Posted 10 years ago
Kydur
(103 items)
I found this circa 1904 Western Electric Company candlestick telephone, a dialer/ringer box and extension ringer box at a yard sale for a steal of a deal at only $50.
Both ringer boxes include the original faded and very frail paper wiring diagrams and schematics attached inside the hinged covers. The crank-driven magneto works perfect and only a minor adjustment was required on the bell-ringer arm.
The wire inside the boxes is very brittle and I've researched some conversions to get the phone to work on a modern day line but I think I'll just leave everything in their current condition, frayed wire and all.
You need to turn yourself into the police because you robbed those people. Fantastic deal.
I wouldn't touch a thing either other than hooking it up to one of those boxes. I would go with the box in the 2nd photo.
Yup, robbed all right! Actually the people ended up having perpetual yard sales all summer long as they were downsizing and clearing out. I got to know them quite well and they were happy to see some of their stuff go to a good home so I got quite a few items from them at great prices. The RCA Loud Speaker (also in my posting list) is another example. I'll post some more from those sales as I have time.
The phone definitely has to be connected to the box in the 2nd photo since that's the one with the crank. The other box is intended as a remote ringer (I think) that would go in another room or part of the office. I guess these were in the days before extension phones... multiple ringers and a mad dash to a single phone!
I think because I swore I would never "modernize" the wiring and convert the circuitry is why I managed to get if for such a good price.