Edward
Well-Known Member
You know you’re most likely right… Not that I would doubt you anyway! LOL! But I do recall looking at another comparison and it mentioned it being aK 47.
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my latest acquisitions
- Thread starter Edward
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Edward
Well-Known Member
So this may seem like a silly little thing but an item I lacked for my WWII era desktop was a 1940's era pencil. During the war there was a shortage of metals due to the war effort so the ferrule ends holding the eraser were made of plastic and sometimes wrapped paper. This particular WWII era Dixon Ticonderoga has a paper cardboard ferrule which is particularly rare for this brand and was most likely an interim product to keep production flowing while plastic was being sourced or machining equipment for production was acquired and set. It’s also hard to get wwii era pencils with an eraser still on it. (Although usually petrified)
while many in the military used mechanical pencils I have seen a number of photographs of the average yellow pencil being used. And of course prewar metal ferrule pencils were still widely available.
It now sits proudly on my 1945 Ever Ready Desk Calendar once owned by Army Major Howard Ayers SR of the Army Air Training Command which he made notations in pencil perhaps with a pencil just like this one!
I also acquired an unused 1942/43 production years Dixon Ticonderoga #2 full box set with plastic ferrules to add to my 1940's office desk collection.
Many other companies manufactured pencils with the paper ferrule and I also have an unused Made in U.S.A. L & C Hardtmuth Inc. MEPHISTO Writing 465 x no.3 with a plastic ferrule.
These used to be cheap to buy but like most vintage 40's era items they have gone up beyond what they are actually worth in my opinion. There are many forums, blogs and collector groups for vintage pencils and in my research I found the information delightfully interesting and helped me to narrow down which pencil I actually wanted for my particular desk era setup. but now, I'm done with pencils and won't be joining any pencil collector's groups! lol!
while many in the military used mechanical pencils I have seen a number of photographs of the average yellow pencil being used. And of course prewar metal ferrule pencils were still widely available.
It now sits proudly on my 1945 Ever Ready Desk Calendar once owned by Army Major Howard Ayers SR of the Army Air Training Command which he made notations in pencil perhaps with a pencil just like this one!
I also acquired an unused 1942/43 production years Dixon Ticonderoga #2 full box set with plastic ferrules to add to my 1940's office desk collection.
Many other companies manufactured pencils with the paper ferrule and I also have an unused Made in U.S.A. L & C Hardtmuth Inc. MEPHISTO Writing 465 x no.3 with a plastic ferrule.
These used to be cheap to buy but like most vintage 40's era items they have gone up beyond what they are actually worth in my opinion. There are many forums, blogs and collector groups for vintage pencils and in my research I found the information delightfully interesting and helped me to narrow down which pencil I actually wanted for my particular desk era setup. but now, I'm done with pencils and won't be joining any pencil collector's groups! lol!
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ausreenactor
Well-Known Member
Love the gear you turn up....
Edward
Well-Known Member
thats amazing! saw your post on the FB group about this... great stuff!
Edward
Well-Known Member
well, this might be considered a CBI item lol! I added this little charmer to my collection (my first teapot actually) its an Indian Red Cross teapot dated 1943.
I haven't been able to find any information on the maker mark. The Indian Red Cross (IRC) is part of the International Red Cross in India since 1920 and being China Burma India was a primary theater of operation it begs to wonder how this ended up in the states... I would like to think someone brought it home after their tour of duty
As you can see its quite tiny!
It is similar in style to the English made teapots of the era this one probably marked RAF
I haven't been able to find any information on the maker mark. The Indian Red Cross (IRC) is part of the International Red Cross in India since 1920 and being China Burma India was a primary theater of operation it begs to wonder how this ended up in the states... I would like to think someone brought it home after their tour of duty
As you can see its quite tiny!
It is similar in style to the English made teapots of the era this one probably marked RAF
Smithy
Well-Known Member
Edward, you have to remember that this was before teabags so these smaller pots were used when brewing tea for one or two people. You only brought out the big pot when there was a crowd round for a cuppa. My granny (very old school English) who would never allow teabags in her house even up until she fell off her perch in 2001, used to have several sizes and in varying degrees of poshness depending on how many and who the tea was for.
Edward
Well-Known Member
great info thanks! I thought it odd how much smaller this one was compared to the ones I've seen used in the ETO such as the pic posted above. a few months ago an RAF marked teapot exactly like the one in the pic above was offered on eBay out of the UK but I lost the bid
pretty happy with this one though. these wartime era teapots seem to rarely ever come available.
Edward
Well-Known Member
Another item I needed for my USAAF WWII era desktop was a period telephone. Anything from the 1930s or 40’s would work.
I had a particular phone in mind but as all things vintage these days there are vintage telephone collector groups, forums and restorations clubs and with social media and auction sites the prices have gone way up.
An American telephone from the 1930s and 40s are highly sought after and can run from $200 to $600 depending on condition. I didn’t need one that actually worked but looked good on display. The Army Signal Corps “toaster” phone looked nice but weren’t produced until the last half of 1945 with most that are available today being post war. The Army mostly used everyday civilian telephones in their offices anyway. But what I actually wanted was the highly desirable (and pricey) British made 200 or 300 series GPO telephone. The Mighty Eighth were based in England after all and the GPO series were the telephones they used. I have many photographs of the USAAF using these phones in their offices, control towers, operations rooms and briefing rooms.
These can be had easily in England where they are highly collected but usually run around $300 to $600 and shipping one to the US is at least another $80. However these phones are not at all common in the states… in fact quite rare to find one in the US. Back In January a 1930s 232 GPO phone in perfect working condition was offered on eBay from someone in the US and I forgot to bid… 1 bidder $164.99 plus 21.10 shipping. I was bummed.
Well, finally in early February someone posted a late 1930s 232F GPO telephone with a buy it now price of $99.00 ($14.95 shipping)! It was missing the separate bellset ringer box but no matter as those are usually hidden away under the desk or hanging on the wall anyway. Upon closer inspection it showed that one of the rear cradle hubs was broken off from having been dropped but it still displays nicely!
I did some quick research and located a place called Britphone that had parts and they had a few 200 series repro cradles in stock for £21.00 plus £15.00 shipping so for $49.39US I had a replacement cradle and even found a website that showed how to take apart a 232 GPO to replace parts!
This vintage GPO “pyramid” telephone is now on my desk and now my WWII USAAF war desk impression is “Somewhere in England”
what I really love is the braided cloth cord! so much character!
I had a particular phone in mind but as all things vintage these days there are vintage telephone collector groups, forums and restorations clubs and with social media and auction sites the prices have gone way up.
An American telephone from the 1930s and 40s are highly sought after and can run from $200 to $600 depending on condition. I didn’t need one that actually worked but looked good on display. The Army Signal Corps “toaster” phone looked nice but weren’t produced until the last half of 1945 with most that are available today being post war. The Army mostly used everyday civilian telephones in their offices anyway. But what I actually wanted was the highly desirable (and pricey) British made 200 or 300 series GPO telephone. The Mighty Eighth were based in England after all and the GPO series were the telephones they used. I have many photographs of the USAAF using these phones in their offices, control towers, operations rooms and briefing rooms.
These can be had easily in England where they are highly collected but usually run around $300 to $600 and shipping one to the US is at least another $80. However these phones are not at all common in the states… in fact quite rare to find one in the US. Back In January a 1930s 232 GPO phone in perfect working condition was offered on eBay from someone in the US and I forgot to bid… 1 bidder $164.99 plus 21.10 shipping. I was bummed.
Well, finally in early February someone posted a late 1930s 232F GPO telephone with a buy it now price of $99.00 ($14.95 shipping)! It was missing the separate bellset ringer box but no matter as those are usually hidden away under the desk or hanging on the wall anyway. Upon closer inspection it showed that one of the rear cradle hubs was broken off from having been dropped but it still displays nicely!
I did some quick research and located a place called Britphone that had parts and they had a few 200 series repro cradles in stock for £21.00 plus £15.00 shipping so for $49.39US I had a replacement cradle and even found a website that showed how to take apart a 232 GPO to replace parts!
This vintage GPO “pyramid” telephone is now on my desk and now my WWII USAAF war desk impression is “Somewhere in England”
what I really love is the braided cloth cord! so much character!
Edward
Well-Known Member
nah... I found two Bellset No. 26 Dated 1937 that are specifically for this phone but I would have to pay US $135.85 plus $52.00 shipping. $187 plus tax? hell I paid less for the phone! lol! and its just an ugly black box....You need the bellbox for that phone too
Micawber
Well-Known Member
Yep. Mind you they are in the collectable category now. I'll check in the attic as I have some old GPO bits up there as I pick up the odd phone every now and again. I know I have some old wooden bellsets but they won't work with that phone. May have a Bakalite one but can't remember. The old phones turn up in my local auction for not a lot, bellsets less so but you just never know. The old phone dealers over here want an arm and a leg for them now.
Edward
Well-Known Member
Fantastic photos! I didn't have these... thanks! yes, I came across many American era phones with no dials as well, like you said, internal phone connections. I thought of getting one of those until this civi version came up for such a nice price.
Edward
Well-Known Member
Oh VERY much indeed! thank you sir!
