L.M. Ericsson & Co. 1914 telephone

LM Ericsson 1914 Telephone

L.M. Ericsson & Co. was a world leader in telephone manufacturing, and their products were widely used across the globe. This phone is a classic example of their early 20th-century products.

The "1914" date refers to the year of manufacture. The "19/17" likely refers to the model number and a year of design or production, with "Stockholm" being the city of manufacture.

In the early 20th century the New Zealand Post and Telegraph Department sourced equipment from various international manufacturers. L.M. Ericsson was a prominent supplier, and their phones were known for their robust design and reliability.

This model, with its distinctive crank handle for a magneto and a separate handset, would have been used in a "manual exchange" system. To make a call, the user would crank the handle to generate a current, which would alert an operator at the central exchange. The operator would then manually connect the call.

This phone and others like it were in active use for internal communications in a South Island factory till it closed in the 1970's. I don't have a matching phone and batteries to test it, but the last time I used it ( early 1970's ) it was still working.

Note I'm listing separately a damaged case a couple of hand-pieces, the parts of a remote bell sounder, and a hand crank generator from a different model phone ( it's slightly larger than the one in this phone ).

I've brushed the dust off and given it a quick wipe but haven't otherwise cleaned it as I'm mindful of leaving the patina intact for you to restore as you wish.

The crown piece that screws to the top is intact, complete with original screws, but has been unscrewed to avoid damage when being stored. The crank handle is unscrewed in some photos as it needs to be removed to open the case.

Don't hesitate to ask questions.