The Old Telephone Company,  Essex, England
Established in 1986
Exclusively old telephones and parts for 25 years
I have personally restored and sold over 3000 old telephones

 Click here to go to British 300 1930's to1960's Ring back memories with Up Home Page    an old Bakelite telephone Click here to go to British Candlestick 1900's to 1930's       

For Spare Parts Click Here                            For Repairs and Conversions Click Here

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Contact        How to find me

All telephones are available to buy by mail order
£15 post and packing to all parts of the UK.
Smaller parts post and packing is from £3.50 to UK only
You can collect from my shop at weekends by arrangement

 

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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 or 1930's type 25 or the earlier type 1.
The type 25 has a Bakelite cover.
The type 1 bell set is usually of mahogany or walnut, and is very rare.

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.
The vast majority of our candlestick telephones were the type 2, without a dial, and the type 150 with a dial.
The date range of my telephones is from 1911 to 1930 when production for The GPO ceased.

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). 

The correct bell sets for the type 2 and 150 telephones were the type wooden type 1 (not 1A) and later, the Bakelite type 25 (not 26). I now also use the bell 64d. Electrically the 25 and 1 bell sets are very similar.

Tip:- If you come across a candlestick telephone of all brass or chrome 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.

The GEC 64d bells I offer elsewhere on this web site are genuine. Click here to see them

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 under. 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.
As far as I know, no GEC candlestick was ever made with an all brass body, or inscribed GEC made in England.
On the other hand, large numbers of telephones of that description are currently being made in India. The dial looks as though it is from an Indian 1980’s telephone, but the rest is brand new.

Variations are now appearing with markings such as “Post Office”, "English Telephone Company", "Made in England" 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, often by the retailer to make them appear old.

 

 
Click here to visit the Battlesbridge Antiques centre website

Click here to see the Battlesbridge Antiques Centre web site

Credit/Debit Cards are the preferred method of payment. I no longer accept cheques.

If you wish to place an order, or have an enquiry, please read all below.

Please call me (Gavin Payne) by telephone if you wish to place an order for a telephone, spare parts, or have an enquiry.  I can usually be reached 9.00am to 5.45pm any day, including weekends. Calls in the evening are not appreciated and could make me very grumpy. The number is 01245 400601.

I am in the shop most Saturday and Sunday mornings between 10.00 and 12.00. These are the only times I am in the shop for the sale of spare parts, conversions and repairs.  Conversions and repairs can often be carried out while you wait.

If you have a telephone that you want to know more about, or have it repaired or converted, please have it right next to you when you call. Please also have a selection of small flat bladed screwdrivers to hand.
 I do not give advice for DIY repairs or conversions or valuations of any kind over the telephone or by email. Please bring the telephone to my shop for assessment, but always call me first before bringing it in.

Emails to gp@theoldtelephone.co.uk or copy and paste gp@theoldtelephone.co.uk into your email programme or app .

By post to The Old Telephone Company, The Old Granary, Battlesbridge Antiques Centre,
 Battlesbridge, Essex SS11 7RE.
 

The Old Telephone Company respects your privacy, and will not divulge any information about you to a third party.
Copyright © 1996 to 2013 by The Old Telephone Company
 

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