Swedish field telephone
1900
Sumter Telephone Mfg. Co. #19 Rope Shaft Candlestick
1900

Swedish American Telephone Co. potbelly with original decal across the faceplate

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Swedish-AmericanSwedish-American1899–1902Incorporated in December 1899 in Chicago by John S. Gullborg, a Swedish-born inventor, and Ellsworth B. Overshiner, an Indiana telephone exchange operator. The "Swedish" name was strategic — Swedes were widely regarded as masters of telephony, thanks to L.M. Ericsson's global reputation. The company imported some Ericsson components from Sweden and manufactured oak magneto wall phones, including the popular Hercules model known for its durability on heavily loaded lines. Based in the Andersonville neighborhood at 5235 N. Ravenswood Avenue (now on the National Register of Historic Places), the company operated until around 1923. · Potbellies, Candlesticks, American · Source/via: Pete D'Acosta (website)
Swedish American Telephone Co. potbelly with original decal across the faceplate

About This Phone

When I acquired this candlestick I was unsure if the decal across the faceplate of the transmitter was original to the telephone or not. And then I came across the original ad from an 1903 Telephone Magazine, and a page from a 1902 Catalog. Take a look at the picture and you will see that this was a factory decal attached to some Swedish-American telephone transmitters, including this potbelly. Rare, original glass "Whispering Mouthpiece" and a marked Swedish-American outside terminal receiver. This potbelly is in outstanding original condition.