SMC Discussion Areas
June 18, 2024, 08:45:23 am *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
News:
 
   Home   Help Login Register  
Pages: 1 2 [All]   Go Down
  Print  
Author Topic: Really old Telephone question  (Read 6310 times)
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
loman4ec
Soda Jerks
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 4768



« on: May 14, 2010, 05:25:54 pm »

This old telephone was left to me dad from my great grandma. Her family was the original owner of it. I don't know anything about this phone. It has hung in our kitchen for a long time and before I moved my dad was going to throw it away and I got it out of the garbage. I couldn't imagine throwing it away. It is in great condition. Its dusty in the pictures. I am pretty sure it is the original finish. I know there are a few knockoffs of these phones but this is an original. Are these worth anything? I was thinking about putting the guts to a new phone in the earphone and speaker and a dial pad inside the hinged door and hanging it in the kitchen.

Anyone know anything about these phones? I know some of you are into old phones but I don't know if you are into phones this old. If it has some value I may sell it. Anyone have any knowledge on these or know anyone who does? This phone is in fantastic condition. I think some of the guts are missing though.
Logged
Kilroy
Soda Jerks
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 4278



WWW
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2010, 06:12:20 pm »

Don't gut it.
Others i am sure will join in, but you try Phoneco (http://phonecoinc.com) or the telephony musuem
http://www.telephonymuseum.com

Googling will turn up more results i am sur. i've  ordered parts form  phoneco, they are knowledgable and quite talkative.

The phone is older than i am used to, so i can't tell if parts are missing, but I would think prolly not.
Logged

"Restored they go for $6-7,000!!"
Member : Michigan Mafia
bigred
Newbie
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 44



« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2010, 08:23:17 pm »

all i know is the top half the crank box
makes a heck of a fish catcher in a river biggrin
Logged

red
Eric
Soda Jerks
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 4859



« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2010, 10:26:53 pm »

Dave at oldtimephones.com could tell you all about it... and would know what you need to get it working...
He's restored several of my phones. great guy!

Logged

Eric

WANTED:
Embossed Quikold Standard
loman4ec
Soda Jerks
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 4768



« Reply #4 on: May 14, 2010, 11:23:06 pm »

Eric,
your guy has retired and doesn't post any contact info on his site.

Kilroy,

I sent a message to http://phonecoinc.com/. We will see what they say. I don't want to sell it I just want to know what they have to say about it. I think there was a tag on the front but it is not there anymore so I know nothing about it. I just want to know what the age is and if it is collectable or not.
Logged
scalebowler
Soda Jerks
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 1254


« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2010, 12:59:55 am »

What does that thing with the crank do?
Logged
Eric
Soda Jerks
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 4859



« Reply #6 on: May 15, 2010, 08:26:21 am »

I'll try and contact Dave.... You could get that to work ... would be cool... I think how it works is
the crank “rev'd” up the battery/connection to the operator so they could connect you.
Logged

Eric

WANTED:
Embossed Quikold Standard
GreginNM
Soda Jerks
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 1021



« Reply #7 on: May 15, 2010, 02:36:06 pm »

We have one VERY similar to that one that normally hangs in our kitchen.  Mine is a 1904 Stromberg Carlson, which is labeled on the upper box with the ringer bells and also on the mouth piece and ear piece.  It's a great phone to have and use!  I had mine restored several years ago...they put one of the network converters in the battery compartment to allow it to work on the modern network.  Otherwise, it's just as originally built.  We use it all the time to answer calls, but I didn't want to add a dial pad, so you can't call out on it.  Yours is very nice!  Don't gut it!!

Scalebowler, the crank part is what you cranked to send a signal to the operator that you wanted to place a call.
Logged

Greg

Vendo: 39B, Standard
Jacobs: 35
Ideal: 35 DP
Westinghouse: WB-66-MD, WD-10, Junior, Standard
SelectiVend: S-48 DP x 2
SelVend: S-47 7up
MoonDawg
Soda Jerks
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 6224



« Reply #8 on: May 15, 2010, 03:57:19 pm »

          We had one like that on the farm in the early 1950's. Each household on the party line would be designated a certain number of rings to indicate who the incomming call was for. But since there were no TV sets, hence no soap operas etc, all the women would just eavesdrop on everybody elses conversations  biggrin
Logged

Glen
loman4ec
Soda Jerks
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 4768



« Reply #9 on: May 16, 2010, 09:51:53 pm »

I was looking on ebay and there are a ton of repop phones but a few originals. Some nice ones at only around $25, Is that correct? Is that all these phones are worth? I didn't expect to retire on it by any means but I did expect it to be worth something.
Logged
collecture
Soda Jerks
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 6959


Tom


« Reply #10 on: May 16, 2010, 09:57:54 pm »

Each household on the party line would be designated a certain number of rings to indicate who the incomming call was for. But since there were no TV sets, hence no soap operas etc, all the women would just eavesdrop on everybody elses conversations.

My family did not personally have the party line, but I remember visiting friends on their farm and thay did have the community line. As a kid, that was great fun...got caught a few times too!  oops
Logged

Cav 27, 33, CS-55E-2, 72
S-48 DP
Ideal CC 35, Barq's 55
1930s DP Counter Cooler
Vendo Coin Changers (ea. style - orig w/ stand)
Vendo Junior (rest.), 23 Deluxe, 39D, 44, 56RT, 80SS, 81A (orig), 81D, 6 C.V.
VMC 27, 27A, 81D DP, 110 DP
Westy WC-42-T, WC-44SK, WD-5(2), WB60
Victor C-14
bigred
Newbie
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 44



« Reply #11 on: May 17, 2010, 01:32:44 am »

its like anything else its worth what ever some one is willing
to pay for it some maybe willing to pay more then others
Logged

red
GreginNM
Soda Jerks
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 1021



« Reply #12 on: May 17, 2010, 10:22:49 am »

I've seen the ones like yours and mine (in complete, working condition) go for around $400.  The price goes down as more needs to be done to it.
Logged

Greg

Vendo: 39B, Standard
Jacobs: 35
Ideal: 35 DP
Westinghouse: WB-66-MD, WD-10, Junior, Standard
SelectiVend: S-48 DP x 2
SelVend: S-47 7up
Pages: 1 2 [All]   Go Up
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.15 | SMF © 2011, Simple Machines Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!