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VERY RARE VINTAGE WESTERN ELECTRIC 356C WALL PHONE FOR RURAL PARTY LINE

Started by Doug Rose, January 06, 2018, 08:29:47 AM

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Doug Rose

I watched this until it got to high for me. I have never seen one. $354 was the selling price....Doug

https://tinyurl.com/ybbr8haj
Kidphone


Pourme

I know this isn't the main feature of this phone but, I don't think I have ever seen a plastic open dial card ring on a metal dial wheel.
Unusual?

Benny
Benny

Panasonic 308/616 Magicjack service

WEBellSystemChristian

The plastic ring is actually a clear protector that fits over the retainer. I'm not sure of the history of those, but I'm pretty sure they were aftermarket. I don't know if there's a connection with the advertisement discs that were given out by banks and funeral homes back then at the same time or not. I have one somewhere, but it's badly cracked.

That sold for a lot more than I figured. My daily driver on my nightstand was originally the 302 version of that, with the instructions in between the cradle. It was painted over, so there's no way to save the lettering, if the letters were silkscreened on the housing.
Christian Petterson

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

Ktownphoneco

I'm kind of squeezing my "memory cells" here, but I think that set was originally designed / intended for party line service.     Lifting the handset would allow the customer to check the line to see whether or not it was already in use, and if not, the button was pushed to connect the transmitter and dial, then the customer could go ahead and place his or her call.    I'm sure some of our more knowledgeable forum users will correct me if I'm wrong.

Jeff Lamb

WEBellSystemChristian

Quote from: Ktownphoneco on January 06, 2018, 11:20:23 AM
I'm kind of squeezing my "memory cells" here, but I think that set was originally designed / intended for party line service.     Lifting the handset would allow the customer to check the line to see whether or not it was already in use, and if not, the button was pushed to connect the transmitter and dial, then the customer could go ahead and place his or her call.    I'm sure some of our more knowledgeable forum users will correct me if I'm wrong.

Jeff Lamb
I know these were for party line use, but I don't know how it worked. With the desk person, a plunger was lifted, similar to the exclusion feature.
Christian Petterson

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

poplar1

356C is apparently the assembly code for a dial wall set with tube and B3A ringer, same as the 306C desk phone. There is no mention of the "push to talk" in this description of a 356C:
telephonecollectors.info/index.php/.../9130-502-400-411-i1

http://telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/bsps/most-popular/sets-modular/doc_view/9130-502-400-411-i1



The >talking circuit in the> phone sold on Ebay is more like the 302AC desk phone with lift-to-talk, and probably works the same way:
pushing the button on the side of the wall phone releases the 2-step switch hook in order to complete the path from the line through the yellow/brown-yellow switch contacts to Y on the dial.

http://telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/bsp-bell-system-practices-by-doc/bsp-categories-by-early-letter-code-by-doc/c-series-station-installation-and-maintenance/c33-c38-dials-transmitters-receivers-cords/3346-c38-553-iss1-aug1957-302aa-ac-112008-tl?highlight=WyIzMDJhYSJd

http://telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/bsp-bell-system-practices-by-doc/bsp-categories-by-later-division-number-by-doc/500-529-station-equipment/502-division-station-sets-common-battery/9127-502-400-400-i2-nov61-302aa-302ac-connections?highlight=WyIzMDJhYyJd


If you loosen the transmitter cap, and remove the transmitter, on a 302, AE40, Kellogg 1000, you will have the same "monitor" condition, where you can listen in on the line without drawing dial tone or tripping incoming ring.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

Jim Stettler

Quote from: poplar1 on January 06, 2018, 01:19:36 PM

If you loosen the transmitter cap, and remove the transmitter, on a 302, AE40, Kellogg 1000, you will have the same "monitor" condition, where you can listen in on the line without drawing dial tone or tripping incoming ring.
I used to have a small WE "monitor speaker"  in my garage. When the phone rang (daytime) I would wait for my wife to answer and then turn on the unit. If it was for me then I would answer the phone. If it was for my wife I would shut the unit off.
At night my wife would flash the back porch light when the call was for me.
Jim S.



You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

AL_as_needed

Quote from: WEBellSystemChristian on January 06, 2018, 10:40:31 AM
The plastic ring is actually a clear protector that fits over the retainer. I'm not sure of the history of those, but I'm pretty sure they were aftermarket. I don't know if there's a connection with the advertisement discs that were given out by banks and funeral homes back then at the same time or not. I have one somewhere, but it's badly cracked.

I won a phone from a goodwill auction some time ago that had this clear cover over a local fire/police number card. The card itself was on top of the clear acetate and had the center cut out to show the number on the original number card. The plastic cover simply held the additional card in place without need to open the original card holder. Because you know those old Bell phone cops   ;D, pop off the dial center and face the consequences in phone jail.

Mine is a blue-ish clear plastic.
TWinbrook7