Electromechanical
Transceivers
Born out of the 19th century with the invention of the telegraph by Samuel F Morse, these items use a combination of electricity and mechanical devices to send and receive information. Telephony invented by Alexander Graham Bell allowed voice reception and transmission to be sent over wires great distances through relay stations using electromechanical repeaters until the invention of the vacuum tube by Lee De Forest in the 20th century. Bell's discovery led to the foundation of one of the largest and most powerful corporations in history the American Telephone and Telegraph (AT and T) Company.
Monarch 8801-8805
Pre 1920
Compact Local Battery Wall TelephoneMonarch Telephone Mfg CoFort Dodge, IA and Chicago ILIn 1926 Automatic Electric (Gary Group) acquires both American Electric and Monarch Telephone to make non dial telephones.
Automatic Electric Company
1930 - 1960
Combined Telephones for Small and Local Area Networks
Strowger Telephone later renamed Automatic Electric and finally General Telephone and Electronics: 1930-1954
ABOUT
Automatic Electric Company
In 1889, a Kansas City resident named Almon B. Strowger invented an automatic telephone switch. In 1891, Joseph B. Harris of Chicago convinced Strowger to move to Chicago, and the Strowger Automatic Telephone Exchange was established. In 1901, the company changed its name to Automatic Electric. In 1919, Automatic Electric was purchased by Theodore Gary & Co., a Kansas City–based enterprise that already owned several small telephone companies around the country. In 1955, when Theodore Gary & Co. was acquired by the General Telephone Corp. (renamed the General Telephone & Electronics Corp., or GT&E, in 1959), Automatic Electric became a subsidiary of the nation's second-largest telephone company, which was headquartered in New York.Automatic Electric 1A
"Monophone"
Automatic Electric 40
"Monophone"
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Automatic Electric 80
Kellogg Switchboard and Supply Co Telephones
1910-1956
Small and Private Local Area Networks
ABOUT
KELLOGG SWITCHBOARD & SUPPLY CO
Kellogg F118
Kellogg Switchboard and Supply Co "Masterphone" 1934-1954
Art Decco styling and all bakelite construction. Three major lines. 700, 900 and 1000 series phones.
Kellogg 925
"Masterphone"
BELOW: The "Redbar" hook switch. The Kellogg brand is spelled out across the red bar. This model uses an Automatic Electric type 24A36 dialer.
RIGHT: Phone has a bakelite housing.
The Masterphone 1000 was introduced on Kellogg's 50th anniversary (1897-1947)
Kellogg 1000
"Masterphone"
<<< K500 (1955- 1970s) vs Masterphone 1000 (1947- 1954).
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Kellogg K500
1954-55 The end of an era. There is an agreement that phone technology needs to be shared for the benefit of users and security ending proprietary phone designs. AT&T was ordered to share patents with other phone makers.
Evolution of the Kellogg K500
Stromberg Carlson Telephones
1954-1960s
Combined Phones for Small and Local Area Networks
ABOUT
Stromberg Carlson
Founded by Swedish natives Alfred Stromberg and Androv Carlson in 1894, the year Alexander Graham Bell's patent expired, the company was one of the largest suppliers to independent (non-Bell) telephone companies. In the mid-1900s, Stromberg expanded to also manufacture radios and TVs before its acquisition by General Dynamics in 1955.Stromberg Carlson 1543
Stromberg Carlson: Model 1543 (1955-1970) a redesigned 1443 phone.This was their telephone after the technology sharing decision in the 1950s. Stromberg Carlson has their own design but was still pretty similar to the technology of the Western Electric 500 design. Eventually the phones became identical in appearance and design.
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SHOWCASE:
Making a 40 Hz ringer into a 20 Hz ringer for a Stromberg Carlson 1543 phone.
BELOW: A quality audio oscillator like the vintage HP 200CD works great for checking ringer frequencies.
1 >
2 >
< 3
A. An audio generator will serve as a source of ringer frequency to check the ringer circuit.
B. If possible the ringer flapper closer to the coil pole, but still allow flapper to move freely. This will increase the sensitivity of the flapper arm. On Stromberg Carlson 71 and 73 ringers, this is done by loosening the THREE coil supports, which in turn moves the coil back and forth as shown in (1).
C. Older phone have adjustable hammer heads. Moving it further from the flapper pivot lowers the needed torque and frequency to move it, as shown in (2).
D. Changing the SERIES CAPACITOR (3) to a larger value lowers the resonant frequency. I used a 470 nF film capacitor (don't use polarized capacitors). Do this by connecting the ringer coil and capacitor to the audio generator and slowly adjust to see when the flapper deflects the most back and forth. This step needs to be done with trial and error, since capacitor values are up to 10% off.
E. Reassemble the ringer back into the phone. Try it on a real LAN line. May have to adjust the gongs for best sound. (<<See Video)
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Local Area Network (LAN) Handset Telephones by Western Electric
1927-1984
(AT and T Manufacturing Division)
Notes: Actual model is by base and handset.Most common combos:B1 base and E1 handsetD1 base and E1 handsetSubsets 634A and 684A
The 102 (B1 and E1) began in 1927. Represents Western Electric's first mass produced residential and commercial phone with a handset (receiver and transmitter combined) freeing one hand to take notes while talking. The 102 / 202 have no internal bell and network requiring stand alone ringer/network box.
The version shown has the D1 oval base body and later version E1 handset. Has a 5H dialer.
Western Electric 202
BELOW: Restored WE 634A subset that would pair up with WE 202 phone.
Design by Harry Dreyfuss design firm. Has built in ringer and was considered the "workhorse" of handset telephones especially during WW2. This was the first phone to have extension lines for office connections. Originally made of metal and evolved into thermoplastic molded due to WW2 demand for metal. Color variations of this phone were available.
This model telephone is similar to what my parents had about the time I was born
Western Electric 302
The longest running model. Designed by Harry Dreyfuss design firm. Features easy to read dial and lighter G1 Handset. This is the first Western Electric phone to have all the electromechanical parts mounted on the chassis, making removal and servicing easier, avoiding wire tangling and breakage. The built in improved network and G series handset allowed the phone to handle longer distance phone calls without volume lost.
Soon after the phone company (Pacific Telephone one of the Baby Bells and now Verizon) offered my parents a newer model like the one above in basic black. In a few years the phone company offered colors for a one time fee added to the phone bill.
Western Electric 500
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
<<VIDEO
Standardization of Telephone Technology in 1950's.
Manufacturers can share patents without being sued.
With the threat of legal action removed, companies wanted to provide the latest designs with minimal cost yet keep their character. That only lasted a few years, in time almost all phones looked similar. Only Automatic Electric made an effort to maintain their own style.
The Pseudo Western Electric 500 (5302) and the Real Western Electric 500
Appearances can be deceiving and that's what Western Electric counted on to save money. The 5302 was a recycled 302 but with a 500 style body. But one can show their friends they got the latest phone!
In the mid 1950's Western Electric had an alot of surplus 302 parts plus there was high demand for phones during the post war 'baby boom" They decided to provide the modern looking 500 series look but with 302 series parts inside. Some had the older F1 handset while others had the modified G1 (AKA GF) handset (G1 style in appearance modified to accept the F1 transmitter and receiver.
Basically it was a 302 series phone in a modified 500 series body. The body is shorter in the back and the body will accommodate a 302 dial and hook switch. (The 500 series has all the hardware on the mounting chassis). These phones were for local LAN lines and were assembled by the "Baby Bell" operations rather than western electric. They also came in different colors.
Western Electric 5302
Western Electric 2500
Western Electric Models 1500 and 2500 Touch Dial 1968-1984
The Model 1500 was WE's first touch dial phone in 1964. It had 10 keys. Later WE added the * and # keys making the model 2500 with 12 keys. This is the first phone that had electronic circuits for the touch tone service.
When I moved out of my parent's home, I used model 500 until around 1980 when I bought a 2500. By then A T and T allowed the purchase of a phone. AT and T made available preowned 2500 models at a affordable price.
Western Electric 700 series
"Princess"
Western Electric "Princess Series" 1959-1984. Rotary Dial mdls 701(1959-63) 702 (1963-84)
NOTE: 701 no ringer and needs E1 Subset
I planned to stop at the 2500 desk phones, but Western Electric finally made the telephone smaller and added extra features like a lighted dial and nightlight, with the Princess models. Was catered to those who wanted an extra phone (sign of luxury) and appealed to women for the bedroom decor. They came in many colors.
The last version (2702) and the first version (701) of the Princess Model Line.
Western Electric 2700 series
Touch Tone "Princess"
Western Electric 1702 and 2702 Princess with Touch Dial (1965-1985). When one lifts the handset the touch pads light up and like the rotary dial version has a night light feature. A 2012 transformer with specisl adapter is needed to provide the light up feature. This model has the M1A mini bell
NOTE: 1702 has 10 buttons and 2702 has 12 buttons
Western Electric 220 Series
"Trimline"
The Princess Phone leads to Trimline
Western Electric's last mass produced phone.
RIGHT: 220 Rotary and LEFT: 2202 early touch pad model. (has round instead of square keys.
Western Electric 2220 Series
Touch Tone "Trimline"
Model 2220 Touch Dial (Early version) TrimlineThe early version used round buttons and a 51B light bulb (which required a 2012 transformer) to light the keypad. Western Electric's final version used square buttons and an LED for illumination with circuitry to eliminate the transformer.
BELOW: Handset parts
Vintage LAN Wall Telephones for Commercial and Industrial Applications
1958-1983
Space saver phones are wall mounted and were commonly used in commercial and industrial operations, where a desk phone is not practical. Has a built in network but no ringer. Can be used without a subset.
1930-1960
An early wall phone based on the 201 desk phone. Has no network or ringer, requiring a subset to properly operate. Popular in commercial and industrial environments because it required little space and can be mounted in many positions. Very little changes were made over the years.
Lineman's Test Phones (AKA Butt Phone)
ATT (1980s ->)Probably made by Harris Corp: Butt Phone for Pulse and Touch Tone service. ATT by this time closed their WE manufacturing and development. Features line polarity check (touch tone service)
MINI LAN Line Phone
Fits into the palm of your hand. The handset is a flexible with the receiver fitting into one's ear and the transmitter hangs freely as set by the user. The Jelly Bean series housing is a translucent plastic and came in many colors (Teal, Violet for example).
BELOW: Also comes in purple tone.
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