Featured Butler Bell Push Box

At an auction right now and this caught my eye.

Butler Push Bell Box with sterling veneer front

marks indicate London 1912

Never saw one with a sterling front

 

Did you bid on it? If so, did you win it?

 

Yes & yes. Unfortunately, I wasn’t the only one chasing it

and after quite some time digging through the interwebs, I can’t find another one to compare to. And not just the sterling component, the bell itself is unique too

the center of the bell has a red light annunciator that would illuminate in conjunction with the bell ringing. Bell has an internal striker rather than the more common external style, resulting in a cleaner look, imo.

the pusher is Bakelite and the spring button is good

the coil is missing from the box, but these were simple low voltage electric devices that would not be difficult to replace

I didn’t get any more pictures last night as I was focused on researching it til late, and I’m at work now. I did find the silversmith though…

 

At least some progress for all of your searching so far.

 

we had these but the bakelite pusher was above the beds ( not in my room )

the cord seems very long so I don't really understand where the butler was

( to need a silver front ....)

In films I've seen the pusher hanging behind the curtains, but I still don't see

where the butler would be ??? presuming the light is to call the butler ?

..... or his wife

 

Is it necessarily specific to a butler? Couldnt it be to summon front of house staff in a grand hotel? Perhaps for room service?

 

the cord is long, about 10’4” long

from what I was reading, the original non-electric version of the servant bell system involved a hanging pull that was connected to a copper wire that ran through walls along brass rockers and pivots to a bell on a spring located in the servant quarters or device areas in the house. When the pull was….pulled… in one room, the signal would ring the bell in another room to summon the help. The pull was often hidden behind curtains or decorated with ornately sewn fabrics to showcase the sewing skills of the lady of the house

When the electric versions became available, the wires in the walls were abandoned and the pull evolved to a “push”. The Bakelite push has a button that closes an electrical circuit when pushed. The cord is actually 2 braided copper wires inside a fabric covering. Inside the box, the wires transmit the signal (once the circuit is closed) to the coil to ring the bell and illuminate the light. The length of the cord limited how far the bell could be located from the push, so many times it would be on the wall directly outside the door. The push would be strategically located as needed and the cord would either be run through a small through-hole in the wall or it would travel in the corner of the door jamb, much like an early low-voltage door bell.

 

That use is possible, but the original evolution of these was for calling hired help

 

So upon further inspection, what I believed to be a red light is not a light after all. It’s just a red jewel that serves the purpose of keeping the bell on. Upon removing the bell….. I was thrilled to find the coils hiding underneath!

So my belief would be the box serves as a battery compartment for an early dry cell, though the connections would need repaired. With a little tinkering, this thing would likely run on a 9v battery

 

Edit: reply deleted

 

Someone queried why it had a silver facia. I was just trying to think of why this might be.

 

[QUOTE="JewelryPicker, Edit: reply deleted[/QUOTE]

oh well, another one bites the dust

 

Incorrect

I chose to take the high road and self-censor my reply.

 

Do you want me to delete my quote as well?

 

it may be too late for that....there's a time limit on editing posts..

 

Why?

 

I thought I'd quoted youd deleted post but I haven't. Just getting my bell wires crossed.