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Lamp Phone Atrocities!

Started by Greg G., May 06, 2009, 12:43:09 AM

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andre_janew

This may not be a recent conversion.  How long has it been since lamps had cloth covered electrical cords?

TelePlay

Quote from: andre_janew on October 11, 2015, 11:13:13 AM
This may not be a recent conversion.  How long has it been since lamps had cloth covered electrical cords?

Probably not, based on the lamp part's corrosion, but cloth covered lamp power/line cords are readily available from many sources in many braid styles, fabrics, patterns, colors and wire gauges (in 1, 2 or 3 conductor versions). Here's one site, for example

http://www.sundialwire.com/

People do restore lamps, make new lamps and need cloth covered wire for other reasons, more uses for these than phone line and handset cords (which the power cord wired most likely would not work, be too stiff and be the wrong diameter). However, they do offer free samples if anyone want to check it out.


unbeldi

Quote from: andre_janew on October 11, 2015, 11:13:13 AM
This may not be a recent conversion.  How long has it been since lamps had cloth covered electrical cords?

Good observation.  However, I would say that many or most conversions perhaps happened not terribly recently anyways, because these boxes have not exactly been plentiful to most for some time, unlike some decades ago when the phone companies used bull dozers and other heavy equipment on their yards to move dismantled installations into freight trains and trucks to the dumps, smelters, or furnaces.

compubit

A phone phanatic since I was less than 2 (thanks to Fisher Price); collector since a teenager; now able to afford to play!
Favorite Phone: Western Electric Trimline - it just feels right holding it up to my face!

TelePlay

#529
Here's another wall phone lamp, and I really wonder how useful, practical and safe this one would be.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1907-WALL-MOUNT-WESTERN-ELECTRIC-CO-TELEPHONE-TYPE-293A-OAK-BOX-CONVERTED-2-LAMP-/291595054641

Finding a lamp shade would be a challenge and the wall side would be so close to the wall that a 60 watt bulb would damage the wall, if not char it to smoking. I suppose a very small wattage bulb with a unique shade might work but as what, a night light? I just don't get these wall phone lamps.

TelePlay

#530
Another one (two in a row),  but a nicer one,  but a more expensive one - even for a parts phone.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Kellogg-Chicago-Oak-Crank-Wall-Mount-Telephone-Lamp-Early-1900s-/171980127166

At least this one is made to stand on a table top rather than burn the wall. But, seems this would have been  better left as a phone than a lamp, which won't easily tip with the 4 bar magneto still in it.

TelePlay

Another 302 goes up in light . . .

That's one heck of a lamp shade, a bit large or out of proportion to the phone. Wonder if they put lead weights in the base or if that is a metal shell?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-1940s-or-50s-UPCYCLED-ROTARY-TELEPHONE-DESK-LAMP-BLUE-FREE-SHIPPING-/191727632676

A bit high in price even for " . . .  one cool phone."

19and41

Take a nice phone, modify it to be worth $5, then hawk it for $179.  Chutzpah is not a design essential.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

rdelius

Many of the 302 lamp sets were Jr Achievement projects .The guts were left inside but coils were destroyed with a sharp object.The dial sometimes actuated a push button  switch to turn the lamp off or on

andre_janew

The shade must be really big.  The seller is shipping it in a separate box!    Worst case, one of the boxes will get lost and the buyer will end up with a very expensive lampshade!

TelePlay

Something different, or a variation a theme.

It's starting at only $0.99, with a reserve price . . .

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Style-Steampunk-Desk-Lamp-Antique-Telephone-Artist-Marlow-Yancey-/181922729904

19and41

I'll wager the reserve won't be realized.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

NorthernElectric

Here's one on ebay ending in 2 days.  Added lamp paraphernalia has been removed but the ground perch and gutted transmitter testify to it's lamp heritage.  It has 26 bids and was up to $76 with 2 days left to go at the time of this post.  I hope the successful bidder knows what they are buying.

ANTIQUE 1918 NORTHERN ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITED CANDLESTICK TELEPHONE

Cliff

.....

Found this one online, they want $125.00 USD for it.

The info they gave.

Soviet Rotary Phone Lamp

Rather than let vintage rotary phones collect dust, we like to rescue them from estate sales and flea markets, wire them up, and turn them into slick little lamps.

In this case, you're looking at a Soviet-era phone that we bought from an antique collector in Ukraine. We're not totally sure how old it is, but estimate that it is a late 70s, early 80s model. We took out the phone's innards, installed two 25w bulbs in the handset, and added an on/off switch to the cord to transform it into a quirky little accent light.

This is a great piece of history—and it looks completely different than any of the American phones that come out of the same era.

Buzby

Quote from: Autonut on January 08, 2016, 01:40:49 PM
Rather than let vintage rotary phones collect dust, we like to rescue them from estate sales and flea markets, wire them up, and turn them into slick little lamps.

How is that rescuing a phone?