Wednesday, March 2, 2016 — I wasn’t expecting the doorbell to ring at 9:30 this morning, but it did, and did the pants-leg hop down the hallway, trying to get my pants up to my waist on my way to the door.
I was expecting a neighbor or a salesman, but it wasn’t — it was my mail carrier. I had a Priority Mail package to sign for, which I happily did!
I was super pleased with how well the seller packed the latest addition to my collection — a first-year 1905 Vibroplex. I don’t have time to shoot photos this evening, but I will soon.
The key is original (or at least period correct) and complete, with worn but intact finger and thumb pieces and a well-worn wedge cord. The condition is as-found, and I have not cleaned the key or its contacts.
The key’s serial number (stamped on the damper) confirms it is a first-year key. At some point in its working career, the key had the dot spring replaced with one that has a very unique dot stabilizer. The feet on the key have also been replaced.
The case the key was in had the door busted apart, though the lock on the latch is still intact (and locked!). The bottom of the case is split, but for the most part, its still intact. The door on the case could be rebuilt to make the case complete and more functional.
The Vibroplex style cases usually have a rail on both sides that lock the key base in place after it slides in the case. The rails on this case either were never there or have been work away or removed. There’s no velvet-like interior or padding, either.
OTHER OBSERVATIONS. The dot stabilizer is unique, and is more complicated than later ones I’ve seen.
There’s some sort of collar that’s been added to the far end of the weight rod. This collar is apparently placed to hit the damper wheel; I noticed the adjustment screw for the damper was adjusted to push the damper away from the base, and after seeing how the collar works, I understand why the adjustment screw on the damper is set the way it is.
The top of the main frame has the letters “ACC” stamped into the top on the left side.
There’s a signature written on the base that I did not see until I took flash photos of the base. I can’t make it out, but will look at it again.
The lock brand is Corbin; apparently it was good enough to trust your bug to — its still locked.
There’s a couple of hints of the original carriage striping; one can see a hint of cold on the right side near the terminals, and again on the front left corner.
I’m not sure if the case was a Vibroplex case or not (it may have been, or was purchased later on). There are indications there were once side rails in the base to secure the key. Interesting to note that the case does not use dovetails in how the sides, top and bottom fit together. The sides are basically nailed together and probably glued.
The flash photography did a good job of showing the surface of the metal parts and revealing that the nickel plating on some parts has held up well to the rigors of telegraph work.
Not the lack of a contact slide on the lever where the dash contact post meets the keying lever. Was this the original setup or a field modification by the owner?
The key seems to work freely; the lever travel is too wide right now, and I haven’t tried to adjust it. Maybe later.
This 1905 is a bit later serial number than the other one I own, but this one is more complete.
That’s it for show and tell … 73 es CUL de KY4Z SK … dit dit