American Electric Telephone

[1930]

We have been looking for one of these for some time but all we have found were un-reasonable prices until today.

Id like to find out what my options are with it, Id like to make it a user but if that means doing anything to it that modifies it away from its original design than it will be just a wall hanger as Im not interested in gutting it.

Looking on-line I cannot seem to find any forums dedicated to the restoration/ information of these old phones. Maybe one of you guys have a suggestion on where I should be looking for info?

Date of manufacture is un-known at this point, definitely Oak but un-sure of the finish that cracked and crazed throughout. Not interested in stripping/re-finishing but would like to hear suggestions on preservation of the finish that is there, maybe some careful cleaning with a suggested solution is about as far as I would go.

Not interested in comments about its value but I am happy to have paid 125 dollars for the phone.

Thanks for any tips,links to further my education of this piece.

[1930]

More pict.

[lauver]

1930,

There's a paper label on the inside of the front cover that looks like it may have a date at the bottom of the label.

Also, look for any model of serial numbers anywhere on the inside or outside; these may be useful in determining the manufacturing date.

[1930]

1930,

There's a paper label on the inside of the front cover that looks like it may have a date at the bottom of the label.

Also, look for any model of serial numbers anywhere on the inside or outside; these may be useful in determining the manufacturing date.

[johnsironsanctuary]

If it were mine, I'd wipe it down with damp cloths or paper towels. Not too wet, and dry it right away. If it cleans up OK, a coat or three of Galoot Mix will shine it back up.  If it does not clean up well, match the color with Min Wax stain, let it dry for a few days and then a couple of coats of satin spar varnish. Poly urethane will look funny. The original finish is likely shellac. If it softens with isopropyl alcohol, it's shellac. You can still buy that at hardware stores, but I don't like it because it gets sticky in hot damp weather. Nice phone. Looks like it is in pretty good shape.

[1930]

If it were mine, I'd wipe it down with damp cloths or paper towels. Not too wet, and dry it right away. If it cleans up OK, a coat or three of Galoot Mix will shine it back up.  If it does not clean up well, match the color with Min Wax stain, let it dry for a few days and then a couple of coats of satin spar varnish. Poly urethane will look funny. The original finish is likely shellac. If it softens with isopropyl alcohol, it's shellac. You can still buy that at hardware stores, but I don't like it because it gets sticky in hot damp weather. Nice phone. Looks like it is in pretty good shape.

Thanks, what is Galoot mix.

Yes shellac, I have not  heard that word in a long time, I am sure you are right but will test regardless.

[international3414]

this might help
http://www.oldphoneman.com/OldTelephonePartsForSale.htm

[JohnD]

I once had a couple of them and thought of wiring them up as an intercom between the house and shop. I know they originally had several of the old round dry cell batteries about 8" tall in the bottom of case. If you don't want to mess with batteries a small DC power supply might do the same job as well.

[1930]

this might help
http://www.oldphoneman.com/OldTelephonePartsForSale.htm

Thanks, will check it out

[1930]

I once had a couple of them and thought of wiring them up as an intercom between the house and shop. I know they originally had several of the old round dry cell batteries about 8" tall in the bottom of case. If you don't want to mess with batteries a small DC power supply might do the same job as well.

Thanks, I will work on locating some batteries even if they are only there for show

[bonneyman]

These look like a good repair places, too.

http://www.oldphoneworks.com/repair-and-upgrade-services.html

http://www.oldphones.com/

[Batz]

I remember my older brother bought some of these around 50 years ago, they were dirt cheap then. He had them set up with a few mates on the block. They ran the wires along the back fence and it went for what seems like miles to me. They used wire that they bought from what we call army surplus stores big rolls of bell wire. I can also remember they had those big batteries in them, my father became very tired of the constant ringing of that phone.

Oh my brother must have been 16 at the time, so it was all done on pocket money.

Batz

[Aunt Phil]

DAYAM, gotta headscratch a bit.

Strange as it seems, that phone will still function on today's phone network.
At least you'll be able to talk on it.

Making the ringer work is damn near impossible, BUT you can hide a modern A ringer inside the box.

Easiest thing is to strip a ringer and network out of a plastic phone and put both inside the magneto box. 

Some have been fitted with a rotary dial, but in my opinion they look like crap.

[1930]

DAYAM, gotta headscratch a bit.

Strange as it seems, that phone will still function on today's phone network.
At least you'll be able to talk on it.

Making the ringer work is damn near impossible, BUT you can hide a modern A ringer inside the box.

Easiest thing is to strip a ringer and network out of a plastic phone and put both inside the magneto box. 

Some have been fitted with a rotary dial, but in my opinion they look like crap.

I am going to look into the possibility of an up-grade that may or may not have been avail at the time ( shortly there after ) to give the phone the dial function. Not looking for the easiest or cheapest solution.

May have been at the time that it was just the thing to toss them out when phone technology like this became obsolete but I dont know either way yet. If I can find such a unit and I can figure out a way to attach wires of unit to the phone without modifying the case of the phone than that would be a bonus accessory that I would be proud to display.

Found an early collector/expert on-line, I e-mailed him, he e-mailed back and I sent some pictures requesting info. Havent had a response yet.

[Aunt Phil]

The dialkit used was the same dial used on the set commonly called a FAA phone.  You can remove the nameplate below the mouthpiece and mount the dial there.  If you want to loose the dial in the future you'll be able to hide the wiring hole for the dial with the nameplate.

Conversion from magneto phones happened in the 40s with a change in switchboard technology making the magneto to ring the operator unnecessary.
Conversion to dial service didn't happen until the 50s when Stromberg could return to dial phone and X-Y switch manufacturing after the Korean War.  All Stromberg manufacturing was war support manufacturing until after Korea.
Rochester Telephone, one of the largest independents in 1950 didn't fully convert to dial until 54 because of Korea production.

Any retro involving a dial on that phone would have been a product of field modification by a small rural company so there is no standard.