I don't have a good understanding of antique telephones, so I'll mostly let the pictures tell the story here, and please forgive me if I get any of the terminology wrong.
What we are offering is an old telephone ringer box, containing one of its two original bells, a five-bar magneto, the ringer coil, and other bits and pieces.
First off, I'll list the items that are clearly missing or damaged, starting with the missing bell and its lock nut. Also missing is the locking mechanism for the door, and we don't have the crank for it. The plate or escutcheon for the crank hole is missing, and there are also a few screws and nuts or bolts that don't seem to be present. On the left side (opposite the crank hole), there is a slot where there used to be a receiver hook, which we don't have, and there are also two screws above that seem to be holding a broken-off piece of leather. Based on the fact that there are two empty screw holes in the same place on the other side, my guess is it was originally fitted with a carrying strap that has broken off and is now missing. Other than that, the double-coil is coming unwound. and there may be other defective or missing parts, so please look very carefully at the pictures.
The case is made of wood (oak, I believe), and it shows signs of warping and checking or splitting. I don't see any brand name or model number on it. To give an idea of size, the backing board is about 7" x 11", and the box is about 5-1/4" deep, plus the bell, which is about 2-1/2" in diameter. And it weighs almost 14 pounds and is the wrong shape for any of the dreaded "Flat Rate" boxes, so shipping could be expensive if you have a faraway zip code.
International Buyers – Please Note: Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding or buying. Customs fees are normally charged by the shipping company or collected when you pick the item up. These fees are not additional shipping charges. We won't under-value merchandise or mark the item as a gift on customs forms. Doing that is against U.S. and international laws.
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Please note also that, due to Paypal's ridiculously over-protective "Confirmed Address" policy, we no longer honor requests for shipment to third party addresses, and we reserve the right to refuse to ship to unconfirmed addresses, especially overseas. If you have any questions about this, please contact us prior to bidding so we can review your options. If you have any complaints about this, please contact Paypal.
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