Comments on: Victorian Speaking Tube: Deja Vu

By: kive kerr

kive kerr — Mon, 19 May 2008 00:34:09 +0000

I would be interested in 4 to 6 of the tubes at least. Please let me know and we’ll go from there. Thanks, Kive

By: nadja michaud

nadja michaud — Tue, 13 May 2008 21:47:04 +0000

Yes. More and more people are restoring old homes. I just ordered some old-fashioned push-button light switches and the matching wall plates, so speaking tubes comes next. I would be interested in buying two tubes. Someone suggested to me that ship suppliers might have these also. Apparently they were used on ships before telephones and electronics. Let us know when and if you get some prides. I am in Indianapolis.

By: Jody Oster

Jody Oster — Sat, 10 May 2008 02:47:56 +0000

Met with the jeweler today and she is interested in giving it a go. The easiest/cheapest way to make reproductions is out of brass sheet and/or standard brass tubing and we will need to find the whistle mechanism (as opposed to making it). There is a lot of hand work involved, soldering etc. The lever and spring should be available or easily fabricated. I think the whistle mechanism is similar to what is on the whistling tea kettles and perhaps this is available in bulk but i don’t know for sure. I plan on taking the prototype/original and making some exploded,detailed prints but this could be expensive and the original is tin, I think nickel plated. The original is also lockseamed, meaning it was made out of flat stock, soldered lengthwise as opposed to standard tubing. I am told that nobody makes stuff out of tin anymore and there is a place here in Ohio that will nickel plate brass. If I could reproduce the original out of brass or nickel plated brass, what do you folks think is a fair price? Modern tube vs. soldered flat stock??? I’m thinking that I will have one made either way but it would get increasingly cheaper as the number goes up. Should we bring back the speaking tube? Give me some feedback.

By: RH

RH — Tue, 06 May 2008 11:18:30 +0000

Thanks, Jody. Please do let us know how it goes!

By: Jody Oster

Jody Oster — Tue, 06 May 2008 02:27:31 +0000

So, it looks like others are looking for the mouth pieces. I will be meeting with a jewelry maker to see if she can reproduce the original for a reasonable sum. If you need to replace a section of the lockseam tube, we found that shower curtain rod fits perfectly if you bell out the end a bit. It’s cheap too. Good luck. Will let you know on the reproduction possibility.

By: Kive Kerr

Kive Kerr — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:03:55 +0000

Glad to see others like us! We have a 1904 Victorian in Oklahoma and there is a speaking tube from the kitchen to the master bedroom. We also need some more of the mouthpiece units. Ours is exactly like the one in the ad. Please let us know if you find anyone who has them or can reproduce them! Thanks again, Kive

By: RH

RH — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 22:02:21 +0000

Did you see this?

By: nadja michaud

nadja michaud — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:32:18 +0000

I am looking for 2 tube2 also. I called House of Antique Hardware and they suggested two sites but no luck so far. I wonder if someone could build them. The original equipment is still in our walls (the house was built in 1913) but when my parents did some re-modeling the tubes got lost. I am restoring some of the original push button switches and and want to put the tubes back in place also. So please let me know of any sources.

Thanks,
nmichaud

By: Jody Oster

Jody Oster — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:06:21 +0000

Wow. This is the first time in our search for information about the elusive speaking tubes that any internet searches have revealed anything close to what we were looking for. We purchased a home in Ohio built 1901. We too have the speaking tube system depicted in the print ad attached to your inquiry. However, we have an actual speaking tube - pictured in the ad. It’s exactly like the one pictured and we think its made of nickel plated tin. It is in perfect working condition, however, we have only one and are therefore on the search ourselves for a mate. We are looking into having someone make one for us. Let us know if you are interested and if we find someone to make it, we’ll let you know. If you happen to find a source, please let me know as well.

Thanks,

JMOster

By: renovation therapy

renovation therapy — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:44:21 +0000

Very cool! Hmmm. Has he tried to contact some of the antique telephone collector organizations? I bet they would totally know where to source it from. Here’s one group (there are several)…

http://atcaonline.com/