Field trial 302

[poplar1]

F1 Handle    6 03 37
(GROOVED--- Seller states that the "seam" may have been one of the features for the field trial. A production set from 7-37 recently found has an original grooved handset.)

I find it strange to believe that the grooves would make it desirable to field test the equipment.  The grooves resulted from a  significant improvement in the molding process, that reduced manufacturing time and cost significantly. It essentially automated the removal of the molding fins (the thin skins of plastic that form in the seam between the two mated parts of the mold) and eliminated polishing of the handle.

As stated in the original post (reply #6 here, and in subsequent auction contest), I found no differences in the #8224 field trial set and normal production sets, other than the Bell Labs Trial Label and the serial numbers on the parts. At the time of the post, it was the earliest (by 3 months) grooved F1A handset I'd found. Seller of the #8121 set also noted other possible improvements:

 
Up for auction today is a very RARE Western Electric Field Trial 302 Desk set. This phone represents Field Trial 8121 as marked on the base and several other components. I believe it may have been a Field Trial of the new F1 handset with a seam and perhaps an enhanced HA1 receiver element and/or network element enhancement to compensate for the F1 components.

On the inside of the phone, is the Bell Labs CS-1 form describing what to do if the telephone is in for repair. See the pics for the complete text found on this form.

The telephone has a brass finger wheel #4 clicky-clack dial and the properly dated III 37 celluloid 149B dial plate.

The F1 handset is dated on the inside cavity of the transmitter end 6 03 37 indicating a very early with the seam production F1 handset. The transmitter element is dated 6-37 and the receiver element 7-15-37. The transmitter cap is dated 6 11 37 and receiver cap is dated 6 12 37.

The base of the telephone is marked 8121 and has an inside date code dated 7-37 for July 1937. The network component is dated II37 and 8121. The ringer was apparently replaced somewhere is its life and is dated 4/45.

Both the line cord and handset cord are nice original WE and dated DP3 III37 and H3C IV37 respectively.

The telephone has the desirable vented finger grip common to only the early 1937 models.

The phone has not been tested in any manner and is sold as is for display purposes.

Please check out my 1937 Western Electric 302 Desk set with the prototype, early production Seamless F1 also up for auction this week.
Thank you for looking and good luck!

[unbeldi]

I tried to attach the photo here (from the Ebay listing), but it failed the security check!

I believe this is the one.  I had the files downloaded also at the time of the auction.



The image data contains the incidental character sequence  'BOdy'  which the forum software detects as malicious!  I do recommend removing the "security" check in the forum.  The implementation is such rubbish.

[Doug Rose]

David....here is my small plungers 11/37 on eBay right now. This was WE refurb as it has rubber feet on it when I found it. No vents....thanks...Doug

http://www.ebay.com/itm/301668224079

[poplar1]

Doug--that one surely fits the pattern for reissued 302s:
11/37=last date for small plungers. ( Also first month for large plungers.)
10/37=first date for "no vents"
Updated dial (6A) and ringer
Feet had been changed
Cords had been changed

[Doug Rose]

thanks David...always a pleasure...Doug