This is a very old generator "magneto" for phone calls.This is my moost expensive restoration, it cost me 40 euro. A telephone magneto is a hand-cranked electrical generator that uses permanent magnets to produce alternating current from the rotating armature.In early telegraphy magnnetos were used to power instruments, while in telephony they were used to generate electrical current to drive electromechanical ringer in telephone sets and on operaor consoles.