Please help identify this metal phone

[MagicMo]

Hi,
It doesn't have Bell or WE markings on it. I think it is metal and it weighs a ton!
Any one know?
Thanks,
Mo

[TelePlay]

That looks like an US Army Signal Corps telephone model TP-6-A with an Automatic Electric dial. I've seen some with WE dials.

Others can add and/or correct this. They come up on eBay occasionally.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221192734507

[LarryInMichigan]

That looks like an US Army Signal Corps telephone model TP-6-A with an Automatic Electric dial. I've seen some with WE dials.

Others can add and/or correct this. They come up on eBay occasionally.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221192734507

That is what it is.  It was made by the Connecticut Telephone and Electric Co.  These phones are called "toasters" by collectors for an obvious reason.

Larry

[MagicMo]

Thank you gentleman,
Great! and to think all this time I thought it was a phone! Anyone know of a good toaster forum?

Seriously, thank you. I am trying to find something that will stump you guys and it's not working! LOL

Mo

[G-Man]

As LarryInMichigan and others have already mentioned, it was manufactured by the Connecticut Telephone and Electric Company.

A few additional points though...

Dial TA-45(*)/GT was the ONLY standard dial approved by the Signal Corps on substation equipment except the dial used with the TA-236/FT (the military version of the 500 set).

The TA-45(*)/GT dial was originally manufactured by Automatic Electric and was the same as their commercial dial although it was later contracted to other manufacturers such as Telephonics.

There is a device which opens and closes two sets of contacts called the Impulse Contact Assembly and the Off-Normal Contact Assembly. In the TA-45/GT, this device consists of a pulse cam and a shunt cam; in the TA-45B/GT, this device consists of an impulse wheel and a shunt cam.

In other words, a TP-6 or TP-6A NEVER had a Western Electric, Kellogg, Stromberg-Carlson or North Electric dial. The dial on this phone was probably installed latter in civilian life since it has an alpha-numeric number-plate.

Many of these manual models made their way into civilian hands who not realizing the inappropriateness of their efforts turned them into dial versions by installing dials similar to those used in the commercial versions. These are not Signal Corps versions!
Also, note that the TP-6-A base and parts are interchangeable with the WE 302AW-3.

[LarryInMichigan]

Just to add another bit of slightly useless information, the "MFP" printed in the bottom means that the phone was moisture and fungus proofed.  Most, if not all Signal Corps phones were so treated.  I guess that it helped to keep the toast fresher

Larry

[MagicMo]

Just to add another bit of slightly useless information, the "MFP" printed in the bottom means that the phone was moisture and fungus proofed.  Most, if not all Signal Corps phones were so treated.  I guess that it helped to keep the toast fresher

Larry

Yeah, not so hungry anymore!
LOL, ewwww
Mo

[TelePlay]

In other words, a TP-6 or TP-6A NEVER had a Western Electric, Kellogg, Stromberg-Carlson or North Electric dial.[/i] The dial on this phone was probably installed latter in civilian life since it has an alpha-numeric number-plate.

Many of these manual models made their way into civilian hands who not realizing the inappropriateness of their efforts turned them into dial versions by installing dials similar to those used in the commercial versions. These are not Signal Corps versions.

So, those I have seen (the eBay item number is in the picture name) with WE style dials are those that have been converted from the military version to commercial versions?

[paul]

That bottom one isn't even a TP-6, that's a North Electric "Galion" Phone.

[LarryInMichigan]

The bottom phone is the North version of the TP-6-A.  Several manufacturers supplied the Signal Corps.

Larry

[TelePlay]

That bottom one isn't even a TP-6, that's a North Electric "Galion" Phone.

Yeah, my bad. Did that way to quick. Good eye. But the question still stands for the other two. Were the dials added in a conversion from military use to consumer use?

[LarryInMichigan]

For whatever it's worth, both my Connecticut and North TP-6-As came with FTR dials with alpha-numeric dial plates.  I also have an AE40 which came from an Army base which has an AE dial with an alpha-numeric  plate.

Larry

[Nick in Manitou]

When were the Connecticut Telephone TP-6As manufactured?

The one I have has a TA-45/GT dial that is stamped 10-43 and a 425B network stamped 10-55.

A stamp on the bottom shows that it was MFP'ed in Dec 48, but the other stamp on the bottom includes "42".  

What was the date range of these?  I had assumed that the MFP treatment would have been done at the time of manufacture, and that the "42" in the other stamp on the bottom was a military unit identifier, but now I realize that I am guessing.

Any input?

Thanks

[TelePlay]

That bottom one isn't even a TP-6, that's a North Electric "Galion" Phone.

I went back to check on the source of my error. It was listed as a "Vintage US Army Signal Corp Western Electric Telephone TP-6-A "

Just saying . . .   seems I was looking at the dials after doing a TP-6-A search and not the case.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/390543019105 ( dead link - 2/20/2019 )

[dsk]

I like this phone, it is not the look, but the functionality.

Put a telephone on your table, not to near you. When it rings, you may get the good solid handset, and the phone reminds at its place, when you dial , you dont have to twist your wrist, just dial, and the phone stands there, not moving around!

I want one like that! 

dsk