Very early circa 1830s Cooke-Wheatstone single-needle telegraph set, mounted on a wooden stand measuring approximately 5.75″ x 11.5″ x 8″, featuring two keys on the base and the needle and alphabet code key mounted to the face. At the top is a plate reading: "Philip Harris & Co. Ltd., Scientific Instrument Specialists, Birmingham and Dublin." The rear features four electrical contacts. In very good to fine condition, with some scratches and repaired tears to the cardstock code key. In the alphabet used by this machine, the long strokes represent pointing the needle to the right, the short strokes to the left: the letter 'A' is made by pointing the needle once left and once right, while 'B' is formed by right, left, left, left. The code is identical to Morse code, with a left deflection being equivalent to a dot, and a right deflection equivalent to a dash. A rare, early piece of telegraphic history.
