Posted 11 years ago
walksoftly
(167 items)
Also known as an electric needle annunciator or Butlers call bell.
Purchased this at a recent auction as I recognized it from one seen here on CW. Apparently there were only two of us at the auction that knew what it was or the other bidder just thought it looked cool.
The Partrick, Carter & Wilkens Hotel Annunciator allowed guests to summon staff if they needed room service of some sort. When the guest pushed the button in their room it powered the electromagnet on the board, which would indicate the room number that needed service. The needle would stay in place until the service staff reset the board by pulling the knob on the bottom of the box.
The system ran off a 1.4 volt battery system.
The company started out as Partrick & Carter in 1867 in Philadelphia, with Carter holding most of the inventions. Wilkens joined the company sometime around 1900 & this dates this piece to around that time.
The Company started out in the telegraph industry & eventually made batteries, burglar alarms, fans, electroplating systems, door bells & many other items.
The unit needs refinishing, the electromagnets all work but it is missing the unit that powered the bell striker.
In 1893 this unit sold for $11.20 a larger 50 room annunciator sold for $50.00.
Link to the other one listed here on CW
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/71900-is-this-for-a-hotel-maybe-a-hospital?in=1129
Adjusted for inflation it would cost $281.83 in 2012 dollars.
Thanks Phil for the love & the comment. If I hadn't already done some research on the other one posted here on CW I wouldn't have known what it was. I probably still would have bid on it anyway, I just love the look of it. I would like to get the missing part & connect it to an period push button switch or a panel of switches so that people can see it work (or I can play with).
Thanks for giving this old technology some love ttom, vet, pw & trunking.
very very beautiful:)
Thanks for the love & the generous comment Sean, always appreciated.
Thanks for checking in to give this some love Moon, toolate, gargoyle & official.
Dave...if you have a large house maybe you could make this box operable, and hook it up to all of your rooms! It would be fun!
That would be great Ted, but the house is not quite big enough & my lovely wife is not going to play the part of the maid. :-)
Thanks for the love Ted, DrFluffy, rocker & Hunter.
anytime Walksoftly:)
Some how I like these hotel annunciators. It took a pretty good technicians to install these drop boards. Electric Goods Manufacturing Co made annunicators that would handle up to 500 locations. Two of these locations were the Martha Washington Hotel in NY City and the Raymond Hotel in Pasadena, CA.
@ ttom With 500 indicators they must have been large & required several people watching them during the day. Do they still exist, or pictures at least.
David, you sneaked this one past me, LOVE it, great piece of communication history. :-)
Thanks for giving this old technology some love Antique Toys, Longings, smiata, sanhardin b buss & Aimathena .
Kerry there is no sneaking one past you, thanks for the double love & the kind words.
walksoftly, I will post some of the larger annunciator from a catalog I have.
Thanks for the love on this old beauty trunkman, EJW, chrissy & Aim.
Thanks for giving this old technology some love Roper, Tom & Petey.
Thanks for the love Brat, I'm glad that you enjoyed your history lesson:-)
I really love this!!! Send # 10 up to my room!! You can not get better than a 10!!
Send # 10 up to my room!!
Sorry Don I can't, # 10 refuses to leave her room, she heard about Simon LoL
Thanks for the love & comments Don.
Link for the annunciator posted by ttomtucker;
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/101820-larger-annuncaitors-from-catalog?in=user
Hiya WS xoxox :^D
Hiya Aim xoxox :^D
Thanks for giving this old technology some love vintagecarmascot & Roy.
Thanks for the love Lee, Jono & ttom.
Looks similar to the one I have
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/291207-butlers-or-servents-call-box-annunciator