For Whom the Bell Tolls

Derek has had an old wall telephone for many years.  It hasn’t been ruined by someone trying to refinish it.  In fact, it still has the original company sticker on the side and a plate inside that says it was manufactured in 1933.   All of the components are original and in good shape although we haven’t put them to the test.

All it was missing were the bells for the top.  Damn those things are not easy to come by! We have looked and asked and emailed and questioned but it’s just a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

Finally after keeping our eyes peeled for years, we came upon an ugly old phone in an antique/junk shop.  Someone had tried to strip and redo the wood and made a real mess of it.  The wires were pulled out and it wasn’t a pretty sight.  But it did have two intact, tarnished metal bells on top.  For a song, it was ours.

Derek put some muscle into cleaning the bells and the phone now looks like a showpiece alongside our collection of vintage radios.  We plan to install it on the wall as soon as we decide on the perfect spot.  Sometimes you have to be very patient in order to get these old items but it’s totally worth the wait.  One ringy-dingy.  Two ringy-dingy….

Black wall telephone with silver bells on top, earpiece on a cradle on the left and dial and mouthpiece on the front.

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