I have noticed phones with a handset (like the one in the image) have a little cover that resembles something like a cold camera shoe under the bottom of the handset’s top speaker holder. Is there a use for it? It has a line bump in the middle, but it doesn’t go all the way from both sides, it leaves a gap. I have also seem some of them have extra space on the top of the cover, and some don’t.

    • hperrin@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      And the even older design that didn’t even have a bell integrated in the base. The bell was in a separate bell box.

      • hperrin@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        Or one of these real old designs that didn’t even have a bell. It has a buzzer that’s barely audible (it might even just be the phone’s speaker, idk). Also, the microphone and the earpiece aren’t in a convenient handset.

        This one is a replica made in probably the 1970s or 1980s. It’s funny, when it was made it was a replica of something vintage, but now it actually is vintage.

    • RBG
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      7 months ago

      Well, cannot be wall-mounted like the one in your picture but those phones did get wall-mounted in slightly different shape. 1000038469

      • hperrin@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        Interesting. I’ve never seen a phone like that. Usually the wall mounted versions of the Model 500 had a hook for the handset in the front of the base to hang the handset vertically. This one looks like a different company than Western Electric though. I’m guessing it’s a UK company, because it’s 999 for emergencies (or at least it’s not US). You’ve got me curious enough I feel like I’m about to go down a rabbit hole.

        Edit: yep, it’s a UK company called GPO. This is their model 741:

        https://www.britishtelephones.com/t741.htm

        https://gpospares.co.uk/gpo-spares-gpo-bt-741-wall-dial-telephone-two-tone-grey.html

        What a cool design! I would love one for my collection.

        • Indie59@lemmy.world
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          7 months ago

          We had a yellow one like that hanging on our kitchen wall in Ohio, so they were definitely around.

        • RBG
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          7 months ago

          Oh, I was not aware you are into this as a collector, now I feel honored to be able to show you something new!

          I live in Europe, not the UK though, so maybe that explains why these are familiar to me. Although another user said they saw one in Ohio.