My odd antique store find today

[markosjal]

Looking at this - so the network is in the base, and just the dial, transmitter and receiver are in the handset?

If so, very interesting...

Jim

Yes, much like a Contempora

[markosjal]

More info on these "Góndola" phones here
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=26816.0
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=24789.0
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=26257.0

Although the following document is about Siemens Trimlines (made by Western Electric) it talks extensively about the Citesa Góndola
https://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/historian-s-corner/tales-from-vienna/13757-a-different-kind-of-manhatten-project/file

[dvictor]

This site is in spanish but it's written by one or a few engineers that worked at CITESA (now out of business).

http://citesa.blogspot.com/2008/03/el-gndola.html

In  this entry he talks about how they replicated the product with the blueprints from ITT (that were not in metric systems and they had to adapt). Very funny the issues between the technicians and customers because of the transformer required for the lightbulb. Customers requested the technician to fully install the phone including a new 220v socket if needed while the technicians refused because "dealing with 220v was not among their duties".

And if what the mister says is true, CITESA considered to use a LED instead to get rid of the transformer and then ATT heard about it and requested the same to ITT. Then Technical Director Frank Palen contacted this guy for the specs he made for the LED in the Gondola.