Home
>> Original
Restored Telephones >> Bakelite
Telephones >>
Bell Bakelite Desk Telephone
THE Classic BELL Telephone - professionally restored,
and supplied with our peace of mind guarantee
Need urgent UK Delivery within
24 hours ? Usually no problem, and
no extra charge. For advice on buying
a TELEPHONE, call us
7 days a week on UK Freephone 0800 01 88844
Our range of original Bell Telephones have been restored
to full working order, and represent excellent value for
money. These original metal bodied phones from the late
1940s-1950s with bakelite handsets were made by Bell in
Antwerp and widely exported. What distinguishes the telephones
is the fine gold inlay pattern on the top of the phone body.
These phones will work in virtually every country and, in
many cases - if you let us know beforehand - we can make
sure the telephone is delivered with the correct plug for
your telephone network. All telephones have a 12 month guarantee.
We also offer the wall version of this telephone (see bottom
of page). |
|
Bell
- : The establishment of Bell Telephone Manufacturing Company on 26th April 1882, was an ambitious undertaking aimed at "the production, sale, purchase and leasing of equipment for telephony and telegraphy and everything directly or indirectly related to electricity".
The founders included Francis Welles, delegate of the American Western Electric Company (after whom the square in front of the Bell Tower was named), Louis De Graaf, authorised agent of the International Bell Telephone Company, and a number of local dignitaries.
After 1883—Bell then had some 35 employees—the workshops were accommodated in a small factory in Boudewijnstraat. The Bell products were sold in numerous far-off export markets right from the early years. Around the turn of the century, the workforce had increased to 700 and the original building and already been greatly expanded.
Before the First World War, ambitious activities were developed: the launching of the automatic telephone exchanges. The 1920s were golden years for the then Bell Telephone Company. All this was due to the company's unique Rotary telephone system which was a winner right from the start.
As one of the European associate companies of Western Electric, BTMC was transferred in 1925 from Bell (i.e. AT&T) ownership to the new International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation (ITT) established in 1920 [this association ended on 1st January 1987 upon take-over by the then Compagnie Générale d'Electricité (CGE), now Alcatel Alsthom].
The rapid penetration of automatic telephony in numerous countries resulted in remarkable expansion for Bell. The workforce grew steadily, reaching a pre-war high in 1927 with over 11,000 employees. |
|
|