This is the first of three files that preview most of the lots to be sold by Pete D’Acosta at auction on December 6, 1014 http://doc.telephonecollectors.info/auctions/PDAcosta/1.pdf (18 pages) http://doc.telephonecollectors.info/auctions/PDAcosta/2.pdf (24 pages) http://doc.telephonecollectors.info/auctions/PDAcosta/3.pdf (52 pages) You may view these files in your browser or download them for later viewing or printing. - - - - - - - Note from Pete: Because so many telephone collectors focus exclusively on Bell Telephones, I have decided to sell all of my Bell candlesticks. I have separated these 17 from my primary collection to offer collectors a chance to own some of the rarest and most sought after Bell telephones. American Bell Telephone Company 17 of the rarest Western Electric Telephones Included here are some of the rarest Bell Telephones in the world. There are 15 upright desk sets including Bell’s No. 2 Speaking Tube swirl based desk set introduced in 1892 (this is the only original No. 2 known to exist in a private collection), and Bell’s No. 1 Speaking Tube desk set on the larger (later) pot belly base. Also included is an American Bell 1893 speaking tube transmitter and a commemorative long distance transmitter reproduction. Every telephone in this package is in its original condition with no reproduction parts or pieces to the best of my knowledge (accept the 20-K which is noted and the commemorative long distance transmitter which is a reproduction). http://doc.telephonecollectors.info/auctions/PDAcosta/1.pdf 1 1) American Bell No. 2 Speaking Tube desk set In 1892, one year before Bell’s original patent expired, he introduced the first upright desk top telephone in America, available in two styles. Model No. 1 was a potbelly and No. 2 was a swirl base (see scan). This desk set is the earliest original Bell desk stand known to exist in a private collection. It is the American Bell No. 2 Speaking Tube Desk Telephone. It is equipped with a high resistance lettered White Solid Back 6 digit beveled edge transmitter code No. 225 and a code No. 129 unipolar low resistance receiver. The scan is taken from the earliest known catalog illustration of an upright desk telephone in the United States. Dated June 27, 1894 it shows the original three designs that Bell introduced to the world, beginning in 1892. No. 1 and No. 2 supported a speaking tube transmitter. Since the first telephones were heavy wooden wall telephones, and since Bell's fundamental patents for the telephone were expiring in 1893 and 1894, opening the door to competition, Bell was motivated to keep a competitive edge by introducing newer, better telephones. The upright desk top telephone was introduced for the first time with these Bell speaking tubes in 1892. By 1894, all of the serious competitors were building candlesticks to compete and were rolling them out as Bell's second patent expired. http://doc.telephonecollectors.info/auctions/PDAcosta/1.pdf 2 2) 1894 No. 1 speaking tube desk set Western Electric No. 1 Speaking Tube Desk Telephone used for factory service, equipped with the earliest form hard rubber marked transmitter face designed specifically for Speaking Tube use and a Code No. 129 unipolar low resistance watch case receiver with matching serial numbers. Telescoping shaft allows the user to adjust the transmitter height for ease of use. Speaking tubes were described in the Western Electric product catalog as Factory, Special or Interior telephones and advertised to provide excellent service, be neat in appearance and require little attention. This desk set was introduced between 1892 - 1894. It uses Western Electric’s larger potbelly base. The wider base was an improvement over the original narrow potbelly base. Fantastic, original condition and one of the rarest telephones in the collection. http://doc.telephonecollectors.info/auctions/PDAcosta/1.pdf 3 3) 1895 No. 3-A potbelly Extremely rare Western Electric No. 3-A Long Distance Desk Telephone introduced by American Bell Telephone in 1895. Constructed with a piece of spun sheet brass fitted over a heavy iron casting for the base and a spun brass handle. It is equipped with a high resistance White Solid Back 7 digit beveled edge transmitter code no. 229 and a code no. 101 marked American Bell Telephone long pole receiver. Very heavy cast iron base and telescoping shaft allowed the user to fit the transmitter to a comfortable height for conversation. This particular 3-A has a unique stamp on the back of the perch, it says, “NY & NJ T CO”. It is mounted on a thin wooden base that looks original to the phone. This is a beautiful, completely original and extremely rare telephone. http://doc.telephonecollectors.info/auctions/PDAcosta/1.pdf 4 4) 1897 No. 9 potbelly Fantastic No. 9 long distance desk telephone from Western Electric. The base is spun brass over heavy cast iron and a solid brass handle. High resistance White Solid Back 7 digit beveled edge transmitter and a code No. 101 long pole receiver. This is the last model made by Western Electric with a potbelly shaft. I think this is one of the most perfect desk set designs ever made. http://doc.telephonecollectors.info/auctions/PDAcosta/1.pdf 5 5) 1897 No. 88-C “San Francisco” potbelly This is a beautiful 88-C long distance desk telephone made by California Electrical Works in a joint effort between the Western Electric Company and the Pacific Telephone Company, a Bell subsidiary in San Francisco (that's why it is commonly called "San Francisco" potbelly.) Unlike most potbellies of its time, the base and shaft are made of a bronze alloy and cast as one piece. This also has a marked, high resistance White Solid Back 7 digit smooth edge transmitter and a marked American Bell outside terminal long pole receiver. http://doc.telephonecollectors.info/auctions/PDAcosta/1.pdf 6 6) 1898 Solid Cast Brass potbelly This is a Western Electric Solid Cast Brass Potbelly Desk Stand made for the American Bell Telephone Company. This model does not have a code number assigned to it but is listed as an 1895 cast brass desk stand in the 1936 Bell Telephone Laboratories Historical Museum documents. American Bell transmitter is marked on the back, short switch hook, OST pony receiver. Original baseplate is intact. The closed loop switch hook would indicate that this was a later model, probably 1898-1899. http://doc.telephonecollectors.info/auctions/PDAcosta/1.pdf 7 7) 1899 No. 10 tapered shaft Western Electric No. 10 tapered shaft with marked back cup. Beveled transmitter has #229 faceplate. Outside terminal long pole receiver. Original base plate. http://doc.telephonecollectors.info/auctions/PDAcosta/1.pdf 8 8) 1900 No. 10 black tapered shaft Rare black Western Electric No.10 tapered shaft desk stand with marked back cup. Most No.10 tapered shafts were nickel plated but Western Electric started painting their candlesticks right after the year 1900 rather than nickel plating them, because it was cheaper. This candlestick has a Western Electric outside terminal "pony" receiver. Original wooden baseplate. http://doc.telephonecollectors.info/auctions/PDAcosta/1.pdf 9 9) 1900 No. 21-A “Erie” This may look like a common candlestick but it is one of the more rare Western Electric upright telephones because it was only made for about a year and there are very few of these that are known to still exist. It is the model No. 21-A desk set, called the "Erie" model because it was made by Western Electric Company for the Erie Telephone & Telegraph Company in 1900. It was patterned after the Bell Wisconsin candlestick and is equipped with a White Solid Back transmitter and code no. 122 bipolar receiver. This telephone is in outstanding original condition, including the thin leather base plate under the base. http://doc.telephonecollectors.info/auctions/PDAcosta/1.pdf 10 10) 1902 No. 10 tapered shaft on 20-B base As the Western Electric No. 10 tapered shaft was transitioning to the 20B nickel plated straight shaft, between 1900 and 1904, there were some tapered shaft desk sets mounted on 20B bases. This is a No. 10 mounted on a 20B base. Outside terminal long pole receiver. http://doc.telephonecollectors.info/auctions/PDAcosta/1.pdf 11 11) 1902 N0. 10-A tapered shaft on 20-B base A few of the No. 10 tapered shafts had a No. 10-A, stamped on the back of the transmitter perch. This 10-A is mounted on a 20-B base. Outside terminal long pole receiver. http://doc.telephonecollectors.info/auctions/PDAcosta/1.pdf 12 12) 1903 No. 20-K speaking tube desk set This No. 20-K Speaking Tube Desk Telephone was used for hotel service between 1903 - 1906. It is equipped with a high resistance lettered White Solid Back 7 digit beveled transmitter code No. 225, and a code No. 129 unipolar low resistance watch case receiver. The base and shaft have been reproduced but the speaking tube and receiver are original. http://doc.telephonecollectors.info/auctions/PDAcosta/1.pdf 13 13) 1904 No. 30-A peg dialer Extremely rare Western Electric No. 30-A 100 station peg dialer. This was introduced in Queens, New York in 1903 and then about 40 other systems in small communities in the northeast. This was a historic new switching system designed for smaller communities where the daily call load wasn’t enough for even one operator, making 24-hour service very expensive for Bell. This small exchange was Bell's answer to a dialing system, but it was only temporary.