Author Topic: Swiss Model 29 Telephone (Read 2520 times)

LarryInMichigan · « **on:** June 19, 2013, 03:21:51 PM »

The weather here is very pleasant today, so I went for a bicycle ride and stopped at a vintage/antique store several miles away. This store has some interesting things, but very high prices. After looking at dozens of WE 500s and various other phones, all overpriced, I noticed something more unusual. It is a Swiss model 29 telephone. It was marked $125, but the woman (wife of the owner) let me have it for $100. I doubt that I qualify for any deal of the month accolades, but I have never found one of these for sale, and I wanted to buy something, so it is mine now. The transmitter is missing, but I managed to rig a T1 in the handset. The sound from the transmitter is somewhat distorted. I think that it has too much gain for the phone. Does anyone here know where I can get a proper transmitter element? The receiver element in the handset is from the 1980s. Below are some pictures. The year on the tag is 1931. How badly do you think I was gouged on the price? BTW, the store had a 4-60 beige Princess for $35. I thought that it might actually be a reasonable price. What is an early beige Princess worth?

Larry

Claven2 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 20, 2013, 06:05:00 AM »

While I'm by no means an expert, $35 for the PRincess seems like a good deal, particularly since it doesn't need to be shipped.

WesternElectricBen · « **Reply #2 on:** June 20, 2013, 10:12:08 AM »

I had a 9-60 princess phone that I got for 25 dollars. Had the light kit but I ended parting it out...
Ben

dsk · « **Reply #3 on:** June 20, 2013, 12:24:52 PM »

The schematics are based on the same as the Siemens phone of that time.

dsk

wds · « **Reply #4 on:** November 06, 2013, 11:56:44 AM »

I picked up what I thought was the T 29 phone, but I'm wondering if what I got is a knock-off? Looks pretty modern on the inside. Is this a newer version, or just a knock off? They peeled the sticker off the bottom, but I can make out "PTT".

LarryInMichigan · « **Reply #5 on:** November 06, 2013, 12:15:27 PM »

It is obviously quite a bit more modern. It looks like there is a date of "89" on the PC board. Is the shell modern plastic? Mine is metal. The hook switch in mine is mounted up in the top of the shell.

My guess would be that the Swiss PTT had these phones made in the 1980s as replicas of the original T29, which was likely a very popular design aesthetically. I am sorry that you didn't get the "real thing", but the phone should still have value like any vintage European phone. I expect that the other nine bidders or so for this phone were equally unaware as to what lay inside. Some of them may be reading this post.

Larry

wds · « **Reply #6 on:** November 06, 2013, 06:21:51 PM »

It seems to be all plastic. Ringer works nice, transmitter is good, but the receiver has almost no volume. I wonder if the line cord may not be hooked up correctly for our lines. Guess I'll keep looking for the original version.

LarryInMichigan · « **Reply #7 on:** November 06, 2013, 07:36:19 PM »

Did you verify that the green wires on T1 and T2 are connected to the receiver? Did you try a different receiver? The element could be bad. The line cord should be connected to 'a' and 'b'.

Larry

wds · « **Reply #8 on:** November 09, 2013, 09:27:49 AM »

I checked the wires, but the receiver is still weak. I'll try again with another element. Also, the model # for this version is M-29. I haven't been able to figure out if this is just a newer version of your original t-29 or a knock off. It seems to be made by PTT, so I'm guessing a newer version.

dsk · « **Reply #9 on:** November 09, 2013, 11:30:45 AM »

Not sure about the screw terminations, but it use to be normal to use the letters M for microphone (transmitter) and T for telefon (receiver).

a and b use to be tip and ring.

dsk

PS, that text including 12 khz may be an indication of an built in filter or meter for the 12 kHz signal used by some countries for billing signal. DS

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