wooden telephone transmitter/receiver
Date: mid 19th-late 19th Century
Inventory Number: 1998-1-0452
Classification: Telephone
Subject:
Maker: American ?
Cultural Region:
City of Use:
Dimensions:
4.6 × 5.3 × 5.3 cm (1 13/16 × 2 1/16 × 2 1/16 in.)
Description:
An experimental turned wood telephone transmitter/receiver.
The light-colored wooden body of the device is made of two closely-fitted pieces. A curved, vase-shaped piece has a wide opening for speaking or listening, then narrows to a curved neck before expanding to a circular mouth with rounded edges. A circular diaphragm made of hide is stretched across the opening. A short section of string or twine pierces it in the center.
The design allows sound to be transmitted between two transmitter/receivers as sound induces the vibration of the diaphragm, which is then transmitted by the string to a second device.
The light-colored wooden body of the device is made of two closely-fitted pieces. A curved, vase-shaped piece has a wide opening for speaking or listening, then narrows to a curved neck before expanding to a circular mouth with rounded edges. A circular diaphragm made of hide is stretched across the opening. A short section of string or twine pierces it in the center.
The design allows sound to be transmitted between two transmitter/receivers as sound induces the vibration of the diaphragm, which is then transmitted by the string to a second device.
Signedunsigned
Functiontransmission of sound via vibration
ProvenanceUnkown origin (curatorial remark).