Telephone No. 7

This was another "bridging" telephone for party line and private line use, but this time from Western Electric. It is probably the phone shown at left, their Model 317, introduced in 1907 in the U.S.A. and 1908 in Britain. It was a rugged and reasonably reliable phone that also saw wide use on Railways systems at the time.

Earlier versions were made with a "picture frame front" a decorative rectangle routed into the front panel around the transmitter. Very early versions may also have a "cathedral top", an arched top extension to the back panel where the terminals and lightning arrestor were exposed. Later versions, from about 1917, were plain finished and the bells were usually frosted nickel or painted black. This picture shows a later version. The phone was also made under license by STC after 1925.

Note the ornate lightning arrestors shown in this diagram. The circuit is from the earlier cathedral top model, where the lightning arrestors were exposed at the top of the phone.

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