Hugh Hetherington Hearing Aid Museum
Hugh Hetherington Hearing Aid Museum

The Hearing Aid Museum

Hearing Aids of all types—Ear Trumpets, Carbon Hearing Aids, Vacuum Tube Hearing Aids, Transistor Hearing Aids, Body Hearing Aids, Eyeglass Hearing Aids and much more!

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Click on the "General Information" button (top button above) for an overview and general information on this category of hearing aid.

 

Carbon Hearing Aids: 1900-1939

Siemens/Fortiphone Model 300017 Carbon Hearing Aid

The Siemens/Fortiphone Model 300017 carbon hearing aid was made around 1930. The actual hearing aid was made by Siemens & Halske A. G. of Germany, while the resonant black leatherette-covered case was made by Fortiphone Ltd. of London, England. Fortiphone put the hearing aid in the case and sold it under the Fortiphone trade name.


 

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Back

 
The Siemens/Fortiphone Model 300017 carbon hearing aid in its resonant case. You could use it this way by placing the case on a table facing the person to whom you were speaking. The receiver cord came out through the small slot on the top center of the left side.

The hearing aid and resonant case together weighed just 10 oz. without the battery.


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Front view of Siemens/Fortiphone Model 300017 carbon hearing aid microphone. This microphone measured  4⅜" x 2⅛" x ½" thick. This microphone was exceptionally light at just 2 oz.

The microphone had a leather button-hole attached to the back (right). This way the microphone could be attached to any button on the wearer's shirt. Alternately, a black ribbon could be threaded through the button hole (as shown) and worn as a lanyard around the wearer's neck.

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Rear view of Siemens/Fortiphone Model 300017 carbon hearing aid microphone. Engraved on the back (center) are the words "Siemens & Halske A. G. Germany"

The serial number "10990" is partially hidden by the leather tab on the left.


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Side view of Siemens/Fortiphone Model 300017 carbon hearing aid microphone showing how exceptionally thin this microphone was at only ½".


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Top view of the slider volume control/off switch for the Siemens/Fortiphone Model 300017 carbon hearing aid. The off position was at the far right.


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The receiver (right) and stock ear mold (left) of the Siemens/Fortiphone Model 300017 carbon hearing aid.


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View of Siemens/Fortiphone Model 300017 carbon hearing aid receiver (right) and flesh-colored stock ear mold. Unlike the above ear mold, this ear mold incorporated an ear hook to help hold it in the ear canal.


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View of stock ear mold (left) and receiver of the Siemens/Fortiphone Model 300017 carbon hearing aid. The ear mold snapped into the hole in the receiver.


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The battery plug of the Siemens/Fortiphone Model 300017 carbon hearing aid.

This hearing aid used 4.5 volt carbon-zinc batteries and plugged into batteries such as the Siemens? X43/R656 or the Fortiphone 3-S.


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The Siemens/Fortiphone Model 300017 carbon hearing aid in its original resonant case.


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Outside view of the Siemens/ Fortiphone Model 300017 carbon hearing aid resonant case. The case measured 6¼" x 3⅝" x 2⅜".

 


 

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