I just have to ask - does anyone know what this dial/phone is for? Looks like you can only dial "0".
Well that is cool! Never seen that before. I guess it is similar to learning how to switch hook dial but this one you control the dial fingerwheel to get the number you want with only a single "0" hole to keep track of how you are doing!
It has to be an easily installed modification to the phone to only allow access to the operator. Maybe more likely used on a PABX?
AE fingerwheel and probably the dial as well? But not an AE phone is it?
Terry
Stromberg Carlson as shown in the eBay auction.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/151137305722
This comment regarding it was posted last week on the TCI list:
"I have one of these finger wheels and suspect this was the intent. We know though that this dial as well as the dial locks we see, can all be defeated by tapping on the hook switch plunger the number of times to simulate the pulses to dial a number. You can dial a complete phone number using this technique with a slight delay between the taps representing a single digit of the phone number."
This dial offers an alternative to switch hook dialing. You can hone your skills at partially turning the FW to get the numbers that you want. It's function is to keep your dial pulses at 10 pps.
Definitely from an earlier time as far as "hacking" goes.
Terry
If I remember correctly, these were used on (pay) stations to allow you to dial the operator only without fancy equiptment
Pictures for posterity.
The seller states "There are no cracks or chips to the bakelite ear piece and mouth piece, dial rotates great, interior looks complete ?? see last picture" but the photo of the back shows no ringer, if it or they ever had one, but it is stamped "special."
It's about $60 with multiple bidders and active bidding with less than an hour left.
Every time I see a thread like this I think of my 211 I had when I was a kid - I mounted it beside my bed, and ran a wire up from the basement in a furnace duct. I used to dial it using the switch-hook, then finally figured out it was easier to dial using a morse key connected across the hook. Back in those days, it was "whatever works", even with no subset! I was strangely reminded of this back when I read Phil Lapsley's "Exploding the Phone". The things we would do back in the 60s and 70s!
Dave
The "ANTIQUE STROMBERG CARLSON WALL PHONE~BAKELITE~METAL~NR" sold for $109.16 plus $10.02 shipping. The buyer was e***h ( 1355).
Major Phone Collector - David Sh***da in "ebaY Bid Code" language!
Terry
too bad these weren't more popular.... prior to 911 you had to dial 0 to get help.... having these around town would ave worked just as good!