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The Old Telephone
Company, Essex, England
Ring back memories
with
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Candlestick Telephones
General Information
My Candlestick telephones are converted ready for use. They have a
modern microphone fitted. They include the correct bell set (see
technical information below) cabled to them. The bell set can be
the 64d or1930's type 25 or the earlier type 1. Historical Information The Candlestick Telephone in all its permutations really reigned supreme in north America. Apart from the UK, other countries in Europe did not really take to them.The French produced a telephone based on the candlestick, as did other
countries, but they were never really popular. Although some of the early
American "pot-bellies" and others were imported here, most of
our candlesticks are based on the Western Electric pattern. Technical Information The candlestick telephone as used here, is necessarily a simple telephone. There is just not the room inside for much more than a switch and a dial. The dial would have been the type 8 or 10. A type 12 could have been fitted later.The microphone was originally the No 1 Solid Back type characterised by its
all brass construction and horn mouthpiece. Later towards the end of the 1920's,
a new microphone was developed for use in the new 160 series.
This microphone was far superior to the No1 Solid Back. A new type 22 bakelite
microphone housing was created to contain it. These telephones were then
routinely up-graded to the new microphone. The receiver is a Bell receiver and remained basically unchanged through the
life of the telephone. The housing is of brass construction with an ebonite
covering and an ebonite or bakelite ear cap. The telephone case was made of painted steel with a cast iron base. The rest
of the parts were mainly brass. The rest of the telephone is contained in the bell set. Apart from the bell
mechanism and capacitor, it also contains the impedance matching transformer (in
those days known as as The Induction Coil). It is possible to make a candlestick telephone work without its original bell
set, but being something of a purist, I do not sell them that way. Tip:- If you come across a candlestick telephone of all brass construction, it is highly likely that it is reproduction (UK only). Treat any candlestick or wall telephone with GEC marked on it with extreme caution. It is probably reproduction. If you need advice, call me on 01245 400601. Please have the telephone with you. GEC stands for (The) General Electric Company. This was one of the largest industrial conglomerates in the UK controlling over 160 companies and employing thousands. They could supply a complete power utility for a whole country, down to your electric doorbell. It was highly successful. In 1996, their chairman retired, and a new man took over. After a series of disastrous business decisions the company effectively went bust. A new chairman was appointed, but it was too late. GEC is effectively no more. The remains of the company were sold abroad in the autumn of 2005. GE of America is totally unrelated to GEC of England although their product lines were in many ways similar. The last GEC candlestick telephone was made around
1929, and was based on a Western Electric design. Variations are now appearing with markings such as “Post Office” or “GPO” instead of “GEC”. I daresay other makes or logos could be substituted to make them appear authentic. Some are painted black to conceal the brass. Some are Chrome or nickel plated. Many are distressed or damaged by the retailer to make them appear old.
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