Double Bell Hard Rubber Conversation Tubes
These conversation tubes have no maker's markings or date information on
them.
However these conversation tubes likely
date from somewhere around 1880 to 1900 or so.
Interestingly enough, double-bell conversation tubes were not
designed primarily for hard-of-hearing people. See their real uses at
the bottom of this page.
A view of the coiled black double bell conversation tube. The overall length of
this conversation tube including both bells
is 42". This conversation tube weighs 11 oz.
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Top view of the brown double-bell conversation tube. The black and brown
conversation tubes are identical except that the brow tube is 1" longer.
The outside diameter of both of these conversation tubes are ¾" which
was the typical maximum size of conversation tubes. The diameter is
constant throughout, whereas regular conversation tubes often had a
tapered tube.
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The double-bell conversation tube had some interesting uses. It could be
used by a hard-of-hearing couple. The husband held one bell up to his
ear while his wife talked into the other bell. Then they switched—the
husband moved the bell to his mouth and his wife held the bell to her
ear. That way they could hear each other without shouting. A second
use was for when a young couple was courting. Since they were
chaperoned, they'd get no privacy, and since touching was forbidden, the
beau couldn't whisper "sweet nothings" into his girl's ear. The way
around it was a "courting tube". The double bell conversation tube fit
the bill admirably. They could whisper to each other without touching
and without being overheard as this picture from the
Hearing Health and Technology Matters website shows.
A third use for the double-bell conversation tube was for use in
noisy railroad carriages where two businessmen want to carry on a
private conversation without shouting to be heard over the background
noise. In fact, they even had special double-bell conversation tubes
that wrapped up and hid inside the men's top hats when not in use!
"In the year 1845, the Gutta-Percha Company was formed to produce
'speaking tubes'. These 'small and cheap Railway Conversation Tubes',
according to company publicity, enabled parties 'to converse with ease
and pleasure, whilst travelling, not
withstanding the noise of the train. This can be done in so soft a
whisper as not to be overheard even by a fellow traveler. They are
portable, and will coil up so as to be placed inside a hat'." (from "Of
Trumpets and Tubes").
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