Picked this up over the weekend. it wasn't marked as a Viaduct, but it only took a few seconds for me see it was something special. Should have the phone later this week and I'll post better pictures. The transmitter is marked with a 6 digit tag. Not sure who made it, but I don't think it's a Western Electric - hopefully Viaduct also. Appears to be in great shape.
On the box with the bells there appears to be the remains of a celluloid tag. When you get the phone you may be able to see the Viaduct lettering. Also the Viaducts usually had a snowflake shaped crank escutcheon. I couldn't tell from the photo. Mag may be a 3 bar overlay type. Nice find.
The escutcheon is how I identified it. And then I found pictures of the same phone in the internet identified as a Viaduct. No pictures of the mag. I actually have one of those celluloid tags, so I can replace that one with a good one. Here's a picture of one posted by Walt
The phone came today. Not packaged very well, but arrived in good shape. Phone is in amazing condition with no damage to the wood. Very dirty, and will take me some time to clean it up. The bells ring, haven't tested the receiver or transmitter yet. It has a battery cut off switch on the battery box, and another switch on the top of the magneto box. Not sure what that one is for yet. Some pictures - I'm sure it's a viaduct, but I haven't seen that decorative painting before on the magnets - there's even pin strips on the ringer magnet. The receiver is not marked but appears to be a Solid. Other than all the cleaning I have to do, I couldn't be happier. Sure would like to know where it has been for the last hundred years for it to be in such good shape.
Nice! Great looking phone! Is the key hanging on the inside connected to the wiring? It kinda looks that way.
Not sure about the key - where do you see that? The wiring seems to be all original and completely intact. I need to following the wiring and try to figure out what that cut off switch is on top of the magneto,
see attached with red circle.
That's a button on the side - you have to push that when you crank the magneto if you want to hear the bells ring. You can see the button on the very first picture.
Quote from: wds on August 19, 2015, 06:21:52 PM
switch on the top of the magneto box. Not sure what that one is for yet.
That isolates the phone from the incoming line. Handy during lightning storms.