NOS Question.

[Dan/Panther]

Our latest auction contest entry sparked my imagination.
If you have a NOS phone, would you use it ?
If so, and no damage occurred, would it diminish the value significantly ?
D/P

[Craig T]

Well I think there are two ways I would consider buying an NOS phone

1. To have the pleasure of opening and using a brand new rotary phone from the period.

or

2. To have the pleasure of having a factory fresh phone that is not refurbished, re-wired or altered in any way.


That said, I would take steps to make sure it was stored properly and put it away, unused.


I feel like if I wanted one to use I would be willing to settle for a $10 fixer upper at this point in my collection. I can totally understand the drive to want an NOS phone for either of the stated reasons though.


I think if you told people you had used the telephone they would not pay as much for it, how much less would be pure speculation on my part at best.
If we assume no damage at all, I truly don't see how you would be able to tell the difference.

[LarryInMichigan]

My answer would depend upon the particular phone and its value.  If it was something very rare and very valuable, I would probably not use it (though I would feel obligated to at least try one call with it).  If it was something more common, like a 1964 SC 1543 NOS which I saw on ebay once, I would probably use it.

Larry

[GusHerb]

Well I have trouble enough as it is using something I bought brand new that's modern and in production - just to keep it looking nice, I hate it when things wear down and start to look bad. So for the 3 NIB phones that I have that problem of mine is multiplied times 5.
I won't touch my 5-60 NIB Princess phone except for to look at it, the 66 Trimline same thing, and as for the 83 NIB Trimline I'd try to look for something used in the same color first.

5 year's ago I had one of my S-C 500's out for use in the house, and this was at Christmas time and it got used heavily too. After just a month it had a black scuff across the front and the handset was starting to wear down on the sides of the phone.... Needless to say I went crazy getting it back to MINT looking.

[bingster]

I don't think I'd be able to use it.  Once it's installed and put into use (even if it's limited use), it forever takes away your ability to call it " new and unused."  Even though you may only use it very seldom, it will never be "new" again.  That said, I don't think I could keep it in the box.  I'd put it on display with the packaging close by.

[AET]

I wouldn't be able to use it, it's bragging rights to have that NOS phone there.

[Netdewt]

I said in another thread:

"The reason I like these old phones is that they are still useful! It's a testament to the fact that old stuff is awesome, in contrast to the contemporary idea that new is always best. Something that sits in the box is worthless. You might as well not have it. Just my opinion."

[rp2813]

Maybe if it was totally matching dates new I would keep it in a box, but I wouldn't go out of my way to pursue such an item.  The closest thing I have is a 500 that I  suspect never got used after being refurbed and redeployed.  I had it in use briefly, but now it's put away out of natural light as it's beige and could fade, and doesn't fit in with any of my decor currently. 

[Jim Stettler]

I wouldn't use it. It would stay in the box and get cycled into the display on occasion , with the box next to it.

I have lot's of old phones and only have a few hooked up, A boring beige SC 500. A painted pink WE TT princess, A rotary 3-slot and a Rotary SS, are the only old phones that get some use.

I have had the same  "Home Receptionist"  2-line phone as my main phone for 12+ years, The rest of the phones are 6 cordless handsets w/ intercom.


My "home receptionist" phone was a "free" gift from US west if I kept them as my local Dial tone provider for 2 years. I got a certificate of ownership" in Dec 2000.

I liked the Home Receptionist so well that I have a 1/2 doz. "spares" in case it fails. I also have 3-4 of the single line version. Whenever I change my services I call a 800 # and it downloads my services in my soft keys. Somewhere I have the VHS Video that describes all the features of my phone.

Jim S.

[Dan/Panther]

I have given it thought, and I use my phones on a rotating basis.
I would use it, because the next owner will never appreciate it like you did.

I use the rotation for a semi cleaning process. I have a pair of Cotton gloves, that I keep damp with F-21. I take a phone from the shelf, and gently blow it off with compressed air. I then put on the gloves and completely rub the phone down. While in use I rub the phone down about half way through it's cycle, and then again before I re-shelf it. It also gives me the opportunity to dust the shelf where the phone was sitting.
For the most part, most of my phones remain clean with very little effort on my part as in going through and dusting and wiping down all of the phones once a month or so. Each displayed phone gets this treatment at least once a year.
D/P

[Jim Stettler]

D/P,
Tell me about F-21 and the white glove treatment.  Lately I have been using Micro-fiber dust cloths. I dislike dust, but not enough to do much about it
Thanks,
Jim

BTW Vern P. believes stongly in the archival properties of dust. Over the years I have tried his technique. I cannot argue against the effort required.

[Craig T]

I could not agree more, dust is what starts chasing some folks away, add some dirt, a sticky dial and POOF, it is suddenly unapproachable and waiting for one of us to pick it up 

[bwanna]

i would not want to use a NOS set. so i probably would not buy one. 

[Jim Stettler]

i would not want to use a NOS set. so i probably would not buy one. 

Buy cheap and trade high. Might as well gain from your knowledge.
JMO,
Jim

[rp2813]

D/P made a good point.  I once acted as householder for family friends who were waiting for an estate to be settled.  The house was built in 1937 for a banker of Italian descent, and both exterior and exterior tastefully reflected the old country.  I wasted no time in using the phone niche and subset niche below it for my oval-base from 1931 as my main phone in the house, and had my metal 1938 302 on a 25' long rubber cord in the "lobby" area upstairs. 

One thing I noticed right away was that the fireplace had never been used.  I decided that was a sin, so I made it a point to build a fire in it and get some soot happening.  That way, the people who eventually moved in wouldn't feel that the fireplace should remain pristine.  It was there to be enjoyed and provide atmosphere, just like a brand new decorator telephone!