Wall telephone top box, model 5728, timber / brass/ electrics, designed and manufactured by British Western Electric Co., used by the NSW Govt, Australia, c1900

Wall telephone top box. Part of larger wall telephone. Microphone attached to front of box and above it 2 bells. Magnet handle at right hand side of box and receiver sits in cradle on left side.

The lower box (not included in this acquisition) held the power cells. Initially glass LeClanche type cells, later replaced by the zinc-carbon dry cells that are sometimes still found inside the phones (the old blue and red Everreadys, about 4-5 inches high with brass terminals).

There were two sized bottom boxes - to hold either two or three cells. The three-cell models were usually called "long distance phones" because the extra cell could carry a voice signal over much longer distances. They were quite popular in Australia with the PMG and the state railways, because of the long phone lines in use.

designed and manufactured by British Western Electric Co.

Gift of NSW Govt, 1953

B1202

265 mm

250 mm

200 mm