Question about early 500 model phone cord

[LoveOldPhones]

I think i am a bit confused here ... which 1950's  500 models had the handset curly cord and which had the straight cord?

thanks

[HarrySmith]

We just had a discussion about this:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=3860.0
It was decided we don't really have any exact dateline!

[jsowers]

Coil (curly) handset cords:

Optional on 500 sets from 1950-57.
Standard on 500 sets from 1957 on (with a few exceptions).
Optional on 554 wall sets in black and ivory in 1955-56.
Standard on 554 color wall sets (other than ivory).

Straight handset cords:

Standard on 500 sets from 1950-57.
Standard on 554 wall sets in black and ivory in 1955-56.

All 500 and 554 models could have a coil (curly) cord. It was an option in the early years, from 1950 up until 1956-57 on the 500.

The straight handset cord was standard from 1950 to about 1956-57. You may rarely see them on later phones, but I feel safe in saying by 1957, 99.9% of 500 sets came with coil cords. Paul did post a black 500 from 1962 that had a straight black cord, but those are very uncommon.

Think of it like cars and whitewalls. Whitewalls, like coil cords, were always optional and blackwalls, like straight cords, were standard. Eventually the more expensive cars came with whitewalls standard by the late 1950s. It's the same for phones.

And of course there are always exceptions. Nothing is 100% certain because there were always things on the installer's truck that may not have come from the factory. Anything could be modified at any time, either by replacing a broken cord, or someone asking for a longer or matching cord.

Does that help? It's confusing because of all the variations. And when you factor in dark gray cords, it gets even more confusing because different colors changed from dark gray to color at different times.

[LoveOldPhones]

Thanks.... for the info.  Just what i wanted to know.