Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Telephone Talk => Auction Talk => Topic started by: Doug Rose on December 01, 2018, 01:42:23 PM

Title: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: Doug Rose on December 01, 2018, 01:42:23 PM
The elusive Oxidized silver. Came today, Two birds with one stone as it has a 4J dial!! The was one my list as well. Paint on the body is in really good shape. Metal shell with a few marks, but not bad at all.

I put a Black E1 on it until I decide what to so with the Brown F1 handset. Not good enough to display, but I do not want to be rash,

The 4J was a huge surprise.

It was going for $22.50 to me until the last three seconds when it jumped to $127. All in all I am extremely happy with it even with the last bid  :o....Doug


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Antique-Western-Electric-302G-Custom-Silver-Grey-Rotary-Desk-Telephone/253982898464
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: Ktownphoneco on December 01, 2018, 02:08:36 PM
Doug  ....  I think you did very well on it.     A 4J dial all by itself, is worth the price of admission, and the rest of the set was basically "free".   

Jeff
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: Jim Stettler on December 01, 2018, 02:25:02 PM
Looks like the first contender for December's find of the month to me.
Jim S.
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: skyrider on December 01, 2018, 02:35:39 PM
It feels great to complete a collection, happy for you Doug.




Bill
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: RotarDad on December 01, 2018, 06:38:44 PM
Doug - Very nice phone.  I don't think the paint wear is a big deal from a display standpoint.  Admittedly I'm an "originality" guy, but I'd proudly display that set with the worn handset....  :)
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: jsowers on December 01, 2018, 08:17:59 PM
Auction link: https://www.ebay.com/itm/253982898464

Pictures from Auction below. The handset looked black under the paint to me when I saw this auction a while back, but Doug said it was brown. I enlarged the frontal auction pic and finally saw brown where the paint was missing. Also there is no seam like with the black F1 handsets.

I don't think I've ever seen the original number card mask before that's also silver and black. A very nice phone, Doug! Congratulations on completing 302s. Are 500s next?  ;)

And does anyone else think someone could learn airbrushing and make these out of black 302s? They were very well done, if only the handset paint would have held up better. I think an artist could make some money redoing handsets.
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: Doug Rose on December 01, 2018, 09:30:31 PM
Thanks Folks.... I am more than happy with it.

Jonathan.....I thought it was a early black F1 without the grooves...but it was brown.  A minor disappointment that was quickly quashed when I found the 4J in it. What a shock! One spin of the dial and I could not get the phone opened fast enough.

The base is 1951, so that is my guess of the "upgrade."  This is just a tough find in decent displayable condition. The E1 looks great with the black of the oxidized sliver, but is too early E1. Just not sure what to do about the handset. Paul, thanks for your input on it.

302s are my favorites, it great that I have finally completed them....but still bitter sweet as the chase is over. Sometimes the chase is the fun of it. ....Doug

Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: RotarDad on December 02, 2018, 12:23:15 AM
And you have a clear 302 also, correct, Doug?
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: Doug Rose on December 02, 2018, 07:54:19 AM
I do ....I have  A Genuine Imitation by Ray. It is better than an original as there are no scratches or warps and still clear after all these years. It is really a  cool set...an eye catcher....Doug
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: Doug Rose on February 15, 2019, 09:47:25 PM
I got this NOS oxidized silver handset today. Can you believe a NOS find from the 50s!! I had just found the phone after years of looking for one to complete my 302s, but the handset was beyond hope. This had just come on eBay when I saw it. Amazingly matches the phones paint with a perfect Ivory handset cord to boot. A few marks from storage but just an unbelievable stroke of luck!

Just a once in a lifetime find.

Sometimes you do bite the bear.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/254121353049
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: Doug Rose on February 16, 2019, 07:03:40 AM
I put the new handset on early this morning, couldn't sleep thinking about it. I am pleasantly surprised that they match so well. Handset cord matches the line cord as well They look like they came together, not an add on many years later.. This was an expensive add but well worth it to me. How often do you see this phone in nice displayable condition. Phone and handset do have a few nicks in the paint, but for a painted phone older than I am, I'll take it!...Doug
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: RotarDad on February 16, 2019, 12:00:11 PM
Amazing Doug, how well that worded out!  Really a beautiful phone....  I too really enjoy finding an elusive part and putting a phone back together.
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: paul-f on February 16, 2019, 12:03:41 PM
Really stunning Doug!

How about a family photo?
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: FABphones on February 16, 2019, 12:20:34 PM
Very handsome.

Could someone please explain how/why this finish came to be?

Is this a forever phone Doug?
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: Doug Rose on February 16, 2019, 01:32:25 PM
CJ...this phone is a keeper....forever!....Doug
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: SunriseEarth on March 05, 2019, 08:29:22 PM
Quote from: Doug Rose on February 16, 2019, 07:03:40 AM
I put the new handset on early this morning, couldn't sleep thinking about it. I am pleasantly surprised that they match so well. Handset cord matches the line cord as well They look like they came together, not an add on many years later.. This was an expensive add but well worth it to me. How often do you see this phone in nice displayable condition. Phone and handset do have a few nicks in the paint, but for a painted phone older than I am, I'll take it!...Doug

What a beautiful pairing!   IMHO, that handset was absolutely worth every penny for the end result to be that stunning!
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: Doug Rose on March 05, 2019, 08:37:00 PM
Quote from: SunriseEarth on March 05, 2019, 08:29:22 PM
What a beautiful pairing!   IMHO, that handset was absolutely worth every penny for the end result to be that stunning!
thanks Tony. I thought there was really no chance they would match. WRONG!  It was a lot, but yes, it was worth every penny.....Doug
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: Key2871 on March 05, 2019, 08:59:12 PM
In all my years collecting I have never seen one of those, and that E1 really sets it off. Congratulations on a really nice phone.

Ken
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: Russ Kirk on March 05, 2019, 09:13:42 PM
Most of these factory painted phones are missing paint. Yours in "Old Brass" is exceptional.
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: poplar1 on March 05, 2019, 10:09:36 PM
Quote from: robert_m on March 05, 2019, 09:45:25 PM
IMHO, that plastic dial would never be authentic to that vintage of phone. 

It is true that all new 1939-1941 color 302s with metal housings -- in the "metallic" colors such as oxidized silver -- had 5H dials with matching (painted metal) finger wheels. (Metal 302s painted old rose, Pekin red etc. had 5J dials with unpainted stainless steel fingerwheels.) (Thermoplastic color phones, introduced in 1941, had 5J dials with clear fingerwheels.) However, the production of all new color 302s was discontinued by August, 1942 (BSP WR-C30.011 Issue1, 8-5-42). New color phone production resumed only in 1949 (BLR v27, p. 43, Jan. 49).

Metallic color (old brass, statuary bronze, oxidized silver, dark gold) 302s from 1949 or later were issued from the WE repair shops only, not from the WE factory. As Doug pointed out in reply #7, this phone has a 1951 base. It also has the white stamp on the base pan as was done in the repair shops. Note that in the 1950s ad, all the color 302s had 5J (or 4J) dials with white cases and Lucite finger wheels by that time.

There have been no new metal 302s reported later than 1946. This set was apparently assembled in the repair shop in 1951 or later, so the clear fingerwheel, on a 4J or 5J dial, is correct.
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: KaiserFrazer67 on March 05, 2019, 11:18:30 PM
Just wanted to say congratulations again, Doug.  (My original congrats was deleted earlier in the melee.)  You have got one beautiful phone there.  I hope someday I get as lucky with my own "wish list."  ;)
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: jsowers on March 05, 2019, 11:56:46 PM
Quote from: Russ Kirk on March 05, 2019, 09:13:42 PM
Most of these factory painted phones are missing paint. Yours in "Old Brass" is exceptional.
Doug and the auction he bought the handset from say it's Oxidized Silver. So which is it? That ad is a little misleading since it doesn't show the shading on any of the phones and the color is a bit off. I'm with Paul--I'd like to see all the colors lined up in a decent photograph, or at least the metallic colors since Doug is finally finished. And the last one to me is the best looking of them all. Amazing luck, Doug.
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: Doug Rose on March 06, 2019, 09:18:27 AM
It is definitely an oxidized silver -8. Old brass is a much deeper color. I do have an Old Brass as well....thanks...Doug
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: Doug Rose on March 09, 2019, 08:01:55 AM
Here are my 302s ...Doug
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: RotarDad on March 09, 2019, 10:29:46 AM
Very nice Doug!  Question - first pic, second row, the gold with brown handset.  What is the story on that one?
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: Doug Rose on March 09, 2019, 10:55:57 AM
Paul...It is a metal set with a copper plate. I got it years ago when I first started collecting, it was painted black. I stripped the bad paint and found copper! I think the plating is too thick to have been a WE metal protection coating so someone must have had it plated at some point. I just added a Brown WE handset and a 6D dial....Doug
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: jsowers on March 09, 2019, 02:58:05 PM
Doug, many thanks for taking and posting those pics. I attempted a comparison montage with the color ad to show what they looked like in real life and I hope I got the gold ones right. There isn't a lot of difference between Dark Gold and Old Brass. Let me know if I need to fix anything. I am no Unbeldi. He was the 302 color expert. I don't even have one color 302 in my collection. But I've always been amazed at the finish work they did on these phones.
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: Doug Rose on March 09, 2019, 04:46:03 PM
thanks Jonathan...really nice job on the comparison.

Karl's knowledge is missed. I recommend the Forum to him when he was a customer of mine. We certainly didn't always agree  8) but his knowledge is sorely missed on the Forum.

David's (poplar) and Robby's (rdelius)  knowledge is unsurpassed. They have forgot more than I will ever know!..Doug
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: rdelius on March 09, 2019, 05:21:10 PM
Regarding the copper plated 302 set ,COT might have sold  some .Copper was the first layer when plating chrome the copper would be the thickest and might hide small flaws if repolished before nickel and then chrome are plated.The copper might have not been perfect enough to complete the process so was left  on and sold with flaws or left as  copper
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: Western Bell on March 09, 2019, 05:59:16 PM
Quote from: Doug Rose on March 09, 2019, 04:46:03 PM
Karl's knowledge is missed. I recommend the Forum to him when he was a customer of mine. We certainly didn't always agree  8) but his knowledge is sorely missed on the Forum.

Who is Karl and why is he no longer helping members if what you say about him seems to say he was of great value to the forum? Did he die or something?
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: HarrySmith on March 09, 2019, 06:46:00 PM
Karl was one of the casualties of last years flame wars. It cost this forum a lot when a few know it all's got involved.
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: RotarDad on March 09, 2019, 08:25:14 PM
Doug - Any chance of Karl returning to the forum?  I also miss his vast technical knowledge and willingness to share.  We certainly are much quicker to call out, and shut down, bad behavior now - that was a learning experience for all.   I'd ask him to come back if I had a way to reach out.... :)
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: Doug Rose on March 09, 2019, 08:43:48 PM
Quote from: RotarDad on March 09, 2019, 08:25:14 PM
Doug - Any chance of Karl returning to the forum?  I also miss his vast technical knowledge and willingness to share.  We certainly are much quicker to call out, and shut down, bad behavior now - that was a learning experience for all.   I'd ask him to come back if I had a way to reach out.... :)
Paul....in the end Karl and I had no contact and we still do not. I was not one of his favorites.  He had issues the way the Forum was run. Right or wrong, he was a member who gave a lot to the Forum in my opinion. He always did try to help others, but did have an abrasive personality. I would welcome him back, but I do not see that happening...Doug
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: KaiserFrazer67 on March 09, 2019, 09:10:23 PM
Quote from: Doug Rose on March 09, 2019, 08:43:48 PM
Paul....in the end Karl and I had no contact and we still do not. I was not one of his favorites.  He had issues the way the Forum was run. Right or wrong, he was a member who gave a lot to the Forum in my opinion. He always did try to help others, but did have an abrasive personality. I would welcome him back, but I do not see that happening...Doug
Is that the guy (whose username I won't mention) who deleted a lot of his posts by changing them to a period only?  That whole situation saddens me, too.  I was one of the many who benefitted from his expertise as well.  Thankfully, I haven't found any of my posts where he deleted expertise given to me personally.  I agree with your assessment of him; as you said, he could come across a bit hard-edged, terse, and pretty aloof at times, but he was at least willing to help out.  Sad that he decided to remove a lot of that expertise when he left.  :'(
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: oldguy on March 10, 2019, 11:21:56 PM
Outstanding finished product Doug. You have a beautiful 302 collection. I have a bunch of blacks an ivory & a Peking red. The other colors tend to get expensive.
Title: Re: I Finally Finished My WE 302s!!
Post by: Doug Rose on March 11, 2019, 09:36:09 AM
Thanks Gary...Doug