Stromberg Carlson Model 1212 - "Fat Boy"

[Dennis Markham]

I spent the last couple of days in northern Michigan.  On the way back home from the Traverse City area, I got off the freeway and took the "old way" home through a bunch of small towns.  My plan was to stop at any flea markets and/or antique stores.  I found no flea markets but I did manage to visit three or four antique stores.  I told myself not to bring home any black phones---I have too many now.

However, this phone called out to me.  I don't have a "Fat Boy" in my collection.  It looked to be in good shape with no cracks, chips or any major damage.  The price tag was $20.  I got 10% off so it went "out the door" for just under $20.

The mounting cord was cut off where it exited the phone.  The handset is a later Stromberg Carlson handset.  I'd really like to get one of the older ones for it and maybe change out the coiled cord for a straight cloth cord.  Not sure yet about that.  One the bottom one of the screws to attach the base has been replaced by a regular old Phillips head screw.  No big deal there.  Perhaps I can find one.  The ringer inside was a frequency ringer.  I have several Stromberg Carlson straight line ringers so I replaced the original one.

I have spent the entire cold, rainy day working on this phone.  I made notes of the original wiring but forgot to jot down a couple connections.  I went to the Remco's site for the schematic and find that it does not compare to the way it was wired.  When I connect it according to the schematics (pilot error, I'm sure) it didn't work properly.  I wired it the way it was wired and it's now dialing out OK but the ringer will not work.  I've tried at least three replacement ringers and no luck.  I'm wondering if perhaps the condenser is not the right one for the ringers I'm using.  The schematic shows values different than the .7 and 1.5 mf that's on the condenser in the phone.

Anyway, here it is, minus the mounting cord.  It really turned out nice and I enjoyed working on something different.  I put a dial card in that I had on hand but wonder (from you experts out there) if that is more of an AE dial card than what would be on a S.C.  The dial IS an AE.  I have some others that I can change it with if this one is not accurate as far as what would be on a Stromberg Carlson telephone.

Attached some "before & after" photos.``

[Dennis Markham]

A few more photos.....................

[LarryInMichigan]

Dennis,

The condition of that phone is amazing.  I see no chips or cracks in the bakelite, and the rubber looks like new.  The rubber around the base plate is almost always brittle and cracked.  I would expect that phone to be worth $200+.

Larry

[Dennis Markham]

Thanks Larry, that rubber IS new!  I failed to mention that I replaced the gasket.  The old one was not torn but a little dry.  I remembered I had one of Gary Goff's replacement gaskets so I put it on there.  I bought it for an AE40 but it fit fine on the Fat Boy.  The Bakelite is as nice as it looks.  The handset and caps are like new.  Someone took care of this phone for a lot of years.  I really don't know when it was made.  I found the number 58 on the transmitter element but don't know if that is the year it was made.  I think the early ones had straight cords and the other handset.

[Wallphone]

Dennis, Did you check out Kellogg Mike's SC page? Here is a PDF of the SC 1212.
> http://www.strombergcarlsontelephone.com/S-C%20PDF/S-C%20DIAGRAMS.pdf<
Here is the main page > http://www.strombergcarlsontelephone.com/ <
How did you get the inside of the bottom plate looking so good without removing the stamped numbers?
Great work on your part, as usual.

[Dennis Markham]

Thanks for those links, Doug.  I was just searching for them as I knew there was a Stromberg Carlson site with info out there.

I just worked around those numbers.  Also on the bottom.  I polished it up as much as possible using Simichrome polish and a cleaner called Wizard's.  CraigT turned me on to that.  It does a nice job on metal.

Thanks for the compliment on the work.

There's not a huge difference in the look (it didn't remove the "shadow" where a piece of tape or something had once been) but it has a little more shine to it.

[Kenny C]

Good looking phone. Who looks at the bottom any how 

[Jim Stettler]

Good looking phone. Who looks at the bottom any how 

I first look at the price tag and then the bottom.

I found an AE 40 style phone that said Western electric on the price tag. I shook my head and turned it over.  Painted on the bottom it stated that the phone conformed to WE drawing # . Inside it was wired with WE princess guts.  It was a "design-line" antique telephone conversion.  I called it a WE40. It is in the JKL museum now.


In the early days of design line you could take old phones in for Bell system conversion. You could probably do it all the way up till break up.
Jim

[KeithB]

Dennis, that's an absolutely beautiful phone for $20 and an even more beautiful job cleaning and polishing.    I'm no expert, and not nearly experienced enough, but my opinion is the handset looks very nice on the phone.

Good luck getting the wiring corrected.  She'll be ringing in no time!

[Craig T]

Came out real nice Dennis, as always, great attention to all the small details! Very clean inside and out and the plate is clean enough to eat off of!

[LarryInMichigan]

Inside it was wired with WE princess guts

I just saw a phone like that on ebay a week or two ago.  It had an AE40 shell with a Princess (4010?) network inside of it with all of the AE components gone.  I thought that it was some amateur's butchering job.

Larry

[Doug Rose]

Dennis....OUTSTANDING!! Did you have a mask on when you "stole" this phone? Simply Outstanding! Great find...Doug

[Jim Stettler]

Inside it was wired with WE princess guts

I just saw a phone like that on ebay a week or two ago.  It had an AE40 shell with a Princess (4010?) network inside of it with all of the AE components gone.  I thought that it was some amateur's butchering job.

Larry

Next time ask for a photo of the bottom. This one had a lot of painted text on the bottom.
It really surprised me.
Jim

[JorgeAmely]

Like I have said before: all the good phones are in Michigan.

[Dennis Markham]

Thanks for the compliments on the Fat Boy.  Does anyone have one of these?  Should there be a "grille screen" behind the vents.  There were some marks on the Bakelite inside that make me believe it should have some screening material there.

I'm not finding a lot of history on this type of phone.  I believe they originally came out in the late 30's...about the time the 302 came on the scene.