Hard Rubber Conversation Tube (3)
This hard rubber conversation tube has no name or maker's marks on
it. It was probably made somewhere around 1910. The overall length of
this hard rubber conversation tube was 42½" (107.9 cm). It weighed 8.4
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Overall view of the hard rubber conversation tube. Notice that the tube
itself tapers from an outside diameter of 13/16" (2.1 cm) at the bell
end to 7/16" (1.1 cm) at the ear tip end.
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Close-up view of the hard rubber conversation tube showing the brown,
woven fabric that covered the flexible metal tube.
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Close-up side view of the black hard rubber bell of this conversation
tube. The bell was 3¾" (9.5 cm) long.
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Rear view of the black hard rubber bell of this conversation tube.
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Close-up view of the bell of this hard rubber conversation tube. The
diameter of the bell is2 5/16" (5.9 cm).
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Close-up view of the inside of the bell of this hard rubber conversation
tube. If you look closely, you can see the end of the spiral, flexible
metal tube where it joins to the bell (center).
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Close-up view of the hard rubber earpiece of this conversation tube. The
earpiece measured 4⅛" (10.5 cm) long. The curved earpiece made it more
comfortable to hold and fit into your ear canal.
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Close-up of the ear tip of the hard rubber conversation tube showing the
sound bore in the center. This hole was quite small at ⅛" (0.3 cm) in
diameter.
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Ad from the 1908 Sears Roebuck catalogue. Prices ranged from $1.30 to $1.75 depending on
the quality.
Another ad from the Down Brothers catalogue of 1915 (not shown) list conversation
tube prices between $4.05 and $5.80.
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