Pocket relays (also called Pocket Sets) get their name because many are small enough to fit into an operator's pocket. They were used by telegraph line workers in the field to test and troubleshoot the lines. On this page, I also show small boxed telegraph sets, obviously too large to fit in a pocket. Many of these sets were used during the Civil War era as field telegraph sets.
Below are some pictures of Pocket Relays and other small boxed sets. Click on each thumbnail to view the full size image:
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| Palmer & Hall Boxed Set. Ca. 1850's (w1tp.com) |
Small Pocket Set by Palmer & Hall, Boston. Ca. Early 1850's |
Inside the Palmer & Hall Pocket Set |
A Picture of the Same Pocket Set With the Palmer & Hall Label Still Intact (Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation) |
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| Early Pocket Set by Charles T. Chester, NY. Similar Design to the Palmer & Hall Pocket Set. Ca. Early 1860's |
Boxed Set by Thomas Hall, Boston. Ca. Early 1960's. Possibly Used as a Field Telegraph Set |
Inside The Hall Boxed Set |
Another View of the Interior of the Boxed Set |
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| Charles Williams Pocket Set, Ca. Early 1860's |
Close-up of the Tiny Key on the Williams Pocket Set |
Close-up of the Relay on the Williams Pocket Set |
Caton Instrument Shops, Ottawa Illinois, Ca. 1860's |
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| The Caton Pocket Set With the Cover Removed |
Top View of the Caton Pocket Set Showing the Caton Name Stamp |
An Earlier Version of a Caton Pocket Set in a Wooden Case |
Pocket Set by R. Henning & Co, Ottawa, Illinois |
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| Close-Up of the Henning Name Stamp |
Very Early Civil War Era Boxed Telegraph Set. Maker Unknown |
Another Civil War Field Telegraph Set. Maker Unknown |
An Unusual Civil War Field Telegraph Set With a Brass Resonating Disc. Maker Unknown, Possibly Thomas Hall |
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| One More Very Early Boxed Telegraph Set. Maker Unknown |
Portable Telegraph Field Set, Possibly Made by Charles Chester, NY. Ca. 1862. This May Have Been the Standard Issue Telegraph Set for Union Army Telegraphers |
The Field Set Was Used by Union Army Telegrapher William Bender Wilson on Scouting Operations in Pennnsylvania from 1862-1864 |
Another View of the Army Field Set Showing the Size |
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| Civil War Field Telegraph Set With Brass Resonating Disc. The Disc Has American Telegraph Co. Markings. Made by GM Phelps, NY. Ca. Early 1861 |
The Resonating Disc Removed to Show the GM Phelps Name |
The Phelps Set With the Cover Closed |
The Underside of the Resonating Disc Has the Names of Multiple Operators Written & Scratched Into the Metal. One of These Names is "J Thomas, Upton Va. July 12th, 1861". Upton Refers To Upton Hills, the Location of a Civil War Fort near Arlington Virginia Held by the Union Army |
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| Pocket Set by Charles Chester, NY. Ca. early 1860's |
Chester Pocket Set Removed From Case |
Another View of the Chester Pocket Set |
Another Charles Chester Pocket Set. Ca. 1860's |
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| Small Boxed Set With No Makers Markings. Mabye Used as a Field Telegraph Set. Possibly Made by Tillotson or Pierson. Ca. 1860's |
Close-Up of the Unit From the Boxed Set |
Another View of the Small Pocket Set With a Quarter to Show the Size |
Pocket Set by A.S. Chubbuck, Utica NY. Ca. 1860's (w1tp.com) |
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| Early LG Tillotson Pocket Set. Ca. 1860's |
L.G. Tillotson Pocket Set. Ca. 1870's |
Pocket Set Similar to the Tillotson Set. Only Markings Are Inside the Rubber Top Cover Where it is Marked "Goodyears 1851 IRC Co." |
Closeup of the Goodyear Marking |
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| Partrick & Carter Pocket Set. Ca. 1870 |
A Different Version Partrick & Carter Pocket Set. Ca.1870 |
A Close-Up View of the Partrick & Carter Pocket Set |
Another View of the Partrick & Carter Pocket Set |
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| Unknown Maker Pocket Relay. Ca. 1870's |
An Early Western Electric Pocket Set. Ca. 1870's. (Note the Brass is Unplated and the Name Stamp is the Early Style) |
LG Tillotson Pocket Set. Ca. 1875 |
Partrick-Bunnell Pocket Set. Ca. 1875 |
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| Another Pocket Set by Partrick-Bunnell. Ca. 1975 (Gil Schlehman, K9WDY, Collection) |
Partrick & Carter Pocket Set. Ca. 1880 |
California Electrical Works Pocket Set. San Francisco. Ca. 1880's |
Another View of the California Electrical Works Pocket Set |
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| Close-Up of the Nameplate |
Western Electric Pocket Set. Ca. 1880 |
ES Greeley Pocket Set. Ca. Late 1880's |
ES Greeley Pocket Set. Ca. Late 1880's |
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| JH Bunnell Pocket Set. Ca. 1890 |
Close-Up of the Bunnell Name Stamp |
Miniature Pocket Set. Maker Unknown |
Postal Telegraph Boxed Set. Ca. 1900 |
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| Postal Telegraph Set With The Door Open |
Western Electric Army Field Telegraph Set |
Western Electric Field Telegraph Set |
Unknown Pocket Set |
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| Unknown Pocket Set. European Origin |
Unknown Pocket Set. Possible Homemade |
Boxed Telegraph Set by Lettler, Munich Germany |
A Small German Key & Relay Set in Box. Maker Unknown |
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| Inside the German Boxed Set |
The Unigraph. A British Pocket Set Made by Elliott Brothers, London (Claudio Ruggieri, IZ0KRC Collection) |
The Unigraph With the Cover Removed |
Top Cover of the Unigraph |
