atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems Antique Telephones flea market treasure!

Here's a Danish D08 from 1942 I just found at a local flea market! I didn't decide to buy it until the end of the day. It was all painted over from a handbrush. After stripping off 3 layers of paint (white, green, then pink) I had this beautiful base to work with. I restored it close to the original except for the missing dial insert but couldn't bring myself to paint over the copper dial. The dial mechanism even looks like an old Swiss watch!
The best part? I got it for 10 bucks! Restoration was a labor of love.

It's a beauty, Dave!

Looks great! Being that it is Danish, will it work on our POTS system?

Nice find. Nice restoration!

Jeff, I would say yes because the Bell company installed the 1st exchange there in 1881 and this model was designed in 1908. The handset elements are weak though and I suspect that is just due to age. If I fixed them, then I'd worry about my grandkids playing with it and not cherishing it like I do. Of course with the uncomfortable handset, perhaps the kids wouldn't talk on the phone for so long!

Great find Dave I'm glad it found a home where it where it will be appreciated.

Dave, kids being what they are, they'd find an alternate use for the handset. Most likely, it wouldn't survive!

It may not function in American telco systems. European pulse dialing was the exact opposite. The audio path will have no problem.

I seem to remember a problem with German Phones (Telefunken und Normelzeit) ringing on US systems. As I recall they had 50 hz ringers.I don't remember dialing issues - T&N Pax boards.

Sam

I'd like to hear more about this, please.

Yeah what is the exact opposite of pulse dialing?

The pulses sent do not correspond directly to the digit dialed. For example, dialing the digit 0 sends one pulse, while dialing the digit 1 sends ten pulses. This is the exact opposite of North American pulse dialing standards.

I've heard others say that just subtract the number dialed from ten to determine the number of pulses sent.

Jeff, This is all your fault! Just teasing.

Guys, Thank you for all the kind words. I was pretty sure others here would appreciate my find. I just had no idea my phone would generate a discussion. But then, what else can we do with all this old TelCo stuff that is stuck in our heads? I know that old phones with dry cell batteries and cranks don't work on today's networks but this phone is a little newer because it has a dial (thank you Almon Strowger), an internal ringer and a one piece handset. I think this model was manufactured from 1908 through WWII.

Anyway, to try to work with this developing discussion, when I hook the phone up, it is only the transmitter that doesn't work. The receiver is weak but it dials and rings fine. I have tested a 500/2500 carbon transmitter but it doesn't work either so I may have a network or wiring problem. There is no nomenclature on the terminal strip labeled L1, L2, RR, etc. For wiring ideas, I have a number of old schematics so perhaps when I retire, I can call Sam and have him help me diagnose the network! In reality though, I really don't plan to use it. It will be displayed along with my meager collection that includes a Lucy phone (WE302), a non-dial 202, a candlestick phone and a ringer box.

For anyone who may have a repair suggestion for me, I will say that I have cleaned all contacts (but with the dollar bill method in lieu of excavating my old burnishing tool). Also, I didn't need to perform the old trick of rapping the transmitter on a hard surface to loosen the carbon - it is already loose. But if I were to replace the period transmitter it would actually lose some if its charm for me!

These toys are way better than the nick-knacks my Mother had. I have them near an old Victrola from 1918 that belonged to my wife's great grandmother! This early technology is a wonder to me. To have samples that I can play with is truly a delight.

In all the european seaports that I've visited, granted that was a hundred years ago, local telephone service was always provided. We could never get their service to work through our equipment. The actual telephone had to be provided to terminate each provided line. All the ships I served aboard had switching equipment and was pulse dial in the American/Bell standard. All pulse dial, or open loop or pulse/impulse principles are the same but
Ed pretty much nailed it with his explanation.

Thanks Jim for your service! If Navy phones didn't work when you served, phones from the WWII era shouldn't either. Perhaps my phone isn't the best example of European phones since it kind of works here. It doesn't look modified but how am I to know? There was a badly worn factory overlay on the dial that had North American dial plan numerals over the European ones that I removed that exposed the European numerals. Perhaps my dial pad is an American version. This post has taken an interesting turn and the discussion is quite informative. Just think of all the stuff that is out there that we get to learn!

I can look at the dial on that phone and tell you that it produces 1 pulse for 1, 2 pulses for 2, so and 10 pulses for 0.

If European dialing is backwards then the numbers on the dial would be backwards unless this dial has some special mechanism where it produces fewer pulses the further it travels...which is impossible.

One thing that is definitely different with European dialing is the make/break ratio.

In practice the difference doesn't seem to matter, particularly when you can successfully dial a number by pressing the hookswitch rapidly.

Also I should point out that Europe is composed of many different countries, each with their own standards.

In case anyone is interested, my transmitter problem was the handset cord's braided wiring being damaged by the tight thread wrapped around the end of the cord to keep the cloth end from unraveling. Everything works fine now.

Good catch Dave! :toast:

Enjoy it.


Sam

Hello - I've just read this thread, and whilst I realise it is a month late, I have something to add... European pulse dialling works in exactly the same way as American: i.e., 0 = ten pulses, 1 - 1 pulse, 2 = 2 pulses etc.

However, in Australia it IS as you describe it.

Hope that helps,
John

(new member in the UK)

PS - forgot to say, nice Danish Phone... good find, and well worth your effort to get it looking pristine.

John

John, thank you for your comments. And welcome to the board!

Thanks for your welcome Dave! I'm still trawling through all the posts - fascinating website, with all sorts of info. I only stumbled in here looking for information about some 1A2 phones that I have (they are not common in the UK, and information is quite scarce over here).

Thanks again,
John

When I was in New Zealand a few years ago I picked up a few older rotary phones. They use dials that went from 9 up to 0, only the 5 and the 0 sent the same number of pulses as in North America. As I understand it, it was to get around copyright issues with the dials and strowger switches. Consequently, in New Zealand you commonly dial "1" to get an outside line from a PBX, on a rotary phone you would have been sending 9 pulses.
this system may have been used elsewhere but was not commonplace around the world.