Vintage phone RTT 56 B - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

kalee99 · 2nd Jul 2008, 9:07 pm

Hi all,
just picked this up at a nice car boot anyone know anything about it?
It has a heavy metal (mazak)? base containing a double bell, and the usual bits (mechanical dial). Handset is heavy bakelite.

Nickthedentist · 2nd Jul 2008, 9:37 pm

Picture?

kalee99 · 2nd Jul 2008, 9:43 pm

Hi,
Pictures attached been busy doing chores for "her indoors"

Paul.

Nickthedentist · 2nd Jul 2008, 10:25 pm

Hi Paul,

Googling would suggest that it's Belgian. A lot seem to crop up on eBay etc.

About RTT, Wikipedia says:

"The national telegraph and telephone company (RTT) was set up on 19 July 1930. The public-sector company thus became autonomous: it was no longer dependent on annual State budgets and was authorized to carry out its own management."

Nick.

Darren-UK · 3rd Jul 2008, 9:16 am

These telephones were produced by Bell at Antwerp for the one-time Belgian telecoms company RTT, as Nick has said, and they were in production until the later 1960's. The same instrument was also common in the Netherlands I believe.

Commonly they were finished in either black or cream. This could be either a plain finish or, more often than not, decorated with gold transfers. Most also had an RTT badge on the front of the case. Sometimes this was a transfer, sometimes it was a little metal badge held in place by two metal pins.

Your instrument, Paul, has obviously and unfortunately been stripped of its original finish. There seems to be no evidence that it once had a metal RTT badge either, so was likely the transfer version.

The case is indeed a casting, but I wouldn't care to say of what. They are heavy but seem rather too heavy for something like Mazak. Some, presumably older versions, had a brass carrying handle fitted. When out of use this dropped neatly around the front of the casing. Yours does not appear to have been adorned with this feature.

Common, as has been said, on eBay, at car boots and in so-called antiques centres, they can be converted for use on UK telecoms networks. The bellset is somewhat softer sounding compared to the UK 200/300/700 series.

kalee99 · 3rd Jul 2008, 12:01 pm

Thanks everyone,
I have indeed found it to of Belgian manufacture. Rather well made and all the workings are OK; Don't know why it is in a "naked" (no paint), finish? If it has been stripped then someone did a very good job on it as not a trace remains anywhere!
I will repaint it and wire it up for used here in my "den". Will submit pictures when finished.
Paul

2nd Jul 2008, 9:07 pm	#1
kalee99 Rest in Peace Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyneside, UK. Posts: 420	Vintage phone RTT 56 B Hi all, just picked this up at a nice car boot anyone know anything about it? It has a heavy metal (mazak)? base containing a double bell, and the usual bits (mechanical dial). Handset is heavy bakelite.

2nd Jul 2008, 9:37 pm	#2
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,865	Re: Vintage phone RTT 56 B Picture?

2nd Jul 2008, 9:43 pm	#3
kalee99 Rest in Peace Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyneside, UK. Posts: 420	Re: Vintage phone RTT 56 B Hi, Pictures attached been busy doing chores for "her indoors" Paul. Attached Thumbnails

2nd Jul 2008, 10:25 pm	#4
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,865	Re: Vintage phone RTT 56 B Hi Paul, Googling would suggest that it's Belgian. A lot seem to crop up on eBay etc. About RTT, Wikipedia says: "The national telegraph and telephone company (RTT) was set up on 19 July 1930. The public-sector company thus became autonomous: it was no longer dependent on annual State budgets and was authorized to carry out its own management." Nick.

3rd Jul 2008, 9:16 am	#5
Darren-UK Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Blackpool, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 4,061	Re: Vintage phone RTT 56 B These telephones were produced by Bell at Antwerp for the one-time Belgian telecoms company RTT, as Nick has said, and they were in production until the later 1960's. The same instrument was also common in the Netherlands I believe. Commonly they were finished in either black or cream. This could be either a plain finish or, more often than not, decorated with gold transfers. Most also had an RTT badge on the front of the case. Sometimes this was a transfer, sometimes it was a little metal badge held in place by two metal pins. Your instrument, Paul, has obviously and unfortunately been stripped of its original finish. There seems to be no evidence that it once had a metal RTT badge either, so was likely the transfer version. The case is indeed a casting, but I wouldn't care to say of what. They are heavy but seem rather too heavy for something like Mazak. Some, presumably older versions, had a brass carrying handle fitted. When out of use this dropped neatly around the front of the casing. Yours does not appear to have been adorned with this feature. Common, as has been said, on eBay, at car boots and in so-called antiques centres, they can be converted for use on UK telecoms networks. The bellset is somewhat softer sounding compared to the UK 200/300/700 series.

3rd Jul 2008, 12:01 pm	#6
kalee99 Rest in Peace Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyneside, UK. Posts: 420	Re: Vintage phone RTT 56 B Thanks everyone, I have indeed found it to of Belgian manufacture. Rather well made and all the workings are OK; Don't know why it is in a "naked" (no paint), finish? If it has been stripped then someone did a very good job on it as not a trace remains anywhere! I will repaint it and wire it up for used here in my "den". Will submit pictures when finished. Paul