A Bell System Pick

[aftermathantiques]

Hello everyone.
I wanted to share a find that my pickers found in Washington State near Olympia. It appears to be a Bell System payphone. The reason that I assume so is because the words "Bell System Property is stamped on an internal piece.
The thing that I find interesting is that there is no safe lock on the front. The entire phone has to be taken off the wall to enter through the back. Does any one know what year or type of phone this is? Any info would be much appreciated.

Thank you!
Vance
Aftermath Antiques

[poplar1]

Thhere may be locks on the side. It wouldn't make sense to have to go from the back.

[aftermathantiques]

David. I agree completely. I have had this phone apart, cleaned, and put back together. Theres only one way in and one way out...Through the back. In order to remove the front cover, one must unscrew two screws from the back that tunnel through a tiny block of wood on each side of the phone. See additional pictures.

I have come across several pay phones on my picks but this is a first.

Vance

[aftermathantiques]

P.S. The whole body is made of plastic. There is barely any metal used in this phones construction.

[poplar1]

Does it really take coins? If not, it may be home-made from a 554 (see photos below).

[Sargeguy]

Looks like a prop

[twocvbloke]

I think I'd agree that it's not a payphone, it's something someone built to look like one (like sargeguy says, as a prop for something), originals would have been made out of metal, rather than wood and a 554...

Still, it does look convincing in the first pic, as you can't really see it clearly (I suggest a microfibre cloth on the lens there!!), which would definitely make it good as a stage prop...

[ESalter]

It definitely appears to be cobbled together from a 554 and other stuff.  The faceplate isn't a WE even, there isn't a handset cord opening in the front, the cord has to enter the side.

---Eric

[aftermathantiques]

A prop would make sense, however, someone would have had to went through great measures. The interior is wired, wired into the wooden booth with a jack, has coin slots, change markers, ect. It would seem that a prop would be a little less detailed inside. May have this been a prototype?
See additional pictures

Vance

[twocvbloke]

Looking at the dial label, I'm going to say it's a teaching aid, to teach people (with learning difficulties perhaps) to use a payphone correctly...

[paul]

I looked at the dial as well, and on a search came up with (sadly) only the following:
"OLD INSTRUCT-O-PHONE SET IN ORIGINAL CASE PACIFIC NORTHWEST BELL ROTARY SET ", the title from an eBay auction from 2011

[aftermathantiques]

Perhaps its a learning tool for techs? There a few parts labeled "ok" and a sticker with cent amounts.

[DavePEI]

Perhaps its a learning tool for techs? There a few parts labeled "ok" and a sticker with cent amounts.

No, not for techs. They used real phones for this purpose. After all, not much sense in training their techs using phones they will never see.

Dave

[aftermathantiques]

Its been narrowed down to a prop, a prototype, or a learning tool for the mentally challenged...

[cello973]

Actually it is and isn't a prop... I remember these from Junior High englis class and they were provided by the BOCs on a loaner basis so that we may learn proper telephone etiquette. The instructophone system was nothing more than a dial intercom system that came in a suitcase I remember that we had two or three desk sets one of which was a key telephone and at one time I did see a similar payphone mock up similar to the one pictured. I do remember the bell system tech coming in to set it up in the class room.