Antique Brass Candlestick Telephone Circa 1915–1925 For Sale

• Antique Western Electric Brass Candlestick Telephone – American Bell – c.1917–1925
  
• Type: Candlestick telephone with separate receiver (handset)
• Era:Circa 1917–1925
• Style:
  
• Early examples were used by Bell System / AT&T and independent telephone companies
• Brass construction with a round transmitter (“mouthpiece”) on top and a side-mounted receiver hook
• 
  
• Dial: The rotary dial indicates it’s later than the very earliest candlestick phones, most of which originally had no dial and were operator-connected. Many were retrofit with dials in the 1910s–1920s, which appears to be the case here.

Likely manufacturers

• Western Electric

• Rotary dial present
• Appears complete and display-worthy

Exact manufacturer

Western Electric Company

How we know

• The yellow dial center card reads “American Bell Telephone Company”, which is exclusive to Western Electric–made phones for the Bell System.
• The dial style (metal finger wheel with separate finger stop) matches a Western Electric No. 2 / early No. 4 rotary dial.
• The perforated steel base plate with felt feet is classic Western Electric construction.
• Overall form matches Western Electric’s standard Bell System candlestick sets.

Model identification

Most likely:

• Western Electric Model 51AL (desk candlestick)
• Many were retrofit with rotary dials between ~1917–1925, exactly like yours

Date range

Circa 1917–1925 (original candlestick body slightly earlier, dial added later)

Updated value (with confirmed maker)

Western Electric examples are the most collectible:

• $650+ — restored and Bell-line compatible

Your example, with correct Bell dial and original patina, realistically sits around $300–375.

Best way to list it

Use the Bell System pedigree prominently:

Antique Western Electric Brass Candlestick Telephone – American Bell – c.1917–1925