my latest acquisitions

[Micawber]

At least noodle soup is better than dry bread and water!!

Looks a tidy set. That old gear while basic was built to last and built to be serviceable and repairable. Those old telephones were in service for decades but were swept aside in the drive toward modernity in the 60's - 70's.

Old GPO equipment is bound to be more expensive over there but there's obviously money to be made in old bellsets. Doubtless you have seen the current prices of the coloured 200 & 300 Series phones and it's interesting to note the earlier candlestick sets are less desirable.

 

[Edward]

At least noodle soup is better than dry bread and water!!

Looks a tidy set. That old gear while basic was built to last and built to be serviceable and repairable. Those old telephones were in service for decades but were swept aside in the drive toward modernity in the 60's - 70's.

Old GPO equipment is bound to be more expensive over there but there's obviously money to be made in old bellsets. Doubtless you have seen the current prices of the coloured 200 & 300 Series phones and it's interesting to note the earlier candlestick sets are less desirable.

ya I thought about an early candlestick as I personally love the aesthetics of one! yes, I saw the prices of the color ones! wow! those are really pricey! I can see the desire for a white green or red one though.. very attractive! found a pic of the 232 gpo with the bellset attached underneath for the king pyramid look.....

 

[Micawber]

The two combined make quite a sizeable unit. The original bells in those sets tended to be a higher pitch tone than the later ones.

I've toyed with installing one of the larger industrial ringers to the back of the farmhouse here just for the novelty factor but the landline is hardly used now that we all have mobile phones in our pockets.

 

[Edward]

The two combined make quite a sizeable unit. The original bells in those sets tended to be a higher pitch tone than the later ones.

I've toyed with installing one of the larger industrial ringers to the back of the farmhouse here just for the novelty factor but the landline is hardly used now that we all have mobile phones in our pockets.

I haven't had a landline in years.

 

[Edward]

No 1940s WWII era office is complete without a typewriter! a very important tool in the workforce and the Armed Forces...
I opted for the heavy behemoth office typewriter instead of the portable... according to the the Underwood Serial Number page this Underwood Model S was manufactured in the last quarter of 1941. Its still works wonderfully. Now I need a proper typewriter desk.

 

[B-Man2]

That’s a cool piece!

 

[Micawber]

That's ....substantial! Lovely machine.

 

[Edward]

That's ....substantial! Lovely machine.

indeed! weighs about 30 lbs

 

[Remote People]

Edward - you've inspired a photo of the desk in the front room with dates. Royal Arrow and GPO telephone still work perfectly.

 

[Edward]

Edward - you've inspired a photo of the desk in the front room with dates. Royal Arrow and GPO telephone still work perfectly.

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beautiful! great collection! nicely displayed! your items are in peak condition too!

 

[Edward]

in my search to add items to my 1940s desk and specifically an Army Air Forces desk I searched over army office photos and kept seeing this tiny bowl usually filled with paperclips. I searched for a paper clip holder with no luck then finally came across the correct shape and sized bowl accidentally on ebay searching for vintage desk items. turns out the item is actually a stamp moistener bowl. one would have a sponge in it with water and you could wet the stamp to apply instead of licking it. made sense but the ones I saw were filled with paper clips... then it occurred to me, during the war any mail to and from the military was free! all you had to do was write the word free in the upper corner so no need for stamps. General public office items were supplied to the thousands of offices used by the military and the moistener cup just ended up being repurposed to hold their paperclips instead!
mine is marked I.D. L. Mfg. & Sales Corp., New York - U.S.A.
Marked: No. 3 - IDL - NY - U.S.A. (1940s vintage)
Size: 1-7/8 inches height, 3-1/4 inches across rim, 1-3/4 inches across base
This company made postal scales and office supplies so I feel confident this one to be the same as it is a perfect match to the photos I have found... naturally I filled mine with GEM paper clips

 

[Edward]

often in photos of the era you will see the wire cage style in/out desk trays as well as the dove tail wood (single and double tiered) paper trays. for a true vintage desk be sure to get one where the wire is bent wrapped around the frame. added this 1930s/40s wire paper tray to my desk this week ... because if its office supply junk from WWII I GOTTA HAVE IT!

 

[ausreenactor]

Scored a complete USMC Officer's Mess uniform for a tiny sum here in Australia. I paid nearly US$300 for a pair of P37 Officers EGAs last year. Got this complete uniform for half that...

 

[kirova]

Edward - you've inspired a photo of the desk in the front room with dates. Royal Arrow and GPO telephone still work perfectly.

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Just imagine if you try to explain this photo to a millennial

 

[kirova]

Scored a complete USMC Officer's Mess uniform for a tiny sum here in Australia. I paid nearly US$300 for a pair of P37 Officers EGAs last year. Got this complete uniform for half that...

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hot damn, that's the bargain of the century!

 

[ties70]

Keep it closed? Open it up, use it as a paper weight?

 

[kirova]

Keep it closed? Open it up, use it as a paper weight?

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as a compromise, x-ray it to make sure it isn't just an empty box/a brick inside

 

[ties70]

It's probably not worth anything, but the manufacture date of 1943 gives it a little "something". I've seen others that were labeled "For Night Fighter Use".

 

[ausreenactor]

Keep it closed? Open it up, use it as a paper weight?

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Keep it sealed.....

 

[ties70]

as a compromise, x-ray it to make sure it isn't just an empty box/a brick inside