Pot Belly Candlestick: Help on ID of stick and extras

[allnumbedup]

I purchased this potbelly candlestick on an online auction. I have cleaned it up with soap and dried it for the pictures here. It came in a lot with three wood backed accessories showm, (plus a crystal radio tuner and WE 5L dial not shown) I believe this is a Swedish American stick with a turned brass shaft and cast iron base under a wood panel I am unable to remove. The mouth piece and handset are either gutta percha or vulcanized rubber I think because they both have crazing and dryness and the receiver has a side seam.  My WE, SC, and headphone caps don't fit it. The stick has 50% nickel remaining, the exposed brass has a Tiffany Lamp bronze color to it. It has a beveled transmitter with a blank face and it has a bent arm and missing hook switch spring. It is 100% unmarked but for the wood box that has "BELL LINE BATT" stamped in the oak above the six screw terminals for pin connections. Inside is a condenser coil with is green wrapping and clay colored brackets. The cord to the phone comes out a whole in one long side near the front.  This piece was originally bracketed on a piece of pine that appears to have been torn off a wall.
I plan to put it up on ebay as it is too much restoration for me but deserves to be, which is why I post here.

I would like advise from collectors of older phones than me as to likely ID of the potbelly and if the box is right for it?

The bell and 'transformer box" are another issue. They may be walnut. I believe the box has been repurposed but don't know from what. The box seems too small for a battery or a magneto. The transformer is marked "empire company toy transformer" and this box is nail construction and has what looks like a tube or bulb socket and shorting switch on it. Maybe it had a different single output transformer in it and a bulb to indicate power.

Were local battery phones ever run off house current when it became available?

The bell is missing it's cover and the gong is steel and the body cast iron. The back has a typical channel for bare wire to the exposed terminals.
Final question: Any compelling reason to keep all the items together for resale?

[allnumbedup]

more pictures

[allnumbedup]

images that didn't load on the original posts

[allnumbedup]

I have posted as three lots on ebay.  I accidently posted "now" instead of scheduled and was surprised to  get a bid within 30 seconds--not even realizing I had posted yet---- so had to leave it. Got one message with an identification as a 1899 to 1903 Chicago Telephone Co and another with an  offer to end the auction early for $1500. I am grateful to both collectors for reaching out.  I have looked and can't find a phone exactly like it on the web. I look forward to someone getting it who will restore it.

I also reached the conclusion that the other items where perhaps used with this phone but not original to the phone and likely not even factory made originals or complete. Here are all three ebay listings for your interest....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/285154233187
https://www.ebay.com/itm/285154284358
https://www.ebay.com/itm/285154328710

[Witty]

The design style of your candlestick certainly fits that time frame, and very rare. I doubt your other two items were ever used with it. The receiver was a later replacement. The original would have been a double pole OST receiver. It's a very nice find and hope you do well with the sale.
Thanks for sharing and will keep an eye on the sale results.

[FABphones]

A handsome stick and already an interesting response to your auction. Will be a fun one to watch with regard to the hammer price v offer.

I have a nice OST receiver which would look smart on that phone - which unfortunately is already way outside of my budget.

Will watch the auction progress with interest, thanks for sharing.

[HarrySmith]

There is an auction going on right now for one of the club members phones. There is 3 pot bellies on there.  Right now going for $2500, $2700 and $7,000. Over 4 days of bidding left.
You can see them here:

https://www.proxibid.com/Freeland-Auction-Services-LLC/Aydelotte-Antique-Telephone-ICONIC-NY-Collection/event-catalog/236835

[Doug Rose]

There is an auction going on right now for one of the club members phones...

thanks Harry....Doug

[FABphones]

...Got one message with an identification as a 1899 to 1903 Chicago Telephone Co and another with an offer to end the auction early for $1500...

Sold for more than $800 over the offer you received; US $2,303.
Well done and good for you for sticking with the auction.
And you made a donation to charity too. Nice gesture.

[RDPipes]

Good for you allnumbedup, not a bad lump of cash at all.
I could use a couple of those, LOL!