Dec. 6th & 7th 2014 Fine & Decorative Arts Sale (33)
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/6/2014
Extremely rare, this is considered one of the first desk telephones manufactured by Automatic Electric Company. In 1903 the Strowger dial was redesigned to conform to a desk instrument. The finger wheel was designed with the sun's rays emanating from the center of the dial and that's where it got the name "sunburst" dial. The forked spear hook has rounded bulbous ends, not seen on the earlier wall instruments. The transmitter face plate and cup are of the earlier small diameter, plain, without markings. This 1903 telephone is taller , has a smaller domed base without a button, a skinny perch and outside wire leading to the transmitter. The scans are from an original ad and article between 1902 and 1904. The back plate is a reproduction but an exact match and the rest of the phone is original, including the base plate and the rest under the base.
Item Dimensions: 12" T.