Telephone - L. M. Ericsson, Skeletal, circa 1892

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Summary:: Skeletal Telephone made by L. M. Ericsson, circa 1892. It was used in the Head Office of the Victorian Government Department of Mental Hygiene, circa 1900.

Ericsson Skeletal phones were manufactured from about 1892 until the late 1910s. The ram's horns or metal bars that form the legs are in actual fact the magnets that when the the handle is turned in the generator body creates ac voltage to signal the manual operator or in a point to point service the other phone at the other end.
Description:: Telephone has speaking piece with fretted tubular wooden handle (painted black) joining elegantly shaped ear and mouth pieces. Sits on ornate stand shaped like 2 ram's horns extending from cube on end of shaft which fits into top of bell- shaped column, sitting on brown oblong bakelite slab. On left side of this is attached vertical wheel (with semi-circular housing on side facing inward) with winding handle. Connects with one small cog directly below. 4 small screw on front of slab attach wires from cord of mouthpiece. Cord to mains comes out of left side of slab and has circular black metal box on end.4 legs are formed out of 2 thick metal bars (1 each side), twisted to give bowed effect from front or back and at side, etc. Australia's first standard desk set, PMG type 2, 1892.
Acquisition Information:: Donation from Office of Psychiatric Services

Discipline:	History
Dimensions:	33.00 cm (Height), 14.00 cm (Width), 21.50 cm (Length)

Tagged with:	psychiatric services, hospitals, communication equipment
Themes this item is part of:	Psychiatric Services Collection, Medicine in Society Collection, Public Life & Institutions Collection
Primary Classification:	MEDICINE & HEALTH
Secondary Classification:	Mental Health - Administration
Tertiary Classification:	equipment
Inscriptions:	RS/TELEFONA.T .ET is printed on worn paper label around mouthpiece cord.
Manufacturer:	L.M. Ericsson, Stockholm, Sweden, circa 1892
Place Used:	Victorian Government Department of Mental Hygiene, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, circa 1900
References:	card with exhibit.