Kellogg 900 Pyramid: What do I have?

[mblythe]

Hi, I recently picked up this phone at a local auction, mostly because it looked so cool. I've learned enough to know that it's a Kellogg 900 "Pyramid" phone, but that's all I really know. It came wired into this subset / desk set, which has a 1920 date inside. I also found a wiring diagram stuffed inside the subset, which I managed to piece together and scan.

Were there different versions of the 900? The bottom of this one is stamped 900SA, but I've been unable to find what that means. It seems to have more components inside than many I've turned up via searching. It does have its own ringer, or at least bells. There are some signs that both the phone and subset have been at least partially rewired / upgraded through the years, since there are a few plastic sheathed wires mixed in with the cloth.

I'd appreciate knowing anything you can tell me about these. A few photos attached below. More photos available here:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/U5K4f5soPHCnT21p1

Thanks!

[paul-f]

I'd appreciate knowing anything you can tell me about these.

Try a search in the forum for Kellogg 900. You'll find several previous conversations that may answer many of your questions.

Also, there are manuals and catalogs covering Kellogg equipment here:
http://www.kelloggtelephone.com

[Pourme]

I love the style and design of the 900 phone, truly representative of the era in which it was produced! I have 2 of them. These tend to dull over time. I find them difficult to buff and produce a shine.  Yours look much better than mine. Paul is right there is a lot of info on the forum about this piece. Enjoy your 900! 

Benny

[mblythe]

Thanks for that link, Paul. Such a rich Kellogg site, I'm surprised I never came across it via google.

Pourme: It was really dirty when I got it. After getting the dirt off, I spent about an hour rubbing it with Soft Scrub and some Simichrome. It doesn't have a brilliant shine, but I like the look of its soft glow

[Pourme]

It looks like you did a good job. The issue you soon discover when you try to clean and polish one of these, is the many ridges to clean and the surfaces are not big enough to successfully get a buffing wheel in to. A 101 or 202 or even 500's are the opposite, easy to clean and buffs up easily. It's been my experience that the Bakelite material used on these doesn't age well in terms of shine and luster. Pity, because they are  such a unique and beautifully designed piece!

Benny