News:

"The phone is a remarkably complex, simple device,
and very rarely ever needs repairs, once you fix them." - Dan/Panther

Main Menu

Green Continental?....Opinion?

Started by Pourme, December 01, 2016, 07:03:51 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Pourme

I won this auction on Saturday and it arrived today. I think it's a original green Continental, I could be wrong. I am displaying the pictures from EBAY because I couldn't take any better ones myself. The blemishes is scratched paint mot removable scuffs as I had hoped. The silk handset cord is marked"40 H3P. The number plate is marked IV.54. I didn't remove the 5H dial but it appears to be dated 6 52. Inside the body there is no stamped date, I guess removed by the referb process or could have been made before date stamping began? It has raised star symbol and E-5 . The overall condition of the phone is excellent. The bottom pad has all the cork pads present and is in the best condition I have ever seen. I believe it to be original as well.

When I bought the "Craigslist Bonanza" from a retired 40 year Western Electric installer,( http://tinyurl.com/jy72a5r ) in April of this year, there was a green D1 body with that lot. This phone is and exact shade match of that body. I believe it is an original Continental body.  If you look you can see that body in the Bonanza pictures. That body has the same type markings but reads 6-A, date stamped I-36.

If it isn't a Continantal I think it is still worth the $24 price I paid!

I am by no means a expert, I am told green Continentals we made....is this one? How rare are they?

http://tinyurl.com/hzadmmy

Benny
Benny

Panasonic 308/616 Magicjack service

Jim Stettler

It appears to be a "real" continental to me. I used to have a green set, but I never studied up much on continentals.

  Most of the "fake" continentals have color matching fingerwheels. Real Continentals have clear fingerwheels. I am not sure if the dial body should be white or color matching, however if it is fake the dial would most likely be a black body dial.

@$24.00 I would call it a "find of the month".

JMO,
Jim  S.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Pourme

#2
Quote from: Jim S. on December 01, 2016, 07:39:57 PM
It appears to be a "real" continental to me. I used to have a green set, but I never studied up much on continentals.

  Most of the "fake" continentals have color matching fingerwheels. Real Continentals have clear fingerwheels. I am not sure if the dial body should be white or color matching, however if it is fake the dial would most likely be a black body dial.

@$24.00 I would call it a "find of the month".

JMO,

Thank you for your opinion, Jim. I value the opinions of the experts on the forum....

This purchase makes me smile!....
Jim  S.
Benny

Panasonic 308/616 Magicjack service

Doug Rose

Benny...I watched that auction. I think it's real. I also had hoped the marks on the handset would have come off with Brasso.  The ears have no paint loss, so it was not used much and I think it scared off bidders. Handset cord is worth the price. Nice hit.....Doug
Kidphone

Pourme

Doug,
I agree with your assessment. I noticed the lack of wear as well. I was surprised at the end of the auction that I was the only one left standing. Sometimes the reason one looks so good is because it just wasn't used much. That appears to be the case with this green Continental.
Benny

Panasonic 308/616 Magicjack service

unbeldi

#5
A real Continental should have some part on it that is dated in 1955.

Continentals should have either a refurbished 5J dial, in which case they often have a lubrication stamp on it in 1955,  or they should have a new 6D dial made in 1955.  The dial on yours appears to be a painted 5H, despite the Lucite finger wheel.

5H dials on colored 202 sets can be found, but I believe they might have a stainless steel finger wheel.   After all, the WECo shops did produce custom colored 202 sets, but those are not "Continentals".

The cord alone is worth the price, I would say.  The cord restraint should have a date on it.  Perhaps that is your confirmation.
It is impossible to make the judgement by the paint job, unless you have a carbon dating apparatus or paint analyzer.



Pourme

Quote from: unbeldi on December 01, 2016, 09:42:14 PM
A real Continental should have some part on it that is dated in 1955.

Continentals should have either a refurbished 5J dial, in which case they often have a lubrication stamp on it in 1955,  or they should have a new 6D dial made in 1955.  The dial on yours appears to be a painted 5H, despite the Lucite finger wheel.

5H dials on colored 202 sets can be found, but I believe they might have a stainless steel finger wheel.   After all, the WECo shops did produce custom colored 202 sets, but those are not "Continentals".

The cord alone is worth the price, I would say.  The cord restraint should have a date on it.  Perhaps that is your confirmation.
It is impossible to make the judgement by the paint job, unless you have a carbon dating apparatus or paint analyzer.

Forgive me...it was my intention to include the cord date in my original post...

It is I 55, I included a photo. Does this make a difference?
Benny

Panasonic 308/616 Magicjack service

WEBellSystemChristian

1955 is what you want for Continentals. Congratulations, it looks like you have a genuine Continental! Great price, too! ;)
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford

Pourme

Thanks Christian.....It looks happy with it's brothers!
Benny

Panasonic 308/616 Magicjack service

oldguy

Nice phone Benny & a great price. It looks good with the others. I also want to get Continentals to display with my Imperials.
Gary

Pourme

Thanks oldguy,

For multiple reasons, I missed a Peking Red one recently....I'll find one of those one day too...
Benny

Panasonic 308/616 Magicjack service

LarryInMichigan

The dial in my green Continental (which cost me more than twice as much and is in worse condition) was also painted green on the sides.

Larry

unbeldi

Quote from: LarryInMichigan on December 02, 2016, 09:48:06 AM
The dial in my green Continental (which cost me more than twice as much and is in worse condition) was also painted green on the sides.

Larry

It seems to me, that some of the "Continentals" indeed had 5H dials that had their sides painted in the color of the phone.  I also have an ivory case of this.  We just can't be certain when this was done.

unbeldi

What is the date on the 164A number plate of the dial of this phone.

I can see the month (IV) but not the year.  I hope it is also a 1955 part.

Pourme

Quote from: unbeldi on December 02, 2016, 12:35:19 PM
What is the date on the 164A number plate of the dial of this phone.

I can see the month (IV) but not the year.  I hope it is also a 1955 part.

the number plate is IV 54
Benny

Panasonic 308/616 Magicjack service