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  • Maxtek Retro GPO 746-Style Telephone, Push Button, Cream, BT Standard Connector 1
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  • Maxtek Retro GPO 746-Style Telephone, Push Button, Cream, BT Standard Connector 2
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  • Maxtek Retro GPO 746-Style Telephone, Push Button, Cream, BT Standard Connector 3
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  • Maxtek Retro GPO 746-Style Telephone, Push Button, Cream, BT Standard Connector 4
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  • Maxtek Retro GPO 746-Style Telephone, Push Button, Cream, BT Standard Connector 5
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  • Maxtek Retro GPO 746-Style Telephone, Push Button, Cream, BT Standard Connector 6
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  • Maxtek Retro GPO 746-Style Telephone, Push Button, Cream, BT Standard Connector 7
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  • Maxtek Retro GPO 746-Style Telephone, Push Button, Cream, BT Standard Connector 8
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  • Maxtek Retro GPO 746-Style Telephone, Push Button, Cream, BT Standard Connector 9
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  • Maxtek Retro GPO 746-Style Telephone, Push Button, Cream, BT Standard Connector 10
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  • Maxtek Retro GPO 746-Style Telephone, Push Button, Cream, BT Standard Connector 11
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Description

Introduced in 1967 and produced right up until the end of the 1980s, the General Post Office Type 746 telephone is a 20th Century design classic - even now, more than thirty years since it was discontinued, it's what many people have in mind when they think of a telephone and has inspired the telephone emoji found on many platforms, as well as the telephone symbol used on countless printed documents.

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As the standard phone supplied to GPO (and later, British Telecom) customers throughout most of its lifetime, it became ubiquitous with nearly every British home possessing at least one; yet, with the advent of the "New Plan" socket system and updated, sleeker phones with the range of features we would gradually come to expect, the majority of 746 examples were scrapped. As a result, genuine examples in excellent condition can cost as much as £80 today, or considerably more if you want one of the "special" ones in unusual colours, and having them modified to connect to the modern network costs extra.

Enter the Maxtech 72925 - an almost exact replica of the Type 746 Mk 1A, an update of the 1967 Mk 1 with recesses in the cradle to stop the handset sliding off. It has push buttons but, set into a chromed circular surround, they're a convincing approximation of the 746's rotary dial; the centre of the dial on a real 746 holds a paper disc printed with operator and emergency service numbers (it seems odd that a phone would need this now, but the UK's 999 emergency number was not as familiar in 1967 - it had been introduced thirty years earlier but initially only in a limited part of London, and wasn't rolled out to the entire country until 1977) and this has also been convincingly replicated by a plastic button which, on the Maxtech, is the last number redial function.

Most importantly, and absolutely vital to maintain the authentic style, it has a proper bell which sounds identical to the bell in a 746 (for the early Type 746 Mk1A the Maxtech has been modelled on, it would have been a GPO Bell No. 59C-1, incidentally...they don't tell you stuff like that on Etsy, do they?) - which unlike a genuine 746 can be switched off using the toggle switch on the underside rather than the phone having to be disconnected from the wall socket, as well as set to low or high volume. Please note also that, as modern telephone with digital circuitry, the Maxtech will still work after 2025 when the analogue phone signal is switched off...and genuine 746s in their original state will finally be useless.

This example has lost its original packaging and any documentation with which it was supplied, but has been checked over and tested by one of our qualified electrical engineers to ensure it has no faults and was found to be in full working order. It's seen very little use - while it can be seen in the 10th photo that there are some scuffs to the underside, the cream upper part (the GPO called this colour ivory) is in excellent condition.

Free economy shipping to UK addresses!

Due to the nature of this item it is not always possible for us to identify any missing parts.
For this reason we ask that you please check the pictures carefully, as these show everything that is included.

This item has been very kindly donated to the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity.

Arthur Rank Hospice Charity supports people in Cambridgeshire living with an advanced serious illness or other life-limiting condition and those who need end-of-life care. Our ‘Outstanding’ services are provided free of charge to patients and their families. Our aim is to provide the highest quality care, helping them to make every moment count.

100% of the money raised from this sale will go to the charity.

Our sales team do their best to check each item and ensure that the description and pictures provided are as accurate as possible.

Feedback is extremely important to the charity so if you are not fully satisfied with your purchase please give us a chance to resolve any issues by contacting us prior to leaving feedback.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us via eBay messages, we will make sure that your message is responded to promptly, usually within three working days. Messages sent over the weekend will be responded to on the next working day.

If this item is not quite what you were looking for but you would still like to help our cause, please consider providing us with a donation which can be done via our eBay Charity Profile linked below.

Donate via Arthur Rank Hospice Charity Profile

We only accept payments made through one of eBay's many approved methods. Please make sure to complete your payment within 96 hours of winning an item. Once your payment has been received we will dispatch your item as soon as possible, usually within two working days.

Delivery times are calculated in working days (Monday to Friday). If your order is placed after 1pm, the next working day will be considered the first working day for delivery. In case of bank holidays and during the Christmas period where delays are more likely, please allow an extra few days for delivery.

Domestic Delivery

We aim to dispatch orders within two working days. If for any reason there is an unexpected delay in dispatching your order we will make sure to inform you of this as soon as possible.

We use Evri to deliver the majority of our parcels. If you would like to specify a preferred neighbour, or safe place for the parcel to be left, please leave the details in a message when placing your order.

Some low-value items will be sent by Royal Mail 2nd Class. Some items of higher value are sent by Royal Mail Signed For or Special Delivery, which require a signature. If you are not present at the time of delivery, a card will be left instructing you to arrange a redelivery, or to collect your order from the local sorting office.

International Delivery

International orders are handled by eBay's Global Shipping Programme.

For full details please see the following eBay help page: Buying internationally with the Global Shipping Programme.

Items can be collected from our Retail Hub at Arthur Rank Hospice Charity, Eastern Counties Leather Industrial Estate, Pampisford, CB22 3EE during our opening hours of 10:00 to 16:00, Tuesday to Saturday. If you would like to collect your item please contact us in advance to arrange this.

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Arthur Rank Hospice Charity uses the eBay Returns system to make the process as easy for you as possible. For full details about the process, and for information on how to begin a return, please see the following eBay help page: Return an item for a refund.

Change of Mind

If when you receive your order you are not completely satisfied, you may return the items to us within 30 days for a refund. Returns will be processed within three working days once the goods have been received by us.

Items must be returned to us in the same condition as they were received by you. This includes, but is not limited to: original packaging, original boxes, packaging materials, manuals, blank warranty cards, accessories and documents. We reserve the right to refuse a return or deduct an amount for lost value where the item is returned in a different condition.

We strongly recommend that you fully insure your package that you are returning, as well as using a carrier that can provide you with tracking information or proof of delivery.

Arthur Rank Hospice Charity will not be held responsible for returns lost or damaged in transit.

Please be aware that it is the responsibility of the customer to cover any delivery charges for returning an unwanted item.

Incorrect/Damaged Goods

We try very hard to ensure that you receive your order in pristine condition. In the unlikely event that your order arrives damaged or faulty, please contact us via eBay immediately, this will be given special priority and you can expect to receive a response within 48 hours, Monday to Friday. Arthur Rank Hospice Charity will cover the cost of domestic return postage for any incorrect or damaged items, subject to the cost of the chosen return method being reasonable. Please contact us before proceeding if unsure.

About Arthur Rank Hospice Charity

Arthur Rank Hospice Charity supports people in Cambridgeshire living with an advanced serious illness or other life-limiting condition and those who need end-of-life care. Its ‘Outstanding’ services are provided free of charge to patients and their families. The aim is to provide the highest quality care, helping them to make every moment count.

Around 4,000 patients are cared for each year at the Hospice in Cambridge, the Alan Hudson Day Treatment Centre in Wisbech and in patients’ own homes via the Arthur Rank Community Team. This care supports people to improve their quality of life and fulfil their end of their life choices.

Alongside the care provided by the Inpatient Unit, Living Well services and Hospice at Home teams, patients can access: patient and family support; lymphoedema care; complementary therapy; medical and pain outpatient clinics; and advice from the clinical nurse specialists within the Specialist Palliative Care Home Team. Programmes are practical, holistic and tailored to the individual patient, family member or carer and may also include rehabilitative support, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and psychological support.

It will cost £10.5 million in 2021/2022 to run services, which are provided free of charge to patients and their loved ones. Contracted services from the NHS are budgeted at £6.98 million, meaning that £3.52 million needs to be raised through donations, fundraising activities and trading. The Charity is extremely grateful to the local community for the continual dedication, commitment and generosity they show in supporting towards meeting this target.

© 2017 Arthur Rank Hospice Charity. All rights reserved A registered Charity No 1133354