Statuary Bronze 302???

[Doug Rose]

I picked this up on eBay and am waiting for it to arrvie. I have never seen a Statuary Bronze 302 in my hands, only a few pictures. Know as the camouflage phone. I am cautiously optimistic. Poor pictures and a bad listing. Paint looks good, but I wonder what is all over the phone. Here are a few pics form the auction. I am expecting it soon.....Doug

[Dennis Markham]

It looks like it could be the real deal, Doug.  The handset is seamless and looks like it may be Brown Bakelite.  Anxious to hear what it turns out to be when you get it.

[BDM]

Hmm, this will prove interesting.

[baldopeacock]

Great eye.   This would have gone right past me.

[Doug Rose]

I just got home from work and found it unpacked by Jan on the Kitchen table. NO chips cracks or missing pieces. Clear plungers, 5J dial, brown cloth cords. This is a original WE phone, do doubt. Phone look to be green with black accents, no brown of a statuary Bronze..... anywhere. HMMMMMMM. Brown bakelite handset.  I am cautiouly excited. maybe a new WE color!! BUT.....This is the good.

The bad is, it looks like it was in a chicken coop. Covered with sh*t and I mean covered. Nothing moves with water.  It's time for a Martini and a Pizza (don't knock it until you have tried it). Rainy day in Boston tomorrow so I am on it early. If I can get the Sh*t off I think I will be thrilled. Paint looks great through the layers of, well you know. Its a 304, hopefully I am happy tomorrow. Maybe two martinis ...looong week...Kidexcited

[LarryInMichigan]

On the kitchen table ?!  I would never be able to eat another meal there after something as dirty as that was sitting there.

Larry

[BDM]

Hmmm, waiting for a further update...............................

[WEBellSystemChristian]

On the kitchen table ?!  I would never be able to eat another meal there after something as dirty as that was sitting there.

Larry

I can imagine the dinner conversation between Janet and Doug tonight!

Doug: This is a delicious dinner, Janet!

Janet: Wait, is this the same table you had that filthy phone sitting on!?!?

Doug: Uhh, well...I...uhh...here, want a sip of this Martini?

[poplar1]

-7 is the color code for Statuary Bronze...notice the 7 stamped on the base:

[Gilas]

Great phone and if you need to rid yourself of it and the cleaning that it will entail please keep me in mind  . Wouldn't want you to have to go through that horrible event.

[Doug Rose]

On the kitchen table ?!  I would never be able to eat another meal there after something as dirty as that was sitting there.

Larry

I can imagine the dinner conversation between Janet and Doug tonight!

Doug: This is a delicious dinner, Janet!

Janet: Wait, is this the same table you had that filthy phone sitting on!?!?

Doug: Uhh, well...I...uhh...here, want a sip of this Martini?

Christian....you are not married I trust at your tender age. Dinner was at a local pizza parlor.

Larry....in the box it was shipped in sitting on top of the wrapping and never touching the table

I will post pictures tomorrow.

As a great announcer, Dick Enberg would say..."oh my."

Talk amongst yourselves.....kidonlyonemartini

[Doug Rose]

-7 is the color code for Statuary Bronze...notice the 7 stamped on the base:

thanks David..... that is the bottom of my phone, I thought there was brown in the Statuary Bronze. I kept having offers refused and I had to settle on my third and last offer. If it cleans up, it will be a great deal, if not    ....Doug

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321375042776

[Mr. Bones]

Very cool, Doug!

Best of luck tomorrow!

Best regards!

[unbeldi]

Statuary Bronze as a color is the reddish brown that one observes on many cast bronze alloy sculptures.
On the solid metal, the color is achieved by acid treatment.

I have not come across any description of the WeCo process that they used on telephones to create the color, but I assume it is some kind of coating or varnish that contains specially treated bronze powder in just the right concentration to create the color effect.

Bronze is primarily copper alloyed with tin. But also zinc, nickel, and other minor additions such as arsenic, phosphorous, and others are used to create all kinds of specific properties. But many versions commonly called bronze, don't contain tin actually, and might be better called brass.

But since it always contains copper, it causes the green color when the paint or varnish deteriorates. It is copper carbonate and copper hydroxide which can be anywhere from blue to green, and come from a reaction with water, oxygen, and carbon dioxide, all present in air.  When the green corrosion decomposes in heat, or perhaps just time, it leaves a dark, gray, to black copper oxide residue.

I doubt there is much that can be done to reverse the process on a phone.  It's probably not so much 'dirt' that is on the phone, but a patch work of spots of varying compositions of metal compounds, likely not removable with water and soap. Perhaps the statuary bronze lacker has better layers below the surface, but I suspect that the slow process of oxidation happens throughout.

Perhaps just lightly polishing the surface with a metal cleaner brings out some of the brown again.

[Babybearjs]

cool looking 304! if I remember I had a bid for it and you beat me! My high bid was $50.... this phone can be used on a key system... 1A1, 1A2... you just need to rewire the phone so the 3rd switch hook pair is wired to the Yellow/Black leads on a 4 conductor cord... I have a 304C and just restored it to use... (needed a handset cord) good luck with the phone!