About this object

The object is a telephone, manufactured .ca 1894 by Stromberg-Carlson. Both Stromberg and Carlson were employees of the Bell Company before quitting when the initial patents on the telephone expired because they believed that they could make a better telephone. This specific model used the first electromagnetic receiver in history, and used a more robust magneto which produced a higher voltage- making it ideal for use in rural areas along longer phone lines, earning it the nickname, “The Farmer’s Friend.” For more information on this phone, see this article by the Western Illinois Museum

Why this object matters

This is a phone that sits in my apartment. I found it in an antique shop and did light restoration work on it, making it theoretically functional. It’s a cool conversation piece in my apartment that has come to be part of my portfolio of restoring antique appliances to working order.