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There's a fire alarm box on eBay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Gamewell-Fire- ... 3406645527

Curiously, the fire alarm box displays station #548. My listing of Victor fire alarm box numbers ends at 451.

Just wondering if there are known reproductions of these boxes, or if the Gamewell chart was printed before more alarm boxes were utilized.

Raphael

My listing also only goes up to 451..... box sure looks legit..

blizz

I think it is because the charts are from the RCA era and the boxes were from the VTM days. I think some of the building may have been closed by this time. Steve

This Alarm Box is correct. Number 548 is the last box number on my chart. It's listed as building 5, floor 7, South West location.

Rob

Hi Rob

Could you please post a picture of your chart... I have a suspicion that the chart that Raphael and I have must be a later edition as Steve said and possibly building #5 was already history when our Alarm Location Charts were printed.

Would like to see the differences in the charts if possible.

Thanks in advance

Blizz

Could you please post a picture of your chart... I have a suspicion that the chart that Raphael and I have must be a later edition as Steve said and possibly building #5 was already history when our Alarm Location Charts were printed.

Would like to see the differences in the charts if possible.

This seems to be an earlier chart listing the alarm boxes in numerical order. Looks like building #5 was discontinued on the later chart.

Rob

Thanks a lot Rob,,, looks like RCA is still printed at the top.... appreciate the picture

Blizz

Yes,it does seem that the box on eBay is authentic.

I did a little research, and in the authoritative "bible" of fire alarm boxes "History of the Fire Alarm and Police Telegraph" by Paul Roncallo, several pages are devoted to the Victor boxes. In fact, mine (#164) is displayed prominently. The author states that a fair number of reproduction covers were made and attached to standard fire alarm boxes. He goes into some detail about distinguishing originals from repros. The book is available on Amazon, albeit at a very high price.

Raphael

i know they made some fronts out of plastic and gave them to management. My only concern with the one listed on ebay was that they could not open the box to show the works. I was told a long time ago that the inner works to these victor alarm boxes were specific to this model and could not be married with another box. It brought a fair price for being the highest numbered box. Steve

The eBay auction ended close to $2800.

Then I just saw this on Instagram...