Western Electric SP-20-R Candlestick

[Sargeguy]

I purchased this off of eBay for $100.  I planned on using it as a parts phone for my black type 22 restoration.  Here's a rundown from top to bottom:





-250w transmitter with a non-bell patent date 2-piece cup.  Cup is black over nickel.  Faceplate and bracket are painted factory black
-WE mouthpiece with a small chip



-Solid perch marked SP-20-R painted factory black



-Knurled nut painted black.  Smaller than my other WE knurled nuts


-Modified switchplate



-Patented 1904 & 1915 base and shaft missing the seating tab on the base
-Base plate has complete leather with typical wear, inside of plate is filthy



-Nice Kellogg receiver.

-Old electrical cord wiring and modern machine screws holding transmitter to cup.

I have no idea what this was used for.  I assume SP means "SPECIAL".  That must refer to the black lamp cord it is wired with.  

[Sargeguy]

The transmitter is a mess inside, but at least its all there

[dencins]

The transmitter is a mess inside, but at least its all there

Nice find for a good price.

Per our other discussion this is a good example of an uninsulated transmitter.  You can tell by the bridge.  The part that holds the carbon module is not insulated from the rest of the bridge thus the transmitter is not insulated from the phone which in this case it should not be.  

I do not understand the switchplate modification?

Dennis Hallworth

[Sargeguy]

Here are some pics of the switch.  I was assuming the wire is a modification, it looks like it doesn't fit.

[Doug Rose]

I found a real nice WE SP 20 H stick last year with a Solid receiver and a cool rattlesnake receiver cord. One of my nicer sticks. I was told by a TCI member at that time, that the Solid receiver was proper for this stick. See the post below....Doug

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2239.0

[Sargeguy]

Where do you find these things?  The 20-H is an Interphone, used for internal communications in a business office or large house.  Dating old WE candlesticks is more of an art than a science and I am not an expert, but thr solid perch was used from about 1905 to 1916, and patent dates seem to indicate that it was made prior to 1909.   Is the nut 1" or 1 1"8 diameter?  What is the patent date on the base? It seems odd that WE would use Solid or Kellogg receivers on their phones but both "SP" marked sticks have non WE receivers.  Maybe customers didn't appreciate being zapped by 122s?