Wire & Telephone Co of America, Rome N.Y, - Easophone

[wds]

Purchased this phone thinking it might be an old Ericsson.  Receiver cap is labeled Wire & Telephone Co. of America.  No other markings on the phone.  The label on the back is dated 6-12-07.  I think I remember that Ericsson/Kellogg didn't make those kinds of handsets until 1915?  The entire handle and both ends are bakelite.  The receiver cap and the threaded end of the handset is all bakelite.  Only the transmitter cup is metal.  The hook for the handset can be moved to either side of the phone.  The best part is that the phone works, and ringer rings.  The Cap was bad, so I hid a new one inside the box and now it's a fully functioning phone.  I would have expected this to be a local battery operated phone, but it appears to be Common battery with terminals for L1 & L2.  Not sure if the handset is original to the phone, but everything looks original.  Does anyone have any info about Wire & Telephone co., or this particular phone?

[Sargeguy]

Wire & Telephone Company of America

Organized in 1904 but changed name to Rome Wire Company in 1909 when they got out of the phone business. 


Yours appears to be their flagship product, the "Easo-Phone"

The American Telephone Journal, Volume 14

Check page 411

[Sargeguy]

1907 was probably one of the only years of production.  Very nice find.

[wds]

Where did you find this information?  I looked all over the internet and couldn't find anything.  Looks like I've stumbled on to a very nice phone.

[Sargeguy]

Did you make sure "Wire & Telephone Company of America" was in quotes?  I found all that in the second search result.  Google Books has a trove of information on old-timey phones.    Also Google Patents:

[Sargeguy]

So it looks like they got the phone patented in 1907 and were out of the phone business and only selling wire by 1908.  Since the phone was a flop I would say that it is pretty rare.  Apparantly the Rome Historical Society (Rome Historical Society & Museum, 200 Church Street
​Rome, New York 13440) owns a handset.

[paul-f]

Very interesting phone and great research!  Thanks!

[wds]

According to the date on the Patent for the handset, my phone was made only a couple months after it was patented.

[dencins]

Wire & Telephone Co of America later became Rome Wire Company.  In 1922 Rome Wire Company invented Romex cable.  In 1927 it merged with some other wire companies to form General Cable which is still doing business today.

Dennis Hallworth

[Sargeguy]

Now I don't feel so bad for them that their phone business didn't work out.

[LarryInMichigan]

I think that I saw that phone while it was listed and assumed that it was an intercom.  It looks like it was a great find.  I am glad to know that it is not going to be turned into a lamp.


Larry

[wds]

It's safe from "re-purposing" as long as it's at my house.  I've been searching Google books, and there's a ton on information about the old phone companies.  I found an ad for a Deveau telephone from 1906 that I have in my collection. 

[Sargeguy]

You should write this up for Singing Wires or the ATCA newsletter.

[Scotophor]

What's the "new BALL BEARING feature" of the Devau? I can't imagine what part of a phone of this simple construction would NEED a ball bearing... it doesn't even have a dial, for goodness' sake!

[wds]

Well I looked and looked, and the only real moving part is the switching assembly.  There is a brass plate that moves up and down with the receiver arm.  The plate is behind the buttons, so I can't see what's going on back there without removing the front plate.  It does appear to be well built and is over 100 years old, so the ball bearing must have something to do with the longevity of the intercom!