A pair of these were found in an
old shed purchased by a neighbour.A label carries the wording "Ex ibs IIBT4/BAS Ex 75015/B SFA 3012:1972"
A pair of these were found in an
old shed purchased by a neighbour.
They look like they used to have a hinged door covering them and from their colour and robustness must have been for some sort of emergency communications purpose.
What was their purpose? Who knows?
This telephone dates from the US entry into The Great War and looks surprisingly modern compared with the British and German couterparts. Made by the Kellogg Switchboard Supply Company of Chicago, Illinois probably in 1916, it includes a morse key and a buzzer for sending and receiving morse code. It is very heavy and has a substantial magneto for generating ringing. The top lid is missing but as this is a simple pressed steel affair it will be easy to make a replacement.
The outer case appears to be oak and is reinforced by heavy angle iron. The handset carbon microphone is powered by a pair of 1.5volts cells. The original types have been replaced by a pair of "D" cells. These are leakproof types (see below) and look about 50 years old.
On the left my example, on the right as it should look, with lid and strap.
These are the two U2 cells from
the telephone. Assuming a dollar was five bob, 20 cents was a
shilling and for those who don't know, or have forgotten... a
shilling is 5p.
Any battery experts able to date these?
This is the Model EE-8-B
The first
lamp is ex-British Army and has a morse key, 8Amp W/T No2 screwed
to the lid with an adjacent termination block.
The box has a protective canvas cover and inside the lid is a guide for its use with morse code.
The thing is coded CI SCT/1 and dated May 1954
The second
signalling lamp is ex-RAF and is easier to use than the other
as it carries the switch in the handle and a sighting tube so
that it may be pointed accurately.
This one's coded 5A/2334 and 5A/2335
Return to unusual items