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The 1930’s signalled the
growth in manufacture of bakelite telephones with their clean
classic lines and the increased use of the handset combination
in preference to the separate ear and mouthpieces As a result of this development throughout the world, one or two classics emerged from most countries The Stromberg Carlson 1212 is one of the most stylish ever produced in the United States It was the first deskphone to have all components including a real ringer with real bells and network internally mounted / built into the base This phone was the company's answer to Western Electric's 202/302 Telephone The 1212 was not in production long because the bakelite ears on the handset cradle would break off when the phone was dropped With its classic and graceful Art Deco look, the heyday of these phones was the late 1930's and 1940's Due to its large size and bulbous appearance it was nicknamed the 'Fat Stromberg' or just 'Fat Boy' among collectors This phone is 21cm wide and 16cm deep and stands 15cm high ... the handset is 22.5cm long |
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Stromberg Carlson was a telecommunications equipment
manufacturing company formed as a partnership between Swedish
natives Alfred Stromberg and Androv Carlson in 1894, when Alexander
Graham Bell's patent for the telephone expired Stromberg and Carlson were employees of American Bell Telephone Company, and each invested $500.00 to establish a firm to manufacture equipment for sale the non-Bell telephone companies By the turn of the century, Stromberg Carlson emerged as a leader among the independent telephone manufacturers This was due to their reputation for stable prices, integrity and a strong emphasis on quality Stromberg-Carlson was originally located in Chicago, with Carlson managing manufacture and Stromberg responsible for marketing In 1904, Stromberg-Carlson was purchased by Home Telephone Company, a relatively large service provider which was based in Rochester New York, and which relocated all of Stromberg Carlson to New York In the mid-1900's, Stromberg expanded to also manufacture radios and televisions In 1955, Stromberg-Carlson was purchased by General Dynamics In 1982, General Dynamics sold the phone system and telephone division of Stromberg Carlson to Comdial / Siemens Corporation Comdial went bust in 2005 and was bought by Vertical Communications, which also bought phone system maker Vodavi |
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Purchased from Telephone Talk to go to their Official Web Site x Price = $325.00 Details listed with the above phone A rare phone |
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Here is our phone ...
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... and another one that was for sale on
Ebay Auctions
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This one was for sale via an internet Antique
Telephone site
x x x |
For clarification, I contacted
!!--The news is Good--!! Both handsets are correct So ours
is one of the ============================= !!--Update--!! |
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x
Simply click on the "PLAY"
button opposite |
| CLICK HERE | Stromberg Carlson - complete details on the Company ... from the Wikipedia Web Site |
| CLICK HERE | Number Card Holders - removing and replacing holders on rotary telephones |
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CLICK
HERE CLICK HERE |
Number Card Holders - complete listing with photos and printing details |
--Auctions for similar Telephones|
Number
01 why is this one so expensive when compared to the other auctions ?? Up for auction is a vintage Stromberg Carlson
Model 1212 telephone - the rotund design of this late 1930's
classic earned it the unglamorous nickname of 'Fat Boy' - the
phone was completely disassembled and every part was cleaned
and/or polished - it features an automatic electric dial that
was ultrasonically cleaned, oiled and sent to a professional
for calibration - the metro-style (numbers+letters) porcelain
"Z operator" dial plate is in excellent shape - the
fingerwheel is hand polished brass and has a chrome center ring
- the dial center card is new - the bakelite body and cradle
were buffed out to a high gloss - the heyday of these phones
was the (late) 1930's and 1940's and that is probably when this
phone was originally assembled - the bottom plate is in decent
shape, albeit, a little bumpy and a new rubber base ring was
added - the insides were thoroughly cleaned and a new screen
was added over the backside vent slots - the Stromberg Carlson
#15 spitcup type handset has a capsule type transmit element
and the receiver end has the magnet type element - new but traditional
black cloth cords were installed for both the handset and line
cord - the line cord has a modular plug so it is ready to plug'n'play
on today's phone jacks - the ringer bells were hand polished
so that they ring loud and clear - the phone works fine and rings
with that old time sound that only a dual toned ringer can do
- many, many hours were spent in the restoration of this phone
- it is a functioning piece of nostalgia, a great conversation
piece and a real beauty - from United States - November 2009 in this action the seller states "the handset will date this as a later phone since the first model had a the old spit cup handset" and this is directly opposite what I have been told and noted above in the "Information - Handset" section !! Here's a really nice Stromberg Carlson
model 1212 - commonly referred to as the 'Fat Boy' this was the
first model the two Swedish founders of Stromberg Carlson made
with internal bells - prior models had external bell boxes -
these are sometimes hard to come by without a chipped or broken
cradle - this beauty is fully intact, and the cradle is in perfect
condition - there are no chips, breaks or cracks - in good used
condition, and it does have surface scratches - also the earpiece
has some 'pitting' issues but this does not interfere with function
but is noticeable - from the 1930's and 1940's, this phone was
manufactured in the United States - the handset will date this
as a later phone since the first model had a the old spit cup
handset - there is a rubber cord from handset to the base of
phone - this phone was tested and it will dial out and receive
calls, but does not ring - the chrome finger dial turns smoooooothly
- and note that it is not wired for today's phone jacks - if
you'd like me to add the wiring so you may plug the phone in
(to US jacks only) please add $5 to the purchase price - it is
made entirely of bakelite, and these phones will shatter if dropped.
I have two of these phones. Why? Because I was bite bad by the
antique phone bug. Please see sellers other auctions for more
phone available for purchase - from United States - November
2009 this action also mentions the "older spit cup handset" This is an original vintage 1930's Stromberg
Carlson 1212 'Fat Boy' telephone - this phone works perfectly
and rings with the original ringer - there are no chips or cracks
in the bakelite body or the handset - notice that this has the
older 'spit cup' type transmitter end - the chrome dial turns
smoothly and the numbers are crisp and clear - chrome dials did
come with these phones though not as often and they also had
black dials - the original gasket around the bottom is in great
shape - I have installed new cloth handset and line cords for
the best sound quality and the line cord has a modern end so
you can just plug it in and make a call - this is a great vintage
telephone that will work for years to come! - from United States
- December 2009 this action also mentions the "older spit cup handset" Stromberg Carlson 1212 telephone - a vintage
1930's 'Fat Boy' - 100% orginial as found condition with orginial
cloth line cords - it has the older type 'spit cup' transmitter
end - I don't see any chips or cracks to the bakelite handset
or body - the dial works great - the phone still has the orginial
jack so I can't test it - a great chance to own a wonderful vintage
phone - from United States - December 2009 |
