Golf Ball Candlestick

[FABphones]

This currently on eBay UK.

Item number: 203474581014
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203474581014

At time of writing:

5 days 12 hours left on auction
41 bids
26 watching

[tubaman]

One of those watchers is me, but I was rather hoping no one else would see it

[FABphones]

One of those watchers is me, but I was rather hoping no one else would see it...

From what I gather, I think just about every serious U.K. collector has their eyes on it (plus a few curious). Much as I would like it, waaaay over any phone budget I could ever allocate.

[Witty]

Here is collectors website showing several versions.

http://www.telephonecollecting.org/Bobs%20phones/Pages/Bell_WE_files/BritishWesternElectric.htm

[HarrySmith]

So according to that page it is a GPO standard model or reconditioned model with black lacquer finish & later receiver.

[Witty]

The receiver in the listing could actually be original. The description states everything is original.
The one on the website does look different, which was listed as a later one.
Everything else looks the same.

[Jack Ryan]

These telephones were made by BTMC in Belgium and were a standard product - they were not made for the GPO.

This one is early (steer horn hook) and appears to have another manufacturer's receiver. It is not possible to tell who originally used it - it may have been the National Telephone Co but any evidence is long since gone. If it was used by the National, the GPO would have inherited it and applied the usual GPO black finish and in the process, removed any decorative finishes used by the National.

The transmitter appears to be stamped C11 so it is not original. The shape of the transmitter also differs from the original.

Nevertheless, it will sell for a pretty penny.

Jack

[TelePlay]

Jack,

Is that a knurled nut at the top of the "golf ball" and if so, does that make this an adjustable height transmitter?

[Jack Ryan]

Jack,

Is that a knurled nut at the top of the "golf ball" and if so, does that make this an adjustable height transmitter?

Yes, I forget how high it goes but it definitely goes around.

If you face the transmitter backwards and make a left handed candlestick, it will be worth even more. ;-)

Jack

[Doug Rose]

If you face the transmitter backwards and make a left handed candlestick, it will be worth even more. ;-)

Jack

Cords coming out the front really adds to the value.. ...Doug

[TelePlay]

Sold for a very pretty penny (and that's $5,170 in US dollars).

[FABphones]

It appears that two bidders bid high, each likely thinking to clear all bids. In the process they became the two high bidders and pushed the price up by a couple of thousand pounds (approx $2829). I've seen this happen before. Quite the price hike and undoubtedly a bit of a surprise for the winning bidder - and the losing under bidder.

[TelePlay]

Yes, and it looks like 2 snipes were placed with the bidder in 3rd not topping the bidder in second place high bid but the winner placed a bid above the second place bid and that bid was the winner's first and only bid so it could have been £10,000 or more to ensure he would win the auction. In essence, the winning bidder wanted the phone at any cost. The surprise to him was what he had to pay but he got the phone. I'm sure the second place bidder never expected his most likely way over value bid to be topped. It was and to own the phone, a pretty penny was spent.

[tubaman]

I think that sold for way over its value and I do hope the winning buyer is happy with it. I'm sure the seller is very pleased indeed.