AT&T receiver
Date: 1895-1899
Inventory Number: 8077b
Classification: Telephone
Subject:
Maker: Western Electric Company (1881 - 1995)
Maker: American Telephone and Telegraph Company (1885 - 2005)
Cultural Region:
Place of Origin:
Dimensions:
6 × 7.2 × 4.3 cm (2 3/8 × 2 13/16 × 1 11/16 in.)
Material:
Description:
A telephone receiver, likely made by American Telephone and Telegraph Co. (AT&T) known as a "watchcase" style receiver, because of its compact shape. The device consists of a short cylindrical case, made of black-painted brass, topped by a hard-rubber screw-on receiver with a molded, dish-shaped earpiece. The earpiece has a circular opening in the base of the dish, through which a diaphragm may be seen.
Inscribed on the rounded edge of the earpiece is, "PROPERTY OF THE AMERICAN BELL TELEPHONE CO."
The back of the case has a pair of slot headed screws securing a flat tap, curved to form a hanging loop for hanging the receiver. Three additional screws secure the case in position. On the side are three small circular openings. Two openings have tubular terminal connections protruding from them.
Inscribed on the rounded edge of the earpiece is, "PROPERTY OF THE AMERICAN BELL TELEPHONE CO."
The back of the case has a pair of slot headed screws securing a flat tap, curved to form a hanging loop for hanging the receiver. Three additional screws secure the case in position. On the side are three small circular openings. Two openings have tubular terminal connections protruding from them.
Signedsigned: PROPERTY OF THE AMERICAN BELL TELEPHONE CO.
FunctionConversion of electrical impulses into sound for output by telephone
Curatorial RemarksOld tag: "DPCR 8077b"
ProvenanceJefferson Laboratory, Physics Department, Harvard University
