Posted 13 years ago
brendab
(2 items)
I am unable to find any information on this Federal Telephone, so if anyone has any knowledge of the age and use, your input will be greatly appreciated. It is marked Federal Telephone & Radio Corporation, made in USA and it is a crank phone.
Thanks!
Federal Telephone & Telegraph Co. originally was named Century Telephone Construction Co. Century Telephone was founded in Cleveland, OH in 1899. They moved to Buffalo, N.Y. in 1902. somtime after 1907 Century changed it's name to Federal Telephone & Telegraph and operated under that name until 1920's when the name was again changed to Federal Telephone & Radio Corp. in 1956 the comapny was purchased by International Telephone & Telegraph (ITT)
Your desk set was manufactured around the late 1930's when the more modern handset was used, but still needed a magneto call for the operator. It was used in the more rural area's.
ttomtrucker...thank you for the information.
tom are you sure? the stem connection to the generator(magneto) is very thin.
could it be an earlier model say mid to early 30s as to the 804 I have made in early 40s? My stem is a much thicker and a pressed on handle. brendab's handle in his pic may not be pressed on (better value).