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WE 544

Started by WEBellSystemChristian, February 24, 2017, 09:43:48 AM

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WEBellSystemChristian

Anybody see this one? It looks like the same seller as the Green 305.

It's an all original, straight corded, manual, early, 544. I don't know if it will go too high, but it's the crème de la crème of a "plain old" Black multiline... ;D

Funny thing is, this was just about the cheapest and least usable variation of a WE multiline at the time!

www.ebay.com/itm/201830943859
Christian Petterson

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

jsowers

Now that's what I call the bottom of the line. I bet it won't bring a bottom line price now. I found out something interesting about the phone.

If you google its phone number 212-355-0100, area code from New York City, it's from the Fitzpatrick Manhattan Hotel. They must've had a switchboard to make all the calls. Phone numbers like that never change, like the Hotel Pennsylvania still being PEnnsylvania 6-5000. So back in the day this phone was new, they would have been ELdorado 5-0100.
Jonathan

TelePlay

This phone is now the subject of Auction Contest #266.

     http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=17724.0

Discussion here, guesses there.

Only been listed for 9 hours and had 21 watchers BEFORE starting the contest.

LoveOldPhones

so would this have been a phone used for incoming calls to the front desk ?

i don't know anything about these phones except that you see them in hotel lobbies.... but without the buttons.

andre_janew

Yes, this phone would be used for incoming calls.  Without operator assistance, it wouldn't be much good for outgoing calls!  I suppose this would be a multi-line courtesy telephone. 

Jim Stettler

I kinda like the look w/ the dial blank.
JMO,
Jim S.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

LoveOldPhones

if you put a plug on the line cord.... would it work in your home ?  i mean just ring when a call came in ?

or does it need to be hard wired into a system that will direct calls to it ?

RotarDad

Yes, it will work.  The line cord needs to be connected to a pair of wires that match one of the line buttons that is then pressed.  I have a 565 (5-line plus hold) on my desk that I ran a separate line cord inside (not wanting to disturb the 1A connector on the original line cord).  It works great.
Paul

unbeldi

Quote from: LoveOldPhones on February 25, 2017, 12:37:31 AM
if you put a plug on the line cord.... would it work in your home ?  i mean just ring when a call came in ?

or does it need to be hard wired into a system that will direct calls to it ?

In principle there is nothing different about a key telephone than any other set, except for the switches which only manage the connections, they do not change the method of operation.  However, often the ringer is specially connected to ring only from the ringing supply of the key system, so it has to be connected to the line number that you wire into the phone when not using a key system, and it will ring only from that line, if you choose to wire more than one line into the set.  In that way, these make excellent extension sets for multiple line when you can hear the ringing from other telephones.

poplar1

The 544 on Ebay has already been rewired to connect the ringer as a "line ringer" on the first line. Note the black and red ringer wires have been moved from RT and RR  to 1T and 1R.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

poplar1

This 544A set has 4 line pickups and no holding key ("PPPP").

The 544B set has Hold + 3 line pickups (HPPP).

The second letter indicates manual or dial.

544AA  PPPP manual
544AB  PPPP dial

544BA HPPP manual
544BB HPPP dial

In all cases, the last Pickup key can be converted to a momentary signal key (PPPS, HPPS).

502-541-402 Issue 1 (TCI Library)
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.