Picked up this old telephone at the thrift store today.
Interestingly enough there’s a twin of this phone in the Benton County museum. I’m guessing they came out of the same place, but that’s just a guess.
Not really ergonomic.
“Property of American Tel & Tel Co 323 Pat USA Jan 14 191?”
“Western Electric”
They really want you to know who owns it.
MIssing the bell, if it had one.
Old wire bundles.
The bottom…
If anyone knows about this model I’d love to hear about it. Googling hasn’t turned up much beyond the museum link above.
EDIT: My friend Kent says: "With no dial it came out of the Julian, Corvallis, or Benton Hotel, if local. That way it was hooked to a switch board. When the reciever was lifted a light came on at the switch board, the operator then plugged a 1/4 phone plug into that hole and asked what number they wanted. The switch board operator had a dial, and dialed the number wanted, then plugged the lines together. If they were real nice they unplugged their line or else they didn't and listened to the conversation. Either way when the phone was hung up the light went out and they unplugged the line."
