antique reproductions

Paramount Collections 1892 Eiffel Tower Reproduction Phone
$54.00
This is a great novelty phone that works well and looks fantastic. But there are some flaws and design characteristics that detract from the phone.

First, the handle is plastic and feels very cheap. Wood or even a solid heavyweight plastic would have given it some heft and made it feel more authentic.

Also, the ringer is a modern, electronic sounding tone. Oh, you can crank the handle and hear the real ring, but when someone calls it sounds like one of those cheap 1980s electronic rings. The only adjustments are for ring volume, so we are kinda stuck with it. Even my cell phone has an old timey ring, so I don't understand why they couldn't put one on this phone.

If you have vision problems, this isn't the phone for you. The numbers on the buttons are a dark brown font on a black background and very difficult to read. Sure its just 0 through 9, but you have to strain to see the numbers from any distance. And forget it in low light.

Overall the phone looks great, but as soon as you handle it, the old timey charm dissipates. The frame is die-cast, but there is a lot of cheap feeling plastic used as well. the entire neck and platform above the dial are plastic, as well as the handle itself. I would have like to see more durable materials used.

The coiled handset cord is a nice cloth that has a modular jack at one end, but not the other. So if the cord frays, you can use any modern handset with the base. However there is no way to disconnect the cord from the handset, so I guess that is just trash (or a jerry-rigged repair). Time will tell how long it lasts, but for the money I wonder if we should have picked up an authentic antique phone instead.

Making Antique Furniture Reproductions: Instructions and Measured Drawings for 40 Classic Projects
$29.99
This is a great book for those interested in making period furniture reproductions. Gottshall wrote about 5 books on this topic, all of them excellent, must haves. Perhaps his best, my favorite, is Masterpiece Furniture Making, not to be confused with one of his other books, Making Furniture Masterpieces, also very good.

Antique Trader Guide to Fakes & Reproductions, 4th Edition
$24.99
nice guide to help you spot the fake items. handy carry size to take with you to the flea market.

Heirloom Antique Reproduction Style Sterling Silver Engagement or Wedding Band Ring Set with a 7mm Brilliant Round White Clear CZ Cubic Zirconia Boxed Size 8(Size 6,7,8)
$39.99
The ring's are stamped sterling silver and they were shipped to me in a timely manner. It's a nice ring but it looks better in the picture than it does in person.