1937 300 Series Phone with 1950's Green Body ????

..... · October 16, 2019, 06:34:28 PM

I bought this phone today for $65.00 CDN off of Kijiji a Canadian online buy and sell site. The shipping was extra. These pictures where taken at the Post Office just before he mailed it to me. I'll know more about it when I get it and open it up.

Jim Stettler · October 16, 2019, 06:56:04 PM

Looks like a find of the month contender to me. Let us know.
Good find,
Jim

..... · October 18, 2019, 09:43:37 PM

My phone came in today and I spend most of the day cleaning it up. It's not perfect, but it looks good enough to display.
This phone has a March 1951 Western Electric Body and handset. The base and all the rest of the parts are August 1952 Northern Electric.
It looks like the clear finger wheel was changed out at some point in time for the black one. The dial itself is a Northern 5J. I will need the spider clip and the finger wheel for it. That's a hint for anyone that has an extra one.

I don't understand what the person who put that sticker on the bottom of the phone was trying to say.

Doug Rose · October 19, 2019, 08:05:21 AM

Doug....it sure looks good to me. It really shines. I have never seen a NE 5J before. Ray has some #5 spiders. If you have a chrome #5 fingerwheel, it would look great on it. Wonderful find!......other Doug

..... · October 19, 2019, 08:19:53 AM

Thanks Doug.

Yes Jeff Lamb had told me that Ray had some. I'll have to call him.
Jeff also sent me a 1950's article on Northern coloured 302's.
They bought the Body and Handsets from Western and then put Northern parts in them.

Here are a few more after pictures. It's now in the Green cabinet with the other green pieces.

Doug Rose · October 19, 2019, 08:42:27 AM

Beautiful....I love the green display, it is so unique. That is the cool thing about collecting, everyone has a different style of displaying their phones....Doug

andre_janew · October 19, 2019, 03:52:57 PM

I could suggest painting the finger wheel to match the body of the phone, but I won't. I know the people on this forum just hate radical thinking like that!

Doug Rose · October 19, 2019, 03:55:17 PM

Radical as it is, you could never match the color...ever

..... · October 19, 2019, 04:33:22 PM

Quote from: andre_janew on October 19, 2019, 03:52:57 PM
I could suggest painting the finger wheel to match the body of the phone, but I won't. I know the people on this forum just hate radical thinking like that!

Don't kid yourself, I thought of it. Great minds think alike!

But Ray came to the rescue and is going to send me what I need to finish off the 5J dial. Thanks Ray!

In the mean time I found a number 6 dial with a clear finger wheel in my payphone parts bin. That will work until I get the parts I need from Ray.

paul-f · October 19, 2019, 05:26:02 PM

Quote from: Duffy on October 18, 2019, 09:43:37 PM
I don't understand what the person who put that sticker on the bottom of the phone was trying to say.

Some folks mark their collectibles with a record of where they were purchased and the amount paid. It may help if they decide to sell them in the future or may aid their heirs.

I have occasionally found paper notes inside phones with similar information.

..... · October 19, 2019, 05:47:28 PM

Quote from: paul-f on October 19, 2019, 05:26:02 PM
Some folks mark their collectibles with a record of where they were purchased and the amount paid. It may help if they decide to sell them in the future or may aid their heirs.

I have occasionally found paper notes inside phones with similar information.

I totally understand that part Paul and thanks for the help earlier.
I was just wondering what they meant by using 1937 when it's a 1950's phone.
Also it is a Western body and handset that was build using Northern parts. Northern Electric called them their own.
But that person may not have known that.

I left the sticker on, as it would make a mess if I tried to take it off. They coated the backing with glue.

Ktownphoneco · October 19, 2019, 06:00:39 PM

Doug .... The year 1937 is when Western introduced the 302 sets. Some people always state the date that the set was first introduced, but unfortunately, they don't explain the significance of that date when the actual date of the set being discussed is 1952, as is the case with yours. It's fine to tell people when the telephone was first introduced, but an explanation indicating the fact should accompany that statement. I think it has something to do with the WOW !" effect that the year "1937" has when it's being discussed in 1982.

Jeff Lamb

Babybearjs · October 20, 2019, 04:31:37 PM

beautiful piece! if you decide to trim it out in chrome, go all the way.... both fingerwheel and handset trim. (from OPW) it would reall make the unit POP! in working condition, well worth $500! Enjoy it!

oldguy · October 20, 2019, 11:20:09 PM

Great find Duffy, congratulations. Like you, I'm a fan of the clear open center fingerwheels on colored 302s.

..... · October 20, 2019, 11:27:57 PM

Quote from: oldguy on October 20, 2019, 11:20:09 PM
Great find Duffy, congratulations. Like you, I'm a fan of the clear open center fingerwheels on colored 302s.

Thanks Gary

Look at what I picked up today.

1960 Pink NE 500, 1950 Ivory WE/NE 302 and a 1954 Rose Pink WE/NE 302. These 302's are the same mix as the green one.
WE body and handset with NE base and parts.

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1937 300 Series Phone with 1950's Green Body ????