Picked this up at a garage sale recently, not sure what it is. Some kind of switch for an old Telephone? Hope someone can help me identify it. Thanks in advance
Can't help you but that Quartersawn box is very nice!
Could be a portable telegraph box. Similar style boxes were carried on trains along with an extension pole and loop to hang over the wire for connection. If it is, it may be from the 1800s but some of the wire doesn't look correct.
I was going to guess telegraph sounder but aint sure.
it is a medical "quack" device. the box would contain a dry cell battery and you could administer a shock to any area that was ailing you. the modern name is "quack" device, as all sorts of claims were originally made for it's use. complete, they are collectible but this one appears to be missing some parts, noticeably the parts that would apply the shock to the patient.
Uh huh.
I think Tim may have it! Thanks for the help!
Looks real "Telegraphy"
There is a similar one on here
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-1898-Electro-Therapy-Quack-Medicine-Shock-Machin e-Cure-All-Machine-/200824186775?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ec20de797
Oh! Good call Tim !
i'm not as dumb as i look !
Yeah, that ebay box has the same coil.
Good one Tim! (On both accounts.)
Saw a similar device in an antique store once that was complete with instruction book. It had an assortment of "probes" and body attachment devices. I was reading the book that came with it and the cure for constipation involved insertion of one probe into a body orifice while the other was placed nearby and there was little doubt in my mind that the device might in fact have done the job for at least that one particular affliction.