Western Electric Co., est. 1869

5 thoughts on “Western Electric Co., est. 1869”

1. don sutton in downers grove, I am looking for info on the 1940s home phones my dad worked on that had coin boxes attached and a Bell system employee had to enter private residences to remove nickels and 5 cent tokens used to pay for the calls. I rode with him several times west of Kedzie ave on gravel streets in a 1940s ford coupe. thank you for any info or pictures, Don

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2. My father and his father both worked for WE. As such we have quite a collection of various WE ‘memorabilia’: antique wooden wall phone. 1937 black Bakelite desk phone, pictures of various WE sites, etc. I’d love to donate all to an interested party. Can you advise? Thank you

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3. Hello,

   I’ve found two items in my grandparents basement. They appear to be crank powered telephones in cast iron cases. They are very industrial and may have been used as an intercom system in a manufacturing plant.

   I’d me more than happy to send pictures in order to help identify exactly what these items are and if that have any value or significance to anyone.

   Regards,
   James

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4. I had purchased a Western Electric rotary dial white phone, it can be wall mounted, in 1986, a vintage model. It worked well and still do though I do not use a land line. It is very reliable and is heavy.

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   1. As a child in the 1940s I rode several times with my father in a ford coupe on the southwest side west of Kedzie to collect nickels and tokens from residetial homes for Ma Bell. I would like to find some info about this short period of time and possibly pics of the phones and home coin boxes. I remember the leather satchel my Dad carried the coins in and how he counted out the nickels and then rolled them for transport. He then either kept the tokens or was paid cash by the homeowner for their reuse. Any info or pics would be apprecciated. Don

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