Amazing Vintage Bakelite GPO Fire/Emergency Telephone Dated 1940s Working!

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This is an absolutely stunning example of an early working GPO Bakelite Fire /Emergency Telephone found in London and mounted on a polished box and with a locking arm and a generator handle which is marked 15 PX-2. The beautiful old wooden case encloses all of the heart of this telephone.There is a locking arm and crank handle on one side which according to the writing on the front says : How to use the Fire Emergency Phone.1. Withdraw the pin from the locking arm 2.Turn generator handle 2 or 3 times 3.Lift receiver and wait for a reply 4.Request operator to call Fire Brigade.This telephone is wired to work without an operator now and one simply withdraws the pin from the locking arm which gently falls down releasing a red switch and the whole phone bursts into life!The phone rings with a very loud bring! bring! sound for in-coming calls and speaking and listening is clear given the age of the phone and the parts of this phone appear original to the phone including everything in the box in as found condition. The phone retains its original dial blanking plate, handset and wire and has a long modern plug in wire so it's ready to be used straight away just plug it in. The phone will stay operational (live) like any telephone if the pin is left withdrawn it hangs on a chain, if replaced the phone is effectively disconnected (plugged out).It has 164 46 in the recessed oval mark on the handset dating it to 1946. The base plate says GPO Batch Sampled. The bell set is a No26. The mouthpiece is a No15 with an original transmitter marked No10 FWR 56/2 the transmitter is actually much older but was refurbished in 1956. The earpiece has an ear cap No18 a pepper pot style and a diaphragm marked No 25.The phone and handset and bell cover are quite shiny with NO damage at all just an odd scratch and a flea bite/spot which in no way detracts from this beautiful bright phone which is a thoroughbred. The wooden casing has some gentle wear associated with its age and usage given the fact that it was in service out doors for some of its life and during WW2, its not really noticeable a few scratches where brackets and handles have moved up and down, but it works perfectly well as it did in 1941 and is a robust piece of engineering. The markings on the wooden casing at the back are Tel No81 FB 41 ( Fire Brigade 1941) so I'm guessing that this phone and fire box have lived their lives together and were in service in London during World War 2 and beyond.The phone is plugged in working as I type this description and it is a very reluctant sale. A lovely piece of furniture a working telephone and a great talking point in any room.The king pyramid telephone sits snug and attached to the fire box which in turn has four wooden washers for attaching to the wall. The handset, cradle, phone and bell set are all good as is the mouth and ear piece. The ear piece has a few scuff marks where it has been lifted up and down. This is a rare GPO classic with no reserve and a 99p starting bid - it will sell! Please look carefully at the many photos from various angles as they form a major part of the description. Satisfy yourself that you are happy and feel free to ask any questions and I will do my best to answer. The Fire/Emergency Telephone is a plug in and ready to use phone and wired box, which is in good used condition with some gentle wear as described.Finally, the phone comes with a Framed Instruction Card behind the original glass and a dial label for Fire Telephone - a rare thing indeed. It also has an old Ever Ready /GPO Battery inside which is no longer needed or connected but just adds to the whole character of this classic find.A lovely period telephone, a unique gift or a nice piece of working history/furniture over 70 years old!!Posted with eBay Mobile read more

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