19

enter image description here

Our neighbors have this mystery wall plate by their front door. We have the identical house (both built in 1929) and we don't have one. The fire department was there today to investigate a smoke alarm and they were apparently very puzzled by it.

It looks like a doorbell buzzer or similar above and a two-prong socket below, but the socket is smaller than modern and the blade holes are slightly canted toward each other.

Does anybody know what this is? Google image search failed me.

jeguyer
  • 333
  • 1
  • 7

1 Answers1

25

This is a Despard Wall Plate with the following devices:

Wall plate

I found an excellent website where a vintage switch enthusiast has laid it all out for us:

Outlet with slants

Vintage Bryant and Pass & Seymour Despard Convenience Outlets with Slanted Slot

These specialized bakelite electrical receptacles had a pair of blade slots where one was slanted or rotated in relation to the other in order to require a special plug for distinguishing the main and auxiliary contacts. These antique receptacles were often paired with pilot lights and used for electric irons or toasters for indicating they were in use. Sometimes you'll find versions of these unusual sockets with the angled slot marked GROUND and the straight slot ANTENNA; these were likely used for vintage radios. For more information see this original patent by Victor R Despard for this speciatlty outlet.

https://www.kyleswitchplates.com/despard-switches-outlets/

As the description mentions, this outlet is often paired with a Pilot Light. Only paint removal will tell, but you likely either have a pilot light or a push button on top.

enter image description here

I've never seen these, personally. No doubt they seem to have fallen out of favor with electricians.

Turbo
  • 478
  • 3
  • 6
  • Nice work. Way back I recall a few in similarly old houses, but never saw one in use. – Jon Custer Dec 07 '22 at 17:11
  • 2
    Upon investigation, the wire may lead to an antenna somewhere. – Turbo Dec 07 '22 at 20:05
  • 7
    Thank you for the quick detective work! I think my neighbors are contemplating keeping a toaster by the front door from now on. – jeguyer Dec 08 '22 at 15:11
  • 4
    Wait, there's "a vintage switch enthusiast"??? Who knew??!?!??! – FreeMan Dec 08 '22 at 16:44
  • @Freeman Right? It's a distributor, but they have blogs and blurbs that make me think a hobbyist is behind it all - http://kyleswitchplates.blogspot.com/2019/02/a-guide-to-despard-switches-wall-plates.html – Turbo Dec 08 '22 at 17:18
  • 2
    @FreeMan I found some old ceramic wire-nuts in my house and I deemed them worth keeping. I'm not sure if that makes me a vintage wire-nut enthusiast or not. – JimmyJames Dec 08 '22 at 17:39
  • 2
    LOL, Only if you start a web site, @JimmyJames! – FreeMan Dec 08 '22 at 17:52
  • 2
    @FreeMan There's a surprising amount of stuff that comes up on a search but no dedicated page. I'll put it on my list of things to get to later. I do find a lot of the things buried in the walls interesting. It's also disabused me of the notion that stuff was made better in the past. That's just an example of survivor bias. – JimmyJames Dec 08 '22 at 18:43