Is this GPO Candlestick real or repro?

[wds]

I picked up another GPO recently, and it appears to be authentic.  The only thing that throws me is the metal grommet on the base.  I have several of these candlesticks, and none of them have the metal grommet.  They either have nothing, or a bakelike grommet.  Does anyone have an opinion about whether or not it's real, or a reproduction?  The seller pictures are not very clear, but the phone appears to have the correct markings.  Seller maintains the family brought it from Italy in the 40's.

[rdelius]

This set was used in Argentina .It is possible they had a base made  locally to convert it it dial .

[Owain]

As the text on the dial centre is Spanish rather than Italian ...

Many phones were exported and localised, so it may be genuine rather than repro, just not completely British GPO genuine.

[wds]

I feel a little better.  The vinyl cords, color and the grommet had me thinking it might be a repro. I'll know for sure in a couple days.

[rdelius]

The set is not a repro.The set might have been in service in Argentina long enough to have been reworked.The dial might have a plastic # disc in place of the British porc. one with #s and letters.
You might find a Union Telephone mark  (UT in a triangle).I think these sets might have been bought used from the GPO when modernised.The base might be a local relplacement. I had one of these sets but it was stolen

[wds]

Phone came today and it has a couple interesting additions.  There is a UT on the perch.  What is this mounted to the base?  I'm assuming it's a modern network of some sorts.  It's bolted to the base nice and neat, so I guess the base is a part of the update?  Unfortunately the transmitter was gutted in favor of a modern transmitter, and I don't have the parts to convert it back.  The mouth piece is interesting.  There is a threaded piece in the face plate, and the mouthpiece threads on that threaded part.  Mouthpiece  is bakelite and marked with UT, so is this setup original?  The threaded part isn't far enough into the transmitter, so the mouthpiece doesn't sit flush with the face plate. 

[unbeldi]

Safnat is an Italian telecom manufacturer.
Seems like a fairly professionally made aftermarket upgrade. I would leave it as is.

The anti-sidetone induction coil and the yellow capacitor are really all that is needed to make it work without ringing.
You should find out though what that metal contraption is that the capacitor is connected to. Perhaps just a terminal block?

[poplar1]

The device in series with a 1 uF capacitor may be a buzzer.

[unbeldi]

At first it seemed like a relay to me.  Perhaps they used it as a buzzer, as you say.

[wds]

The seller told me the phone buzzed on incoming calls, so that must be the buzzer.  It didn't "buzz" when I tested the phone last night, but I will play with it some more and see if I can get it to work.

[wds]

Where can I find information about UT - Union Telephone?

[rdelius]

Google?  .In the late 1940s the government in Argentina nationalized the telephone company.This was the old telephone company possibly part of ITT.I think the Spanish name was Union Telefonica.Trademark UT in a triangle.Embossed on wooden GPO  type subsets and 150 type sticks.
Possible on the Belgium cradle sets (Standard?)

[wds]

I've been all over the internet and haven't turned up anything.  I'll keep looking.

[LarryInMichigan]

Try looking in Argentina.  I found a couple for sale on mercadolibre.com.ar: link 1, link 2

Larry

[wds]

A lot of nice telephones on that web site.  Too bad it's so far away..........