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Hanging a 1956 North Electric wall phone

Started by MissCora, February 26, 2014, 01:46:03 PM

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MissCora

I thought about mounting the phone off to the side of the wall jack plate but didn't think I'd care for the look. I agree this method would be the simplest tho.  Thanks, poplar.

Well Larry that's a great tip that the dial and hook switch wires will still be attached to the shell. I can see somebody unfamiliar with phones just jerking the shell off and breaking those wires. Ok, so if I get brave and attempt to take it off, I'll need some smaller pliers. 

Thanks all.

Mr. Bones

An idea occurred to me that might help.

     Phones sometimes used be mounted onto a backer board, depending on the circumstances. One could fabricate a backer board that had a cutout to accommodate (straddle) the wall jack, and utilize a short modular cord to plug it in. Then, it could be mounted exactly where the existing jack is.

     I would be glad to elaborate, if this seems an interesting alternative.

Best regards!
Sláinte!
   Mr. Bones
      Rubricollis Ferus

LarryInMichigan

Quote from: Mr. Bones on February 28, 2014, 10:31:25 AM
An idea occurred to me that might help.

     Phones sometimes used be mounted onto a backer board, depending on the circumstances. One could fabricate a backer board that had a cutout to accommodate (straddle) the wall jack, and utilize a short modular cord to plug it in. Then, it could be mounted exactly where the existing jack is.

     I would be glad to elaborate, if this seems an interesting alternative.

Best regards!

That seems like a good idea. 

Whenever I sell a working wall phone, I connect a line cord with a modular connector on the end so that the buyer, who may not be a phone enthusiast, can plug it in and use it quickly.

Larry

MissCora

Mr. Bones, believe it or not one of the Century Link employees who came suggested that very idea.  I use a 5" phone jack line on the phone that hangs there now, so I'd have one short enough.  I wonder if a wooden picture frame would work as well?? if it was thick and flat enough.

I did consider it at the time but changed my mind. Maybe I'd better sit back and rethink this. Sure would be an easier solution. Depends upon what look I'm after too.

Thanks.

MissCora

#19
Ok, here's what I came home with today. A picture frame that is appx 8.5" X 10.5" with a 4.5"X6.5" opening in the center. I put the phone on it and the legs will rest ok but the holes for the screws to mount it with will cause the screws to hit just a smidge beyond the edges of the opening. I bought a solid piece of wood the same size w/o an opening in case the first one doesn't work out.  It has a beveled edge around it and looks nicer actually.

Sorry but I can't figure out how to imbed a photo into my post yet but here is the link.

<a href="http://s724.photobucket.com/user/schoolhouse7/media/100_5197.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i724.photobucket.com/albums/ww248/schoolhouse7/100_5197.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 100_5197.jpg"/></a>  ( dead account links 11/10/17 )

MissCora

#20
Just installed on the wall awhile ago. The picture frame idea worked perfectly. I love it. Thanks again for your words of wisdom and encouragement.

<a href="http://s724.photobucket.com/user/schoolhouse7/media/100_5206.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i724.photobucket.com/albums/ww248/schoolhouse7/100_5206.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 100_5206.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s724.photobucket.com/user/schoolhouse7/media/100_5207.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i724.photobucket.com/albums/ww248/schoolhouse7/100_5207.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 100_5207.jpg"/></a>
    ( dead account links 11/10/17 )

mentalstampede

That looks great! Nice phone you've got there.
My name is Kenn, and I like telephones.

"Progress isn't made by early risers. It's made by lazy men trying to find easier ways to do something." --Robert Heinlein

Contempra

Quote from: MissCora on March 07, 2014, 12:42:47 PM
Just installed on the wall awhile ago. The picture frame idea worked perfectly. I love it. Thanks again for your words of wisdom and encouragement.

<a href="http://s724.photobucket.com/user/schoolhouse7/media/100_5206.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i724.photobucket.com/albums/ww248/schoolhouse7/100_5206.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 100_5206.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s724.photobucket.com/user/schoolhouse7/media/100_5207.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i724.photobucket.com/albums/ww248/schoolhouse7/100_5207.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 100_5207.jpg"/></a>

beautiful phone MissCora but nice lookin' green clock.

MissCora

Thanks. I've had that clock for quite a few years now, ordered it from a catalog I think, a reproduction.

Mr. Bones

Quote from: MissCora on March 07, 2014, 12:42:47 PM
Just installed on the wall awhile ago. The picture frame idea worked perfectly. I love it. Thanks again for your words of wisdom and encouragement.
So glad that it worked out so well for you, Miss Cora! ;D

     The beadboard wall provides a beautiful ambiance for the display of this lovely phone, especially mated up with its ever-watchful, and gorgeous, green companion above!

     The phone obviously belongs, and looks like it has hung there for decades, except for lack of the typical paint drips most often encountered on older phones, especially wallphones. ;)

Best regards!
Sláinte!
   Mr. Bones
      Rubricollis Ferus

MissCora

Thanks. I posted these pics of the phone on a home decorating site I frequent and this is what some one said:
      "The model you have was probably used in an office or other commercial environment since the dial only has numbers. Direct dial would only have been supported to other phones within the company. There would have been no direct dial outside the building or company. To dial out, one would have to get the operator at the company switchboard."

Now I'm not sure of their observation that because the dial only has numbers it was used in an office, etc. Truthfully, I never even noticed it until it was brought to my attention. I mean it could have been but, the rotary phone in my library only has numbers and it sure doesn't look like it had been an office phone.  So, when WERE letters added to the dials? and why?

Mr. Bones

#26
Quote from: MissCora on March 07, 2014, 10:22:43 PM
Thanks. I posted these pics of the phone on a home decorating site I frequent and this is what some one said:
      "The model you have was probably used in an office or other commercial environment since the dial only has numbers. Direct dial would only have been supported to other phones within the company. There would have been no direct dial outside the building or company. To dial out, one would have to get the operator at the company switchboard."
Office , Schmoffice, already! ;D

     That is certainly one (of many) documented utilizations of these dial plates; I have a numbers-only Kellogg-ITT 576 from the Detroit Police Dept, circa 1963...
Quote
Now I'm not sure of their observation that because the dial only has numbers it was used in an office, etc. Truthfully, I never even noticed it until it was brought to my attention. I mean it could have been but, the rotary phone in my library only has numbers and it sure doesn't look like it had been an office phone.
Even when was I was young (early '60's), in an very rural region, telephone exchanges were largely not (locally) used, we simply called the Operator.

     We actually could, (and did) dial, only had to use X-XXXX. Ours was MEdford 7-3403, Grandma's was 7-3759. Easier just to tap the switchhook, and ask her to ring my Grandma, especially for a ridge-runnin', stump-jumpin', six-toed, banjo-pickin' lil' hillbilly idjit kid, like myself.
     
     Many people I knew that lived even further(sic) from the local 'town' had no dial, and lots still had magneto crank phones in place, including wooden wall phones. It all worked fine.
     Also, we bumkins were on party lines.

     The numeric(-only),  (vs. alphanumeric) number plates, are often also referred to as 'Rural' number plates. Easier for collectors, and Telco personnel, than "ridge-runnin', stump-jumpin', six-toed, banjo-pickin' hillbilly idjit " number plates! ;)

QuoteSo, when WERE letters added to the dials? and why?

     There are certainly many others here who are more informed than I, but once phones became more prevalent in metropolitan areas, they quickly ran out of available numbers, and lines, and had to implement multiple exchanges to accommodate the sheer volume of customers. This appears to have happened in the very early 20th Century, perhaps even earlier in more congested ares.

Best regards!
Sláinte!
   Mr. Bones
      Rubricollis Ferus

Mr. Bones

Addendum: Miss Cora,

     Here is an exponentially more detailed explanation of usage than my simple mind could ever assemble for you, even given a running start: ;)

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=10624.0

Have a great weekend, more pics, pretty please?

With my very best regards to you, and yours!

Sláinte!
   Mr. Bones
      Rubricollis Ferus