Classic Rotary Phones: Repair, Refurbish, Restore Vintage Telephones

Until I happened upon this 1898 lithograph, I had never pondered the feasibility of telephone-induced trances. But they couldn’t say it if it weren’t true, right? I’ve searched high and low, but have been unable to find even the slightest tidbit of data regarding LEE, our intrepid hypnotist. Was his act not sufficiently dazzling, or was it his rather forgettable name that resulted in him being lost to history? Had I been his manager, I would have certainly taken him aside for a talk regarding the dubious merits of a single-word stage name, particularly one so ordinary. After-all, he was clearly no Madonna. But in his defense, he didn’t go by Lee, but instead was known as, LEE.
Active in an era rife with hypnotists, mediums and fortune-tellers, LEE was in a competitive field, one that made a gimmick, something to set him apart from the crowd, an absolute necessity. “Telephone” was a popular buzz-word at the turn of the century, representing as it did the spirit of progress and invention that was in the air. So our clever and, I’m sure, talented, hypnotist took the the idea of hypno-telephony and developed an act so original, so cutting-edge that… no one remembers him! This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise however, as few such acts are remembered today. And besides, how do you sell tickets to an act whose participants are 50 miles apart?!   More… »

From 1916 to 1983 the AT&T corporate headquarters was located at 195 Broadway, shown here in the year 1917. Famed architect William Welles Bosworth was commissioned to design the building in 1913, a structure said to feature “more Classical columns than any facade in the world.” The late-neoclassical building was host to numerous records and firsts, including the distinction of using more marble than any other building in New York. The Vermont marble was cut and polished in New Jersey, floated by barge to Manhattan, then moved to the construction site via eight-horse teams. If the exterior was impressive, the interior lobby was breathtaking, regarded as the most spectacular commercial space in the city.   More… »

The name California Electrical Works might be best known by collectors of telegraph and telephone insulators, as their “C.E.W.” marking appears on some of the more valuable examples. Formed in 1877 through a consolidation of E. C. & M. Co., California Gas Lighting, and the Pacific Electro Depositing Works, the California Electrical Works is said to have been purchased by Western Electric in 1908. But these photos reveal that two years earlier the Western Electric name was displayed clearly on the San Francisco facility. Why the name was already associated with the company isn’t known, at least not known to me. But what is known is that on April 18th of 1906, at approximately 5:12a.m., the area was struck by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake.
By 9:00 President Roosevelt had declared the city to be under Martial Law. Mayor Eugene Schmitz appointed the “Committee of Fifty” at 3 p.m. at the Hall of Justice, and gives the shoot-to-kill order: “Let it…be understood that the order has been given to all soldiers and policemen to shoot down without hesitation in the cases of any and all miscreants who may seek to take advantage of the city’s awful misfortune.” Besides their job of maintaining order, army troops were also used to dynamite buildings in an effort to slow the fire’s momentum.
These photos show the California Electrical Works building shortly after the quake and subsequent fires, looking surprisingly fresh all things considered. It cannot be overstated that, as severe as the quake was, it was the fire that destroyed the city. Caused by gas main brakes, campfires of the dispossessed and poorly controlled use of dynamite used to make firebrakes, it is estimated that the fire caused 90% of the damage. In an era of cataclysmic fires sweeping metropolitan areas (the Chicago fire of 1871 and the 1904 Baltimore fire come to mind), the blaze that the San Francisco earthquake sparked was the largest and most severe. Photographs taken during and after the four-day inferno, several of which are available at the end of this post, reveal a scene of far-reaching devastation that is reminiscent of Hiroshima. Approximately 3000 deaths and almost a quarter-million injuries resulted, with over $400,000,000.00 in total damages. The four-story California Electrical Works building was well within the boundaries of the area generally described as “totally consumed.” So how is it that their employees were back at work within days?   More… »

I believe I’d be covering my ears, just in case that baby should ring! This is a promotional photo for the 1958 film, Attack of the Puppet People, starring John Agar. I wonder if that huge model 500 is still around somewhere? It’s not in my collection, I would have noticed!

This cautionary poster, distributed between 1941 and 1943, was done by the artist Edward T. Grigware. (1889-1960) Grigware, a renowned painter of western subjects, did a number of war-related posters for the WPA. (Works Projects Administration) He was also a “War Record” painter for the U. S. Navy, working from the carrier Enterprise in the midst of the Pacific campaigns. The above poster can be seen in big and huge versions and, if you like, you can see other examples of Grigware’s work, the war poster, Death-trap for the Jap, and an oil painting, Ice Floes, Kodiak.

This artistically composed scene was photographed in 1936 by Russell Lee (1903-1986) for the Farm Security Administration. The description that accompanies the photo in the Library of Congress reads: “Garments hanging near telephone in Rustan brothers’ farm near Dickens, Iowa.”  You can also see the big version or the huge version. A biography of Lee can be found here.

This moving image must have stirred the emotions of many Americans during the first world war. Showing concern and determination, Liberty’s gaze captures ones attention in a way that is highly effective, reaching the viewer on a powerfully emotional level. The poster was rendered by Z.P. Nikolaki, a prolific illustrator in the ‘teens, but who’s biographical data I’ve been unable to find. For a better look, check out the big or huge versions.

From 1902 comes this photograph of Mrs. George Creel, professionally known as Blanche Bates. (1873-1941) Her renown is based primarily on her prowess as a stage actress, although she also made three appearances on the silent screen. In this obviously posed image, Blanche posses with a wall phone, just 25 years after the invention of the device. You can see a bigger version of the photo here.

A more professional website would save this post for next April, but… you know. As I’ve said before, Southwestern Telephone News had some great covers! The period from the late ’20s through the early ’30s featured some fabulous art-deco illustrations, including this issue from April, 1931.
Unfortunately, the subject of many of the covers is not related to telephony in any way. In fact, the magazine as a whole featured less telephone-related content than most of the other regional Bell employee mags. Several of these covers appear to be from the same hand, and I’d appreciate hearing from anyone who can identify the artist. Here’s the large version and huge version.

I tried to talk myself out of it, but went ahead and setup the Rotary Phone Forum, a place for vintage phone folk to ask/answer questions, make comments, and share whatever words of wisdom pop into their head… within reason, naturally. It’s not much more than roughed in right now, and it’ll take a while for it to grow, but why not jump in and make your mark as a charter member? I’ll probably create a unique charter member “avatar” (a small image next to your posts) for the first registered users. (unless you prefer to use your own, of course) As I’m writing this, I have no idea if the registration process (you must respond to an e-mail) works properly or not. It should, but…
Please, bring any problems you have with the forum to my attention, as there’s no telling what I might have goofed up along the way. I’ve modified the original graphics that make up the forum, and it’s not impossible that I over looked one. Wow. I just remembered… I didn’t make a link going from the forum back to the rest of classicrotaryphones.com! See what I mean? I need all the help I can get, and would appreciate hearing about your forum experience. Did the registration process go smoothly? I’d be very interested to hear from you…in fact, that could be your first post!

It’s been roughly six months since I put ClassicRotaryPhones.com online, and I thought this could be a good time to pause and reflect. I’m still struck by the novelty of it, and can’t get over the fact that I created a website on a subject of which I had no knowledge. Yes, for those just tuning in, I was completely ignorant regarding the field of vintage telephony. I suppose my saving graces were my previous experience with website construction and an overwhelming enthusiasm for my new-found interest. I’ve learned a lot in the past months, often with the help of other enthusiastic, but far more experienced, individuals that I’ve met along the way. I’ve been happy to respond to all sorts of questions regarding telephone history or repair, though I’ll freely admit that I’ve sometimes had to fall back on the wisdom of others. (Dennis!) I’ll always help if I can.
What I’d like to determine is whether the content I’ve been posting has been of interest to readers, and what changes might be needed to make this site a more interesting, or useful, place to visit. So, my friend, pull up a chair and I’ll tell you what I feel has been accomplished so far, and what direction I foresee the site taking in the future.   More… »

German-born Henry Morgenthau (1856-1946) was an attorney and wildly successful real estate investor, but is best remembered for his tenure as U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, which spanned from 1913 until 1916. This photograph from 1913 shows Morgenthau with a telephone attached to one of those arm-like contraptions… whatever they’re called. I’ll just bet that there’s folk who are experts on those gadgets, and could tell you who made them, when they were popular, etc. Anyone that’s knows about them, by all means, chime in! For a closer look at the photo, check out the big or huge versions.

Although scarcely a blip on the radar in the United States, the Swedish telephone giant Ericsson operated this impressive stateside facility in the early years of the 20th century. Production began at the Buffalo, New York factory in 1908, but as a foothold was never gained in the U.S. market the plant was sold in 1918. This panoramic view can also be viewed in big and huge versions.

A look back at the year 1925. This photograph was taken at the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company in Washington, D.C., and shows dozens of candlestick phones being readied for service. The cords are wrapped closely to the phones, with some kind of covering around the body of the phone itself. The covering looks to be cloth, but paper/cardboard is another possibility. Anyone know?