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My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500

Started by WEBellSystemChristian, August 28, 2015, 01:06:00 AM

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WEBellSystemChristian

I just got this $75 BiN right after it had been listed. I held my breath as I pushed the button; it's not exactly a low-end price for a very, very faded 1500, but I probably won't see another Aqua 1500 for sale for a long time!

This one is incredibly faded (almost yellow now) and includes a couple front cracks, but some super glue and UV/Peroxide should get this back to a beautiful phone!

I personally find these 1500s very cool; the angled, squared lines and shapes combined with the two-tone combinations created by the faceplates, along with early Touch-Tone technology makes these sets very interesting to me!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/151790529592
Christian Petterson

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

TelePlay

And it comes with the full "operator" 0 button on the keypad. Nice find.

Can't wait to see the "after" photos. May be a great addition to our "Back from the Dead" topic.

WEBellSystemChristian

#2
Thanks! If it turns out nicely, I may enter it!

I'm glad someone found out about the peroxide method awhile ago, I would have to suffer the same torture McHeath went through on his Aqua 1500. When he tried restoring the color back on his, the peroxide method hadn't been brought into the phone community yet (or at least they didn't think Aqua would work like White does), and he had to sand the fading out! In the end, the plastics had slightly softened edges, and he ended up replacing everything eventually. I bet his fingertips still aren't the same... ;D

I posted a couple pictures here of McHeath's 1500 as arrived, and after sanding, with the plastics' softened edges from vigorous sanding.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=566.0
Christian Petterson

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

jsowers

Christian, I sincerely hope it's all you thought it was, but it sure looks turquoise to me. That faceplate is a dead ringer for the one on a turquoise 1500 and the plastics look like faded turquoise to me too. But then again it could be the camera or the lighting. Has it arrived yet? Let us know what it turns out to be. Turquoise is nothing to sneeze at and just as rare as aqua blue. They're both very hard to find. Whatever color it is, I'm sure it will look ten times better when you're through with it.

I totally agree about how unique these phones are, with their translucent contrasting faceplates and squarish lines. The design is a true classic.
Jonathan

WEBellSystemChristian

#4
Quote from: jsowers on August 28, 2015, 09:33:09 AM
Christian, I sincerely hope it's all you thought it was, but it sure looks turquoise to me. That faceplate is a dead ringer for the one on a turquoise 1500 and the plastics look like faded turquoise to me too. But then again it could be the camera or the lighting. Has it arrived yet? Let us know what it turns out to be. Turquoise is nothing to sneeze at and just as rare as aqua blue. They're both very hard to find. Whatever color it is, I'm sure it will look ten times better when you're through with it.

I totally agree about how unique these phones are, with their translucent contrasting faceplates and squarish lines. The design is a true classic.
Wow, you bring up a great point! I hadn't looked at the faceplate compared to an Aqua version, and now that you mention it, it does look like Turquoise!!

Has anybody ever tried Peroxide on Turquoise to see if it works without damaging the pigments? I would assume it does, but I would like input.

I actually hope it's Turquoise now--I've at least seen Aqua 1500s, but never a Turquoise before! I don't have it yet, but if the seller packs the phone carefully as per my request, it should arrive here without damage and I can test peroxide on it to see how it works!
Christian Petterson

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

ESalter

A couple years ago I bought a cheap faded hardwired aqua blue 2500 on ebay.  When it showed up I couldn't believe how even the fading was and how well it matched the color of both cords.  Then I took it apart and discovered it was exactly the same color on the inside and was actually turquoise in un-faded, almost pristine, condition.  It wasn't what I was expecting, but was certainly a welcome surprise. 

---Eric

jsowers

Here's a composite shot I made with your phone and my turquoise 1500 side by side. That faceplate looks very similar to turquoise and not as blue as McHeath's aqua blue. Either way you have a nice phone. I haven't tried peroxide on turquoise, but I have tried bleach and it worked fairly well on a 554. I posted pictures of that too. I like the "Mr. Yuck" on the before picture. It was yucky all right.
Jonathan

WEBellSystemChristian

#7
Wow, thanks for that composite shot! I was trying to compare pictures before, but this makes it much easier!

I might try the bleach method you did. How long did your 554 take sitting in the bleach to get back to the original color?
Christian Petterson

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

jsowers

I did the bleaching in 2003, so I can't be certain. I did take pictures during the process and I posted them below. I think it took more than one day in the sun for it to work. So two days would be about right. I took it out in late afternoon after the sun started going down and put it back in the next day when the sun was shining again. I have lots of trees in my yard, so finding a sunny place wasn't too easy. I probably put it in from about 10:00-4:00 each day and I always rinsed off the bleach with plain water and then dried it with a towel.

I used one part regular bleach to two parts water. I think the last picture is after the first bleaching and I could still see fading on the housing, so I did it again with fresh bleach and water one more day.

I hope you have good results. Fading can be due to many different things, so sometimes it works better than others.
Jonathan

HarrySmith

Nice job, Looks great! In the original pictures you posted on the bottom there appears to be a faded "F" number next to the 1500 stamp. Is it possible this was a field trial unit that was converted? Did you check the internals to see if they are consistent with production sets?
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

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

twocvbloke

Looks like "R170D" or "R170U" to my eyes, so possibly a refurb date?

WEBellSystemChristian

Quote from: HarrySmith on August 29, 2015, 09:47:16 PM
Nice job, Looks great! In the original pictures you posted on the bottom there appears to be a faded "F" number next to the 1500 stamp. Is it possible this was a field trial unit that was converted? Did you check the internals to see if they are consistent with production sets?
Are you talking about my 1500? If so, I think you confused the pictures I posted of McHeath's Aqua 1500 to my Turquoise 1500. I should have elaborated that! Mine hasn't arrived yet, but it should be in my possession soon.

I think that stamp is 'R170D', which would have been a refurb in January 1970, leaving it as a standard 1500 set. (don't you love WE's attention to detail?) That explains the tapered handset cord boot, as the boots were still stubby in '66, indicating a replaced HS cord.
Christian Petterson

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

HarrySmith

OK, my old eyes are not what they used to be, it is a refurb date. Sorry.
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

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

WEBellSystemChristian

#13
I was at school when it was delivered, so my dad has it now, and he sent pictures to me. The housing looks like Turquoise!

We aren't sure about the handset though. The handset cord almost definitely looks like Aqua to me (not a big deal) but the handset and caps look like they could go either way.

What do you guys think?
Christian Petterson

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

WEBellSystemChristian

#14
UPDATE:

The handset and caps are definitely Turquoise! I compared them to a perfect Aqua receiver cap, and the difference is undeniable. The cord is a maybe for Aqua, but compared to the handset cap, even inside the handset, it seems a little closer to Turquoise.
Christian Petterson

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