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Mystery Phone - Telegrafverket Convertible

Started by Dennis Markham, January 03, 2009, 09:15:55 PM

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Dennis Markham

Santa left a U.S. Postal Service large flat rate box on my front porch a few days ago.  I had talked with a couple people about sending me their phone for repair but wasn't really expecting one so soon.  I looked at the name on the return address and didn't recognize it as being anyone I knew or talked to about their phone.  I had not purchased anything.  It was a mystery to me.  I opened the box and found this phone inside.  I saw that it had a crack on one of the cradle ears.  It was fairly well packaged with no damage to the box so I assume it may have been broken prior to shipping.

Tonight while watching the football game I decided to take a few photos to share with the forum.  Then a little exploration on Google shows that it is a phone that was made in Norway.  It resembles a Leich Convertible.  The gray modular line cord has a broken plug on the end but if I hold it in place I get a dial tone.  I gave the line a call from my cell phone and sure enough, it rings.  Sounds like it could use an adjustment but it rings.  The dial sounds like a Stromberg Carlson or A.E. dial when rotated.  It kind of makes a ratcheting sound as it undwinds.  It has a nice smooth action.

The dial card is in a small bracket on the front of the case.  I figured there may be a screw beneath the card which would allow the cover to be removed.  Sure enough when I slid the number card up a screw was revealed.

Note the button on the front.  I'm not sure what that was designed to do.  It is an interesting phone.

Does anyone have any knowledge of one of these?  Or does anyone know who sent it to me (the name on the box was Brown from Davis, California).  Was it intended to be a gift?  Did someone send it to be refurbished??

There is on currently on eBay: http://tinyurl.com/a38scj ( dead link 05-31-21 )

Here's one that is being offered for sale: http://tinyurl.com/734nhq

There appears to be quite a bit of information on the web about this telephone manufacturer.



McHeath

I think the word has gotten out that offerings of phones to you will help people get their new years resolutions come true.   ;D

The button on the front is clearly to en-gauge the fluxcapacitor, but do you have the 1.1 jiggawatts of power needed?

And that is the extent of my help on this very interesting and unusual phone that I've never seen one of before. 

Mark Stevens

The word's out, Dennis.  Everyone knows you're skilled at repairing broken cases, so someone sent you their commie phone anonymously, hoping you'll repair it and show photos in the forum.  Then, they'll contact you and say it was sent to you in error, and could you please send it back.  Bingo, free repair job!!!   ;D

Dan/Panther

Mark;
You took the words right out of my keyboard.
However Dennis, you don't need to repair it, just send it back.I rthink you have my address on file. I will course pay return shipping, and please forgive me for the error, I'm getting up in years, and I can't guarantee it won't happen again.

Regards;
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

mienaichizu

nice one D/P, hahaha...!

that's a cool phone

mienaichizu

#5
here's one in Ivory

Its a Norwegian desk phone made by Elektrisk Bureau type 1953. Designed by Johan Christian Bjerknes. Between 1956 and 1966 28900 of these were produced in ivory. Notice the reverse order of the numbers

dsk

#6
Right!
The 1953 is still in use in some older homes.
The reverse dial is in use in Oslo and in NZ.
The button is a grounding button, used for recall register in some PABX's
The ringer is a 2800 ohms coil in series with capacitors (=1 microfarad)
The bias spring is to reduce tinkle, and the ringer will ring within 15-50 Hz but is designed for 25Hz.
The dial is based on an early WE design. The receiver capsule should have a resistans of about 120 Ohms.
The transmitter capsule is a 50 ohms granulated carbon capsule and wold accept to be replaced with most field telephone capsules.

dsk

PS these should be possible to get for US$ 10-20 + P&P in Norway in good but used condition. in Norway. Only Oslo used reverse dial so both dials should be available. The drawback is the P&P.
DS