| |||||
Ericsson Desk Phones 3
Fig 18: Desk Set Model AC300-320. Old No. 381 with fixed cradle and 5-magnet generator, No. 383 with 4-magnet generator, No. 384 with switchhook. A very attractive early desk phone, and reasonably common. Wooden top and base, steel box held between corner pillars. Examples have been seen where the steel sides have been replaced with wooden panels or brass fretwork. 1901 to 1914. As 1901 was Ericsson’s 25th year of operation, this model is also known as the Jubilee telephone. It is also called a "Highboy" in the U.S. In Britain it is known as the Corporation phone, because they were bought in large numbers for the corporations that ran the early city telephone networks before the BPO took over. The original decoration is shown in the first picture. They were also ornately decorated with the logo of the telephone company, or woodgrained in a painted walnut finish. It was also available with two generator cranks. Unofficial dial conversions have been seen with the dial mounted on the base, opposite the magneto handle. Fig 19: Many were refinished in the 1960s and sold overseas with elaborate cupid transfers. They often had non-original dials fitted to the end of the case. Fig 20 is the British Post Office Tele 90, a CB model with the
original cradle and handset, and without teardrops as per usual British Post Office
practice. These were often produced in a painted walnut finish. They were originally
used by the National Telephone Company as their Model NT13. They were
also issued with a modified metal cradle and bakelite handset, and finally from
1932 with a bakelite cradle and handset as British Ericsson Model N2115 (Fig. 21) Variations:
| |||||
