Antique 19th Century (late 1800s) Early Bell Telephone, Gray Pay Station Cast Iron Wall Payphone Telephone

 

Description from the seller: I have tried every way I can think of, including an “optical” search and I cannot find another example of this Cast Iron figural Bell, Pay Telephone on the internet. I was able to find an example in the book “100 Years of Bell Telephone” and we have added two photographs at the bottom showing the Bell-Shaped Pay Phone attached to a wall phone. What we are selling is the cast iron, Gray Telephone Pay Station, which is part of the Bell Wall Telephone. This phone retails its original blue and with silver letters "N.E.T. & T. Co." This stands for the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company. they were in business from 1878 to 1879, before they were bought by Bell Telephone Company. The name was revised later by Bell Telephone but is not the original company. This rare and important Pay Telephone is marked, “Gray Telephone Pay Station Company Hartford Ct. U.S.A. Pat. Fe. 4th, 1876. Other Patent Pending.” Where the arm attaches to the bell there is marked “Patent Feb. 23 Aug 30, 1892” and at the bottom of the adjustable arm is patent dates Feb. 28, 1892. The 3 ½” diameter Bell Telephone chrome mouthpiece is complete with a 1 ¾” diameter thermoplastic mouthpiece. The chrome is marked “Property of the American Bell Telephone Company” and was patented, “Aug. 2, 81, Dec. 6, 81, Feb 
24, 85, July 9, 89, Nov. 17, 91 and Nov. 1, 92.”
This very rare Cast Iron Pay Telephone is in original, unrestored condition. There is a chip to the edge of the mouthpiece, but that’s it. The iron bell measures 9” by 7 ¾” by 4” thick and the arm & mouthpiece are 11 ½” long. Value: SOLD at auction for $12,100.00 in 2021