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Clear Telephones (by Jim S. and others)

Started by Jim Stettler, December 29, 2009, 12:06:36 AM

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markosjal

Original Poster Hank Duffy
from the facebook group:Rare Telephones Only

  ยท
1974 field trial Northern Electric Clear Contempra
This Contempra does not have a regular network or a ringer attached to its base. The network and ringer were built into the handset. This idea was rejected and never went to market. The body mould dates are 4th quarter of 1973 and the components are 1st quarter of 1974.

I just thought it was too cool to not share!
Phat Phantom's phreaking phone phettish

HarrySmith

WOW ;D Very cool! That is a great find, I wonder how many are out there?
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

markosjal

Here is one I recently acquired

This image is as I acquired it. No clean up
Phat Phantom's phreaking phone phettish

FABphones

Here is mine.
Clear Stromberg Carlson 1191.
A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
***********
Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
*************

HarrySmith

IIRC one of our members years ago got a clear Contempra from someone who worked there. I do not think it was a field trial though.
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

TelePlay


HarrySmith

No, that was not it. I took a quick look but could not find the one I was thinking of. It was an ex employee that it came from and even had a letter from him to authenticate it.
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

allnumbedup

This is the third clear 2500 I have come across. I am sharing a picture of this one because I think the foil label backs up the idea stated earlier in this thread that these newer ITT/Cortelco phones were used as commemorative gifts/ presentation pieces. (I plan to clean it up without ruining the label.)
Analog Phones for a Digital World

MMikeJBenN27


FABphones

More info re Peoples Mutual Telephone here:
https://peoplestelecom.net/history/

'... Peoples Mutual Telephone continued to expand into the rural areas, the process to incorporate was started January 3, 1914'.

'... An upgrade to digital switching was installed in 1985 and computers became part of the switch and daily routines in 1989'.
A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
***********
Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
*************

tubaman

I have these. Not sure if the Boat in a Bottle counts though?  :D

kleenax

I'm to poor (and cheap) to buy Clear phones, so as most of you know, I make my own!

This project of the WE 202 (D1 mount) with clear #4 dial and matching 684 subset with the extra-special Gongs is my all-time Favorite!
Ray Kotke
Recumbent Casting, LLC

AL_as_needed

Thats beautiful kleenax, the brass gongs and other details really set it off visually.
TWinbrook7

ChrisW6ATV

Quote from: allnumbedup on April 21, 2023, 12:23:53 PMThis is the third clear 2500 I have come across. I am sharing a picture of this one because I think the foil label backs up the idea stated earlier in this thread that these newer ITT/Cortelco phones were used as commemorative gifts/ presentation pieces. (I plan to clean it up without ruining the label.)
I just found this discussion and post. I do not know if the thought is that clear ITT/Cortelco 2500s were -only- for special presentations, but I can tell you all that I saw them for sale over the counter at, I am pretty sure, a Graybar Electric office/store likely in late 1989 or maybe in 1990. I bought three of them, one each for myself and my two brothers.

Mine is dated 11-89, and it is still connected and used in my bedroom as it has been since I bought it. One brother eventually gave his back to me (he did not have Touch-Tone service), so I have a spare one too, still in its original box.

MMikeJBenN27

Wow!  These are amazing!  Wish I knew how to do that!  But I also wish I could do body work, the right way, on cars as well.

Mike