I spotted this at an antique fair recently and thought it had great presence as well as being a very unusual variation of its type. Back in the 19th Century devices such as this were vital to ensure the message could travel long distances down the lines without fading out. At strategic points along the line a repeater or relay such as this would pick up the incoming signal and then forward it on afresh.
Sadly this example has lost its name plate and despite trawling hundreds of patent docs online I have still not been able to work out who made it. The extra long arm and the way the large lump of iron engages with the electro-magnets from the base is quite unusual. It looks to date to around the 1860s and has been beautifully made. This is offered in original untouched condition and has not been tested.
Approximate Dimensions: 29cm wide x 13cm deep x 24cm high
