Butch Harlow's Stromberg-Carlson 2 boxer

[Jim Stettler]

(the following text was written by Butch Harlow and taken from the Find of the Month nomination page at the link below,
     this topic was created by Jim Stettler as the phone's discussion topic)

Was out antique shopping the first available weekend in January and found this lovely Stromberg-Carlson 2 boxer. The magneto alone was worth the 100.00 I paid for it. The receiver shell was broken, but I managed to find a replacement. The hook was bent, but I straightened it. The only part missing is the receiver cord. Should be an easy find.The wood is in great shape. I gave it a good cleaning and a wiped down with some Howard's Feed n Wax.

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This phone is in the January 2021 Find of the month Topic:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=24696.msg245257#msg245257

[shadow67]

Very nice. I have a magneto I picked up at a flea market over 20 years ago that looks similar. At the time I did not know what it was. Just looked cool.

[RB]

Nice!

[Butch Harlow]

Just the plate on that magneto weighs a pound. It was in a shop a little farther out of town that I get to once every 6 months or so. I have antique store OCD, I run in a specific, predetermined order and never cheat, then I do the whole thing in reverse so I see it all from the opposite angle. I almost missed it on the first pass, but decided it was heavy enough that I would get it on the second pass. OF COURSE it was in the farthest booth from the front of the store. On my second pass, confident that nothing else had swayed me from lugging it out of there, I went back and thoroughly investigated it. It was very dusty, but I was surprised at it's overall condition. I picked it up and headed to the front, paid and went straight home. I got it all shiny in about an hour. The mag needs lubrication but produces voltage. The wiring to the ringer needs attention, but it is all there. The ringer coils are good. The triplet has all the parts inside. The hook was bent forward 90 degrees, possibly intentionally, but it rubbed the switch pileup and didn't have smooth action. I corrected all that, but the 100+ year old spring is a little weak and raising that hook is a chore because it too weighs quite a bit. I have found a very nice period correct receiver cord for it, so I am going to call it ready for the wall once that is installed. All in all, it is one of the best deals I have found, and by far the largest phone I have in my collection. It is king of the lumber pile for sure.