Discover great deals on the many top brand items available only on eBay!


This site contains sponsored affiliate links.

Western Electric

Western Electric (sometimes abbreviated WE and WECo) was a US electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995 . It was the scene of a number of technological innovations and also some seminal developments in industrial management. more...

HomeHome
Accessories & CablesAccessories & Cables
AmplifiersAmplifiers
CD Players & RecordersCD Players & Recorders
Cassette DecksCassette Decks
CrossoversCrossovers
DVD Players & Recorders DVD Players & Recorders
Digital Music...Digital Music...
Digital Video Recorders, PVRDigital Video Recorders, PVR
EqualizersEqualizers
Headphones, HeadsetsHeadphones, Headsets
Home Audio MiscHome Audio Misc
Home Theater ProjectorsHome Theater Projectors
Home Theater in a Box Home Theater in a Box
KaraokeKaraoke
MiniDisc PlayersMiniDisc Players
OtherOther
PreamplifiersPreamplifiers
ProcessorsProcessors
RadiosRadios
ReceiversReceivers
Remote ControlsRemote Controls
Satellite Radio Satellite Radio
Satellite, Cable TVSatellite, Cable TV
Shelf, Compact SystemsShelf, Compact Systems
Speakers & SubwoofersSpeakers & Subwoofers
Televisions TVTelevisions TV
Tuners, AM/FMTuners, AM/FM
TurntablesTurntables
VCRsVCRs
Vintage ElectronicsVintage Electronics
8-Track Players8-Track Players
Amplifiers, Tube AmpsAmplifiers, Tube Amps
Books, Manuals, MagazinesBooks, Manuals, Magazines
CapacitorsCapacitors
Cassette DecksCassette Decks
Drivers & HornsDrivers & Horns
Other VintageOther Vintage
Preamplifiers, Tube PreampsPreamplifiers, Tube Preamps
RadiosRadios
ReceiversReceivers
Reel-to-Reel Tape RecordersReel-to-Reel Tape Recorders
SpeakersSpeakers
TelephonesTelephones
TelevisionsTelevisions
TransformersTransformers
TubesTubes
NOS TubesNOS Tubes
Other TubesOther Tubes
Tube SocketsTube Sockets
Vacuum TubesVacuum Tubes
General ElectricGeneral Electric
MullardMullard
Other BrandsOther Brands
RCARCA
SylvaniaSylvania
Western ElectricWestern Electric
Tuners, Tube TunersTuners, Tube Tuners
TurntablesTurntables
Wholesale LotsWholesale Lots

It also served as the purchasing agent for the member companies of the Bell system.

In 1856, George Shawk, purchased an electrical engineering business in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1869, he became partners with Enos N. Barton and, later the same year, sold his share to inventor Elisha Gray. In 1872 Barton and Gray moved the business to Clinton Street, Chicago, Illinois and incorporated it as the Western Electric Manufacturing Company. They manufactured a variety of electrical products including typewriters, alarms and lighting and had a close relationship with the telegraph company Western Union to whom they supplied relays and other equipment.

In 1875, Gray sold his interests to Western Union, including the caveat that he had filed against Alexander Graham Bell's patent application for the telephone. The ensuing legal battle over patent rights, between Western Union and the Bell Telephone Company, ended in 1879 with the former company withdrawing from the telephone market and the latter acquiring Western Electric in 1881.

Western Electric Company was the first company to join in a Japanese joint venture with foreign capital. It invested in Nippon Electric Company, Ltd. in 1899, now known as NEC Corporation. Western Electric held 54% of NEC at the time. Their representative in Japan was Walter Tenney Carleton.

Despite the existence of 1300 Independent telephone companies, the Bell System, popularly known as Ma Bell, had an effective monopoly on both long distance and local telephone service from 1881, until its break-up in 1984. AT&T secured all urban areas in the early 20th century. The independent companies were left to serve less-profitable outlying areas and vast stretches of rural America.

The bulk of AT&T revenue came from the Bell System -- regional Bell operating companies (RBOCs), such as The New York Telephone Co.,The Pacific Bell Telephone and Telegraph Co. and The Southwestern Bell Telephone Co.. Other divisions of AT&T and parts of the Bell System included Bell Laboratories (Bell Labs), AT&T Long Lines and Western Electric, the manufacturing arm.

All telephones in areas where AT&T subsidiaries provided local service, all components of the public switched telephone network (PSTN), and all devices connected to the network were made by Western Electric and no other devices were allowed to be connected to AT&T's network.

Until 1983, Western Electric telephones were leased by subscribers and never sold, and so had to be repaired at no charge if they failed. This led Western Electric to pursue extreme reliability and durability in design. In particular, the work of Walter A. Shewhart, who developed new techniques for statistical quality control in the 1920s, helped lead to the legendary quality of manufacture of Western Electric telephones. In 1983, Western Electric telephones began being sold to the public through the newly created American Bell subsidiary of AT&T, under the American Bell brand name. Prior to Judge Greene prohibiting AT&T from using the Bell name after 01/01/1984, the plan was to market products and services under the American Bell name, accompanied by the now familiar AT&T globe logo.

Read more at Wikipedia.org


[List your site here Free!]

Vintage Western Electric 350B Vacuum Tube Amplitrex TestedVintage Western Electric 350B Vacuum Tube Amplitrex Tested $250.00 U.S. Manufactured Western Electric 300B single triode. New in Box and never usedU.S. Manufactured Western Electric 300B single triode. New in Box and never used $425.00
Matched Pair Western Electric 403A 6Ak5 Audio Amplifier Vacuum Tubes 9.8798Matched Pair Western Electric 403A 6Ak5 Audio Amplifier Vacuum Tubes 9.8798 $34.95 Vintage Western Electric 329A Pentode Amplifier Vacuum Tube In Box Tests GoodVintage Western Electric 329A Pentode Amplifier Vacuum Tube In Box Tests Good $75.00
Rare Nos Western Electric 420A 5755 Tube D-Getter Nib Perfect 100% L@K! 12Ax7Rare Nos Western Electric 420A 5755 Tube D-Getter Nib Perfect 100% L@K! 12Ax7 $40.00 New ListingWestern Electric 5D21 / 383848 Vacuum Tube (Usa)New ListingWestern Electric 5D21 / 383848 Vacuum Tube (Usa) $59.99
Lot of 4 407A vacuum tubes Western Electric dual triodeLot of 4 407A vacuum tubes Western Electric dual triode $12.00 Western Electric Vt-52 Vacuum Tubes Pair Tested In original box. Collectable.Western Electric Vt-52 Vacuum Tubes Pair Tested In original box. Collectable. $799.00
Western Electric 398A 5603 Vacuum Tubes Lot Of 9 Tested GoodWestern Electric 398A 5603 Vacuum Tubes Lot Of 9 Tested Good $75.00 Two Western Electric by Tungsol 717A Vacuum TubesTwo Western Electric by Tungsol 717A Vacuum Tubes $20.00
Western Electric 415A Nos Audio Receiver Vacuum Tubes Pair 1970'sWestern Electric 415A Nos Audio Receiver Vacuum Tubes Pair 1970's $17.00 2 Nos Western Electric 401A aka 5590 Vacuum Tubes - Audio Pentodes2 Nos Western Electric 401A aka 5590 Vacuum Tubes - Audio Pentodes $40.00
Strong Western Electric Vt25A Triode Vacuum TubeStrong Western Electric Vt25A Triode Vacuum Tube $169.99 1642 Lot Of 3 Western Electric 707B Vacuum Tubes1642 Lot Of 3 Western Electric 707B Vacuum Tubes $8.99
3 Nos Nib Hytron For Western Electric Vt25A Vacuum Tubes Amplitrex Test May 19443 Nos Nib Hytron For Western Electric Vt25A Vacuum Tubes Amplitrex Test May 1944 $350.00 Pair of Western electric 101D tube for amplifier Tested Strong EmissionsPair of Western electric 101D tube for amplifier Tested Strong Emissions $350.00
Nos/Nib Western Electric Jw 5755 Clear Top Mil-Spec Vacuum Tube Usa 1956Nos/Nib Western Electric Jw 5755 Clear Top Mil-Spec Vacuum Tube Usa 1956 $95.00 2 Nos Western Electric 403A aka 6Ak5 Vacuum Tubes 1960's Audio Pentodes2 Nos Western Electric 403A aka 6Ak5 Vacuum Tubes 1960's Audio Pentodes $40.00
Pair Western Electric 310A Rare Vacuum Audio TubesPair Western Electric 310A Rare Vacuum Audio Tubes $75.00 Nice Group of 4 Tested Vintage Western Electric 5755/402A Vacuum TubesNice Group of 4 Tested Vintage Western Electric 5755/402A Vacuum Tubes $79.99
Western Electric 367A Vacuum Tube Rare Tested StrongWestern Electric 367A Vacuum Tube Rare Tested Strong $700.00 Nos Nib Matched Pair Western Electric 311B Vacuum Tubes Same 1968 Date #2Nos Nib Matched Pair Western Electric 311B Vacuum Tubes Same 1968 Date #2 $149.99
1957 Western Electric 437A D Getter Tube1957 Western Electric 437A D Getter Tube $500.00 Two Tubes, Vintage Western Electric 354A Power Thyratron Vacuum TubesTwo Tubes, Vintage Western Electric 354A Power Thyratron Vacuum Tubes $104.00
Three, Western Electric, We216A, We-216-A tubes, matched trio, tennis ball, 216AThree, Western Electric, We216A, We-216-A tubes, matched trio, tennis ball, 216A $1,248.95 Western Electric 101F Triode Amplifier Vacuum Tube & Box Tested GoodWestern Electric 101F Triode Amplifier Vacuum Tube & Box Tested Good $105.00
Rare Black Plate D- Getter 436a Western Electric TubesRare Black Plate D- Getter 436a Western Electric Tubes $100.00 3 Western Electric Vacuum Tubes 443A3 Western Electric Vacuum Tubes 443A $12.99
Western Electric 231D Vacuum Tubes set of two untestedWestern Electric 231D Vacuum Tubes set of two untested $65.00 Western Electric 429A Tube UntestedWestern Electric 429A Tube Untested $18.00
(5) Nos Western Electric Jw 404A/5847 Tubes ~ Test Strong!(5) Nos Western Electric Jw 404A/5847 Tubes ~ Test Strong! $47.00 5320 Lot Of 5 Western Electric 426A Vacuum Tubes5320 Lot Of 5 Western Electric 426A Vacuum Tubes $15.99
Western Electric Vacuum Tube # 421A / 5998 NosWestern Electric Vacuum Tube # 421A / 5998 Nos $199.99 Pair Of Date Matched Vintage Vacuum Tube Western Electric In Sealed Box Feb 1944Pair Of Date Matched Vintage Vacuum Tube Western Electric In Sealed Box Feb 1944 $68.00
Western Electric 121A Ballast Vacuum Tubes Pair Engraved BaseWestern Electric 121A Ballast Vacuum Tubes Pair Engraved Base $15.75 Perfectly Matched Pair Western Electric Jw 5755 420A Clear Top 1953 Vacuum TubesPerfectly Matched Pair Western Electric Jw 5755 420A Clear Top 1953 Vacuum Tubes $160.00
717A/713A Western Electric By Raytheon & Tungsol Vacuum Tubes Lot Of 22717A/713A Western Electric By Raytheon & Tungsol Vacuum Tubes Lot Of 22 $179.99 Vintage Western Electric 421A Vacuum Tube Tv7 TestedVintage Western Electric 421A Vacuum Tube Tv7 Tested $225.00
Western Electric 242-A - Cg Vacuum TubeWestern Electric 242-A - Cg Vacuum Tube $5.99 Western Electric 300B Vacuum TubeWestern Electric 300B Vacuum Tube $2,000.00
Vintage And Rare Matched Set Of Western Electric 421A Vacuum TubesVintage And Rare Matched Set Of Western Electric 421A Vacuum Tubes $799.00 2 Western Electric 404A aka 5847 Vacuum Tubes - 1961 Vintage Audio Pentodes2 Western Electric 404A aka 5847 Vacuum Tubes - 1961 Vintage Audio Pentodes $40.00
Pair Western Electric 429A Tubes (Matching Codes)Pair Western Electric 429A Tubes (Matching Codes) $100.00 Western Electric 423C Audio Receiver Vacuum Tubes PairWestern Electric 423C Audio Receiver Vacuum Tubes Pair $24.99
Western Electric 415A Nos Nib Audio Receiver Vacuum Tubes PairWestern Electric 415A Nos Nib Audio Receiver Vacuum Tubes Pair $24.99 Nos Nib Western Electric 262B Vacuum Tube 1963 Date #1Nos Nib Western Electric 262B Vacuum Tube 1963 Date #1 $524.99
Type 231-D Western Electric Audio Receiver Power Vacuum Tube Tested OneType 231-D Western Electric Audio Receiver Power Vacuum Tube Tested One $32.99 Western Electric Vt-1 Vacuum Tubes Pair Good Filament Multiple AvailableWestern Electric Vt-1 Vacuum Tubes Pair Good Filament Multiple Available $280.00
Pair Used 1950s Western Electric 5591 403B Tubes 6Ak5Pair Used 1950s Western Electric 5591 403B Tubes 6Ak5 $31.60 Pair of Western Electric Tennis Ball Tubes with BoxesPair of Western Electric Tennis Ball Tubes with Boxes $255.00
Vintage Western Electric 417A 407A 408A Lenkurt Radio Amplifier Vacuum Tubes S86Vintage Western Electric 417A 407A 408A Lenkurt Radio Amplifier Vacuum Tubes S86 $49.00 Western Electric 101L Vacuum Tube - Tested #2Western Electric 101L Vacuum Tube - Tested #2 $49.99
Western Electric Tube Lot of 26 Tubes 7,8,9 Pin + 12 Orig. BoxesWestern Electric Tube Lot of 26 Tubes 7,8,9 Pin + 12 Orig. Boxes $195.00 Rare Western Electric 393A Screen Plate Thyratron Triode Near Nos Jan Cw 393 ARare Western Electric 393A Screen Plate Thyratron Triode Near Nos Jan Cw 393 A
Two, Western Electric Vt-25A, 10, military, ceramic base, match pair, Ux-210Two, Western Electric Vt-25A, 10, military, ceramic base, match pair, Ux-210 $438.95 2 Western Electric 429A Vacuum Tubes - 1960's Vintage 12-Watt Beam Power Audio2 Western Electric 429A Vacuum Tubes - 1960's Vintage 12-Watt Beam Power Audio $75.00
Nos/Nib Western Electric 396A/2C51/5670 Square Getter Usa 1961 TestedNos/Nib Western Electric 396A/2C51/5670 Square Getter Usa 1961 Tested $139.99 5 403B Western Electric HiFi Amp Vacuum Tubes Lot Matching Codes 7752 Nos5 403B Western Electric HiFi Amp Vacuum Tubes Lot Matching Codes 7752 Nos $99.99
Click to see more Western Electric items at www.ebay.com
Prices current as of last update, 04/18/25 4:20pm.

Home Contact Resources Exchange Links ebay