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North H-Series Desk Sets

Highlighting Variations of North manufactured desk sets

©2002-11 paulf.  All rights reserved.
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North Metal phone -- North dial

North H-series Model Numbers

Prefix numbers of 3 to 7 have been reported.

A North catalog highlighting 7H sets offers the following suffix codes:

 6
Desk Set - Standard
41
Desk Set - Pushbutton
43
Desk Set - Turnkey
8
Wall Set
x4
Set with added Hook Switch Latch (for party line use)
   (e.g. 7H64 - Desk Set with latch)

H-270 stamped on the inside of the bottom plate is the part number for the "Base Assembly,"
which is common to the desk and wall sets.

North Desk Set -- front Most NORTH dial desk sets look like this from the front.  AE dials are most commonly found; occasionally Western Electric or Kellogg dials; and rarely North dials.
North Desk Set -- back NORTH BAKELITE SETS have distinctive vents, a generous hand grip and the cases are well marked, although in small letters, along the bottom edge. 
North Desk Set - metal - back NORTH METAL SETS (early production units) have a similar handgrip, but no vents and no name on the back.
North Party Line Hookswitch NORTH PARTY LINE SETS have a small button on the right of the cradle.  When the handset is lifted, the plungers pop up part way, and the receiver is activated.  You can listen to activity on the line without interrupting any ongoing conversations.

In theory, if the line is free you can then push the button, releasing the plungers and activiating the transmitter and dial.  Great for evesdropping without risk of your gasps or guffaws being overheard.

These sets also had frequency sensitive ringers.
 
This one has a Kellogg dial.

(Sorry for the photo distortion on the close-ups.)


Party line sets also have frequency-tuned ringers.  (Click for details.)

North Military set - back

North Military set - dial


NORTH MILITARY SETS (TP-6-A) have no vents, a simpler hand grip and are clearly marked.  Note the rubber fitting around the cord hole, and that the line cord exits out the back, while the handset cord exits on the side.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The (AE or Telephonics) dials often have patriotic number cards and have a black dust shield under the fingerwheel.

North Copy
 
 

COPIES are usually plain (or have a non-north logo) and have a small handgrip.
 

Dials may have a visible external bolt on the fingerstop.

 If you've read this far, congratulations -- you're a certified North fanatic.  Your reward is a view of some favorite phones:

North Metal phone -- North dial      

NORTH Metal base deskset with NORTH dial and stainless fingerwheel.

North desksets: 2 ivory, one white

               NORTH desksets: Ivory with WE dial and brass fingerwheel
(6H6 SL I   8/47),
White with black handset and North dial and stainless fingerwheel
(7H64 H D  1952),
Ivory with North dial and matching fingerwheel
(7H6 3 SLO IV  9/52).
 
These were not painted, but cast from colored plastic.  The two ivory sets are now different shades due to different exposure to UV and other environmental stresses.
 
Colors made included black, mahogany, green, ivory, maroon, royal blue, chinese red and rose beige.
I believe the ivory sets were the only ones that have brass-banded handsets.

For more on colors: click here.

Back to North Desk Sets and Copies.




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©2002-11 paulf.  All rights reserved.