Loeffler phone

Description

This rather unassuming device from the Berlin-based company Loeffler & Co. represents an early stage in telephone technology, when calls were still manually connected by operators. The metal body with nickel-plated details and a large wooden base was well-crafted, providing the telephone not only with functionality but also a certain period aesthetic value. The microphone is classically fixed at the top of the “candlestick,” while the receiver rests on the left side on a hook. Some models featured a second receiver for the possibility of monitoring. The absence of a dial indicates its integration into a switched system, where the phone served as a terminal station connected to a switchboard. In this way, official and military communication was conducted in the former Empire. Loeffler devices are now rare collector’s artifacts that document the birth of modern telephony in Germany.

Details

ID
T 0288
Object
telefon
Type
manuální, bez číselníku
Classification
- 20th century telecommunications technology
- historical design
Technical specification
Connection type: manual via an operator at the central office.
Manufacturer
Loeffler & Co.
Manufactured in
Germany
Dated
1905 - 1920
Collection relationship (age)
discoveries
Format
160 x 130 x 280 mm
Material: Wood, metal.
Condition
Original, well preserved.
Location
MC-S