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Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?

Started by HobieSport, November 26, 2008, 09:53:35 PM

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What's your oldest mostly original 500?

I have a '49, but don't tell anyone.
1 (0.9%)
1950
12 (10.3%)
1951
20 (17.1%)
1952
25 (21.4%)
1953-1957
72 (61.5%)

Total Members Voted: 117

rp2813

Jim, I know there are a lot of collectors out there who still shun the 500's.  That's fine.  More for us!  I also find it interesting that while some collectors may feel 500's aren't worth bothering with, thrift and antique shops seem to be catching on about anything rotary.

I don't think anybody can ignore what is perhaps the most significant and globally ubiquitous item of 20th century industrial design.  This attribute makes the 500 very plentiful, but something doesn't have to be rare to be collectible. 

Personally, I like being able to use the things I collect, and taking that a step further, since I'm also interested in ease of use, a 500 beats all of its predecessors hands down where that is concerned.  Although I love my 202 and 302 phones, I am a 500 convert and have never looked back.

Ralph

Dan/Panther

Where would you guys guess you would have the greatest odds of finding early dated WE500 parts. My thoughts  you would most likely not find any earlier dated part's on phones from 1950 to 1955, From that point on a,  some earlier phones may have gotten refurbished. So if a phone has the original date on the bottom and no refurbish dates, chances are it will not have any earlier dated parts.
Would you agree or if not let  me hear your thoughts.
D/P

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

Phonesrfun

I would think that the early ones got refurbed too.  My black 1952 500 has a 1956 cover, but no indication of a refurb on the base.  So, maybe the early refurbs weren't as conspicuously re-dated.  Either that or whoever I bought it from on e-Bay changed a bad cover for a better one to get a sale.
-Bill G

Dan/Panther

That brings up an interesting point that goes along with my thinking. Earlier sets without refurb dates most likely will have either been picked over, or have original parts matched to the base date. The refurbed sets could contain any internal part pre dating the refurb date. It seem to me that phones refurbed seem to be between 5 and 10 years after the original date. So what I'm thinking is,  if the set has a date on the bottom that is original date of say 3-52, chances are, no parts in that set will precede the 1952 date, With the exception of a set made in say early 52, which may contain  parts dated 51 . However a set that was refurbed in say 1960, could have parts dating as early as 1950, or even earlier.
D/P

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

Tom B

#139
I've got a '51, a '55, '56, and a '57. Mostly matching dates on the '51, all match on the '55 and '57. ;D
Tom

McHeath

51' is pretty early Tom.  (welcome to the forum by the way)  When this thread was started we did not know of anything older than 1950 but now a genuine 1949 model has come to light as well as what we think is a 1948 pre-production model.  The 48' is in the hands of one of our members, D/P, who's eagle eyes spotted it on E-Bay.  He did a fine restoration job and that story is told in the thread "Now the story can be told".  The 49' is in a phone museum in Seattle. 

Tom B

Thanks for the welcoming words, bud. I'll certainly take a look at that particular thread.
Tom

Dan/Panther

Tom;
Welcome.
Like McHeath said, I may have a pre-production 500, and even now when  walk past the cabinets it's in, I get chills, and can't help but opening the door and looking at it up close.
I just took this photo to show you.
D/P

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

Greg G.

Quote from: Dan/Panther on September 10, 2010, 02:47:54 PM
I may have a pre-production 500, and even now when  walk past the cabinets it's in, I get chills, and can't help but opening the door and looking at it up close.
D/P

Tsk, tsk, I'm disappointed with you!  A true collector would at least spin the dial too!
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

Tom B

Dan
You're a lucky, lucky man. I'm just starting my phone collection with 500's; I got lucky in picking my '51 up off EBay - paid $24 and cents for it, so I'm well pleased with it.

Briny - I can't resist spinning the dials, either! ;D
Tom

HarrySmith

Nice dislpay Dan :)
I was curious what you did with the 49er ;D
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

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

HarrySmith

Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

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

Dan/Panther

Quote from: Brinybay on September 10, 2010, 03:07:30 PM
Quote from: Dan/Panther on September 10, 2010, 02:47:54 PM
I may have a pre-production 500, and even now when  walk past the cabinets it's in, I get chills, and can't help but opening the door and looking at it up close.
D/P

Tsk, tsk, I'm disappointed with you!  A true collector would at least spin the dial too!

Briny;
You busted me, I do every time I go past. I was afraid everyone would get on me for wearing out that rare dial.
Harry, It's the only display behind glass.
D/P

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

Tom B

Dan
Does the '48 work? Awesome if it does....
Tom