Early French telephone

This is a beautiful French telephone. This just exudes elegance was not just a telephone but designed to be a piece of art. This is sold a non working collectors item.

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I fell in love with this telephone when I found it at a fair. I know nothing about it other than the seller told me it is French and he had seen it listed in a book of early French telephones. I would guess the age of this would be around 1920. As you can see it is quite ornate with a lovely patterned stem. The mouth and ear piece is in the shape of what I would describe as a shell. The nickel plating is worn and much of the brass is exposed and it looks to have been well used. I could have stripped what was left of the plating and re nickelled it but I think it looks great with the used patina. The wooden base is beautiful and wonderfully formed. It looks to have been designed and manufactured to please the eye. It is not a working item and I have not taken the base off and have no idea what is inside as the screws have a filler of some kind over them and I would not want to spoil it. I have never seen a telephone like it and this would make a wonderful collectors piece or ornament. Any information would be most welcome. For all I know it may be a very sought after telephone but either way it is beautiful. Approx sizes are Height 12" Base Height is 1 3/4" Width 6" depth front to back 6" Handset part 6 1/2" excluding hanger hook loop. 
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