REPLACEMENT/REPRODUCTION NUNGESSER ELECTRIC 1900 TYPE C DRY CELL POST 1906

Description

The units for sale are reproductions of the Type C 5" dry cell battery produced by the Nungesser Electric Company (NEC) in the early 1900s
The National Carbon Company (
NCC) was the first to commercially produce #6 dry cells on the Columbia label in 1896, and was the primary source of #6 dry cells for the auto industry and telephone companies in the early 1900s.
When Western Electric (WE) began producing its Blue Bell label dry cells around 1908, NEC and NCC's BELL  SYSTEM markets were reduced while continuing to supply non-Bell independent phone companies.  The NEC 1900 B, C, and #6 are listed (for
telephone use)
with an artist's depiction of the NEC 1900 #6 in the WE 1908 Catalog, indicative of an alternative source (among others) to the WE Blue Bell version
.  This unit closely resembles an artist's depiction in a trade magazine advertisement published in 1906.
I
f you have a WE 317 produced between 1908 and 1911 this reproduction could be historically correct for display inside.  Additional units will be produced based on future demand.
The units are configured
to produce 1.5V each with two C-Cell battery holders (wired in parallel), and feature
top entry access
for easy replacement of the batteries (not included) when necessary.  The potting material on the tops is
sealing wax which is similar in appearance to Pitch used in the original production
.  Cell dimensions (5-1/2”H X 2-1/8" Dia.), weight W/C-cells (
1.4 lbs
.), are loosely consistent with the original
Type C
dry cell with 8-32 screw terminals of that era.  Given the limited of availability of photographic images of the 1900 series dry cells, exact label colors and graphics are subject to question.