Protected by the Boston Fire & Police Notification Co. Box | ||
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Posted 10 years ago
kaiserlives
(36 items)
Protected by the Boston Fire & Police Notification Co. Box...
Not sure what it is or how old it might be.
I picked up at the flea market a few weeks ago.
The plaque is a heavy metal coated with a ceramic material.
Its 9 1/2 x 8 x 5 inches
Any help on what it is, or its age....Thanks
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Wonder what was in it? Booze? Gun? Roll of toilet paper?
LOL bb2 :-) I have seen these with phones in them but that does no appear to be case in this one a siren perhaps ? Looks like from 30's -50's to me . Maybe southcop will know . The phone number using exchange Liberty or Li dates it .
This might be a fire alarm/police alarm wood box from the 1950's simply due everybody had 5 digit phone numbers back then- It was made for the Notification Co. that was probably some kind of Security Protection Insurance Co.
Something obviously fit on the brass ring & locked in place. Then there is that peep-hole looking thing above the plaque?
I think its to small to be a peep hole...
Its not a peep-hole its a citizens key hole!!
It's in the centre of the door S/C & I see no mechanism for a bolt.
the mechanism/bolt was removed from the centre.
the citizen's key was designed optionally fror individual people/some business or important ones.the citizens key does not open the box,just sending an alert to the station.Once the citizens key was then turned the lock inside, It would not be removed, so you put a stop on either odds and prank calls.the relays and connections have been removed.The inner door requires requires a separate key carried by a street cop.
S/C, I just don't see any evidence from the pics of a long rod bolting sys. or evidence of recesses in the sides of the box! The recesses would be with a metal plate or it's just weak wood to keep it from being jimmied. Sorry, I just don't see any evidence. Maybe a repro. box?
blunderbuss2 I dont see any evidence of a repro or knockoff. When you open the first door on an older call box you would find a phone, a selector switch, and a crank.Let me check every nook and craqnny get back later on.
S/C, a pessimist is an optimist with experience. More than one thing just doesn't add up. Appears to be pine door which an elbow would split easily. If I had the orig. box with the plaque & other hardware & bad wood, I would certainly reproduce the box but do a good workable job of it. I can be wrong, but think that's what was done just for a nice display piece.
Thanks for all the help
There were Large Wood Fire Alarm Boxes made by the General Fire Extinguisher Co. PROVIDENCE, R.I.The bell inside is brass and the sign on the front is heavy metal coated.the wood box used to have a lid with a compartment where they stored glass fire grenades.I think its genuine!!
I have one of those signs similar to that. I don't think this box was ever made for outdoor use. It appears to be 3/4 in plywood and poorly assembled.
I'm not saying it is not an original piece, just that it was indoors. I have seen that type of ring that an eight day clock fit into. The hole through the door would be to wind it.
I guessing some kind of timed control box.
My first thought was a donut box.
Riply's answer sounds right & AT's mention of a ring mount for an 8 day clock makes things fit together to form a whole.
I wish I knew what it was.....I just saw it at the flea market and thought is was cool...Another thing, I listed this under firefighting why isnt there a police catagory ?
I added some better pictures and one of the back...For some reason they get spun around on me...
Kaiser, there are lots of missing categories we wish we had & lots of categories we wonder why they are there! Of course you know that by now.
Here is my guess from info given from TA & Riply. There was a special clock inside that would record the times that a security guard etc. would pass & turn his key in it. Not bad from somebody working on only 2 brain cells that have to alternate, eh?