My wife and I went to an estate auction today and picked up some antique phones. 2 of them are Stromberg-Carlson candlesticks with bell boxes, 1 is a Kellogg Switchboard and Supply with a more traditional handset that hangs on the side of the bell box, and the last is a bell box for a Kellogg grab and go style that is missing the cradle and traditional handset, which mounts on top.

Within an hour of picking them up today, for $125 for the lot, I found a buyer for one of the Stromberg candlesticks for $100.

I'm debating reworking the other Stromberg, as well as the Kellogg that is complete, to where they will ring with the home phone, and be able to listen and talk, but can't dial out. I know this can be done, as I've seen it before at a friend's house in Ohio.

I'm debating refinishing the bell boxes. I'm going to see what they look like after a good cleaning and oiling. One is oak, one is walnut and one is mahogany. No matter what I do, these are going to fit in my house quite well...it was built in June of 1900, and the newest phone here is a 1914, while the oldest is 1901.

Now I'm on the hunt for a good telephone chair that fits in with the rest of the house.

Here's the pic of the phones from my cell...I'll add more later.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

Those aren't the original wooden boxes are they?

I thought the word was spelled noir or noire. Not seen nore before.

I've enjoyed your discussion with the other tool maker on the old-school German tradition.

Big fingers and small smart-phone keyboard was the problem here. LOL

Thanks...I enjoyed finding another that had the same sort of training that I had. The old Germans were very tough, and didn't accept excuses for mistakes. It was either perfect, or it was junk...there was no "good enough".

__________________
1987 560SL
85,000 miles

As for the wood, they are original. Once I get the remaining pieces cleaned up, I'll post pictures of them.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

Yep. You step on the brakes and the car stops safely or it doesn't. There isn't a third option.

Boy did that idea go over well when I use to teach our current crop of 20 year-olds.

Funny that you post a picture taken with a phone of... antique phones.

Neat pieces, by the way. My folks have a few old phones around the house, too.

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1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

noir(e) is the French word for the color 'black.'

__________________
Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

I've got a similar old phone in the basement. Box is bigger, maybe 22" tall and it doesn't have a handset but a separate mouthpiece and earpiece. It works on the landline. Is it worth anything? I was going to install it in one of my apartments as a kind of novelty but with the rise in cellphones that won't work anymore.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Yep. And a film style that I sure enjoy.

It (probably) could be set up to work on a land line.

I've done it before.

What's scary is even the very old ones often have better audio quality than our current phones.

If the finish is good, all parts are there, and not broken...$200-$500 for one in that condition. Judging by your description, it could be pre 1900.

I'm just getting into this, and the above price is from what I've read over the last 3 days on the topic.

__________________
1987 560SL
85,000 miles

I can see it now, " Antique Investigators" Starring Jplinville.

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For the Saved, this world is the worst it will ever get.
For the unSaved, this world is the best it will ever get.

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As promised...pictures!

I cleaned these up today, and added a bit of oil to them to bring the color out, which in no way affected the patina of the pieces.

The first is a Stromberg-Carleson candlestick phone.

The Second is a Kellogg.

The third is the ringer box for a Stromberg grab and go style phone, minus the cradle and handpiece.

We located a gossip bench/telephone bench that is in need of dire refinishing, for free today. I'm not sure yet if I want to take the time to strip and refinish it, or if I'll continue my search for a better one.

__________________
1987 560SL
85,000 miles

That's a nice phone.

I'd like to see pictures of the inside.

Wow, those are cool. You probably cannot dial out because your local network does not support pulse dialing but it's cool that you can receive calls and talk it shows that landline tech has not moved much since 1876.

Now for some drinking fun, hold the wire and turn the crank and see who can hold on the longest, that 20hz runs up to the elbows.