'm done.

[wds]

it's hard to tell from the pictures, but are the ringer coils shorter than the usual WE ringer?

[Sargeguy]

It is an early WE short ringer seen on TYPE 1 and TYPE 2 boxes.  The designation was 1501-A and they are 80Ohm.  This one is slightly unusual because it has the bell mounts that go through holes in the door rather than the type I usually see on TYPE 2 boxes that has the bell mounts on the door. They also used the long 1000Ohm and 2500Ohm ringers at the same time, and the short ones were eventually phased out.

[RB]

Nice work!
I have found that it does not have to be beautiful, to be gorgeous!
ALL of my phones are survivors!
From the pics, it looks like there are no wires in that box.