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Swirled white/black housing on a 500?

Started by McHeath, September 27, 2008, 12:09:26 AM

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McHeath

Poor little phone.  It's a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Phone™.  Maybe it just needs a little love.

I do rather like that swirled shell, have to admit, and maybe with white appendages instead of tutti-fruitti it would be presentable.  Hmmm.


Dan/Panther

Like I said, if the phoner matched, it's a find, otherwise it's abust....
At the very least the person could do would be to try to match handset, and cord colors, but even a black or white handset, will not match the case. It's just too far out.

D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Bill Cahill

 :o  A  frankenphone for sure....
Bill Cahill

"My friends used to keep saying I had batts in my belfry. No. I'm just hearing bells....."

McHeath

Ya know I've got a couple of G series handsets where the transmitter housing has a swirled pattern as well.  Perhaps the same thing was going on with regards to this phone's housing, changing colors and this pattern pops out for a few units.  Anyone else have similar parts in a handset?

Mark Stevens

Quote from: McHeath on September 30, 2008, 09:53:57 PM
Ya know I've got a couple of G series handsets where the transmitter housing has a swirled pattern as well.  Perhaps the same thing was going on with regards to this phone's housing, changing colors and this pattern pops out for a few units.  Anyone else have similar parts in a handset?

Whaaat???
Heath...photos...please!   ;D

Dennis Markham

#20
A collector has spoken.  This phone sold for over $200.  Maybe we'll see a few more come out of the woodwork now.

Here's The Listing

McHeath

Yeah gee, it went for $212 bucks.  Clearly someone wanted it.  And to think I toyed with the idea of picking it up for 30 dollars, geesh.

Okay here are some pics of one of my Western Electric transmitter housings in swirl.

McHeath

The handset is dated 6/78.  I just kinda thought these must be normal as I've got two of them.  I also have one in clear, is that typical as well?

benhutcherson

I'm pretty sure that I have transmitter housings in swirl similar to the ones pictured. I've also seen plain gray or white, and most of the older ones I've seen are clear.

I'm not all that familiar with plastic molding processes. I wonder, however, if perhaps when the time came to clean out the pipes and switch colors, WE changed over to molding the transmitter housings.

Since they're are a part most normal customers would never see, it wouldn't matter what they looked like. It would also prevent the wasted plastic that would come with switching-after all, we all know how frugal WE was.

Dennis Markham

I too have seen them in various colors, especially in the later years.  I have seen the swirl, white and clear as you guys mentioned.  W.E. did seem to be good at not wasting their materials.

Bill Cahill

That much? That's insane!!!!!!  :o :o :o :o :o
I wouldn't have it just because of the poor matching of parts.
Bill Cahill  ???

"My friends used to keep saying I had batts in my belfry. No. I'm just hearing bells....."

Jim Stettler

 I just found this thread (again).
The phone in question is the housing of my current Avatar.
The set was a fantasy set that was made with a factory swirled housing. I swapped the housing onto a black 500. and I think it looks pretty cool.
I still think $212.00 (2008 dollars) was a good deal for a WE swirled housing.
JMO,
Jim S.
I will try to update this with a full size photo soon.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

.....

Since you resuscitated this thread Jim, I thought, as it is in line with this topic.

I would post some pictures of my 1974 Northern Electric Beige/Green swirl handset that came out the London, Ontario plant.

It would be interesting to see what it would look like with your 500 body.

19and41

Mighty Attractive.  Wonder if they decided to not waste the plastic in a color change at the injection molder?
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

Jim Stettler

Quote from: Duffy on December 05, 2018, 10:54:14 AM
Since you resuscitated this thread Jim, I thought, as it is in line with this topic.

I would post some pictures of my 1974 Northern Electric Beige/Green swirl handset that came out the London, Ontario plant.

It would be interesting to see what it would look like with your 500 body.

Your handset looks quite nice. I would like to see it on my set as well. I don't suppose you are offering to sell it to me. :)
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.