two-button switches

[Chad Fabry]

I'm in the market for vintage ceramic (about 60) two-button switches and un-restored brass cover plates. I also need 7 three-way and 2 four-way.

I'm not as fussy about mother of pearl button caps.

Anyone?

[ericwlewis]

I'm assuming you saw these and don't want plastic...

http://www.houseofantiquehardware.com/p ... ton-switch

[emalernee]

Chad,

Try this company.

http://www.houseofantiquehardware.com/p ... ton-switch

[Bill Kibbel]

I recommend reproductions. Kyle, the switchplate artist, carries quite an assortment of them. Google Kyle Designs.

If you need original, try Ohmega Salvage.

[Tom Raymond]

These are some nice repro's, but they're not cheap.

http://www.rejuvenation.com/search?q=tw ... n+switches

[Les]

I've got maybe 6-7 of single pole and maybe 6-8covers out in the barn - somewhere. You need some real numbers.

good luck!

[John Kogel]

Saw one in a bucket at Sid's Salvage the other day. I wouldn't want to rely on old used stock, tho.

[Chad Fabry]

Thanks, guys.

I had some repros and they sucked. I have several old switches that have been in daily use for 95 years. I figured I'd try some used switches.

Kibbel's link to Kyle's looks promising- the switch buttons look exactly like the originals I have and the bodies look nicer than the repros that are failing.

At $14 a switch, I'll do a room or two a month

[Austin023]

I have had very good luck finding decent used/vintage and even NOS on eBay....usually they run about $10-15 each and often you can find a bunch being sold in a lot for good prices. I totally agree that the old ones from the 1910s and 20s were made much better than the expensive reproductions.

One of the push button switches I found in my travels (still in great working condition with mother of pearl buttons) was removed from a house built circa 1905 during rewiring, with a patent date of Aug 30, 1897. The good ones have all-ceramic housings, not Bakelite or other plastics.

You can even find those "turn" switches occasionally on there as well (not the surface mount type, but the type that goes in a standard device box in the wall and has a brass plate with one hole for the knob); those are quite interesting if you can get a hold of one--though they command rather high prices of $35 or more usually.

[Austin023]

I also wanted to include that the old ceramic switches are pretty easy to inspect internally & clean out/repair if needed and so desired. I always check the contacts inside them to make sure they are still nice and tight and free of dust/debris--and I slightly oil the mechanism if needed. Only if the rocker inside or the ceramic housing is broken are you really out of luck with these....they were made to literally last a lifetime.

[Norcal]

Some Asian import reproduction switches are rather cheesy in construction, the terminal screws are tiny & most suitable for 16 AWG conductors, maybe 14 AWG, the vintage ones are quite robust in comparison.

[Tom Raymond]

These were at yesterdays inspection.

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I liked these better.

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This gig was postponed twice because after the seller accepted an offer she decided she wanted to keep the light fixtures.

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I don't normally do inspections at noon on Sunday, at least there were snacks...

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...dill pickles from 1956. There were all kinds of preserves but the pickles were the most, well, photogenic.

[Chad Fabry]

Nice lights. We were fortunate; our house had most of its original fixtures from 1926.