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Christmas Gift Phones

Started by McHeath, December 25, 2009, 10:51:56 PM

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AET

I understand your gun hobby. I love guns and my dads a gun dealer.

Quote from: Tonyrotary on January 01, 2010, 10:01:27 PM
Tom,

Here is a good way of looking at it. If you enjoy a hobby who cares what other people think? I recently told a buddy of mine about my phones and he thought it was funny. He said he just couldn't picture me getting into phones. Sometimes I get it from other people about my gun hobby. You know, just why do you have so many guns?
- Tom

McHeath

Here are the long awaited pics of the orange 500.   ;)

First off, a general shot of the prize.  It's a nice clean 3rd quarter of 1967 phone.  (no exact date)  It also appears to have been refurbed in 74'.

McHeath

Here is the network, still potted in 67'.  My 73' dated Stromberg Carlson 1654 has the printed circuit board network, so someplace in there they changed.

Also a couple of pics of the works, the ringer is a cheapened C4, thinner parts etc.  It does have the ability to shut off the ringer by using the dial on the bottom, a nice touch that WE ought to have done, IMHO.


McHeath

The dial bezel is curious, the letters are yellow not white, and on the inside of the bezel the injection molded color is also yellow.  Guess I should scrape it to see if it's yellow inside or simply a coating of smoke or something.

And a final pic of the screw mounts for the shell.  No brass inserts on the shell, no date codes either, it was probably replaced in the 74' refurb.  (those dates are from the handset)

Overall it's a great color, none of these pics really is true to the color, and a fun phone to have.  Now to find a lime green to complement it. 


Jim Stettler

Quote from: LarryInMichigan on December 31, 2009, 11:50:23 AM
I can't seem to find anyone I know whose is interested in old phones, much less rotary dials.

Larry
"
Larry,
"Talk to Strangers", Your Mom said,"never, Talk to strangers". She had her reasons. I assure you it wasn't to locate telephones and phone stories.
However, If you talk to likely strangers, you will get phone stories and even phones.

Who are "likely strangers".
Yard sales.  I look first, Then ask  "Do you happen to have any...uh.. older telephones? The pause is key to get their interst. The replies vary, I sometimes get good phones cheap or free. Other times I overpay for a phone I don't want (it took them 10 minutes to find and is only midly interesting. Charge the overpayment off as a Tip"
,Still other times I don't buy but advise them of a "sellable" value in the local market. "that's a nice example of a modern 500 set for $5. I am not interseted but I would leave it out marked $10 and take $5, It is a nice example"


This works well.
Ask your question whithin hearing of old customers. These can end up being stories or phones.

Estate sales in your local (Buy and Die) neighborhood that was built in the early 50's. These can have very nice original sets.
The approach is the same. However, with a No. You repliy, "Not even in the basement? you know one of those old phones?
------------------------------------------
For this possibilitiy I like to have some modern jacks and 500, 554, 2, and trimline. You remove the set " (pictures would be great, hold a newspaper for date)

Add a modular jack give her some money and maybe a phone.  As an alternate bring some CAT 5E a, Cat 5 jack and a ataple gun. Find a good spot to add a computer jack in trade
I got an estate company in trouble for selling the "leased Phone", We have since come to the understanding that If I remove a phone, they get a jack, a "core" and some $.

Trade stories w/ the story tellers, ask if they know any old phone guys. "Well can you at least pass along my name and #?"  you can get good leads if people realize you like old phones.

I use collector business cards or 3x5 with "I buy telephones" and
My name and # It works well.


I always talk to the local installers when I run into them.  I chat up small antique store owners. Some collectors run a small class thru the local park and rec, You can deal at an antique mall,  Volunteer at the local school, give a small talk about phones, do this for a couple of years and people call asking about the "telephone Guy".

"If you want to talk telephone, You need to start the conversation".
Otherwise ,  the forum will always listen. We like telephone talk.
Good Collecting,
Jim
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Doug Rose

#50
Jim...excellent infomation! I always ask at yard sales. "Do you have any old telephones....you know, rotary phones." It is unbelievable that people have a yard sale, but the old phones are to be trashed. I have had more people say, "you want that?" "what are you gonna do with it?"and out they come with a 202. "can you make it work"...oh yeah, I can. At estate sales, I always head to the basement first, garage second. The stuff they don't think is worth anything is always the best....Doug
Kidphone

McHeath

Good tips for yard sales, and yeah I always ask and yeah they always, ALWAYS, look at me funny and ask why would I want that? 

It seems that the average person sees the phone purely from a functional view, so when it's no longer cutting edge it's tossed. 

Holtzer-Cabot

Quote from: LarryInMichigan on December 31, 2009, 11:50:23 AM
I can't seem to find anyone I know whose is interested in old phones, much less rotary dials.

Larry
Haha I can't either! Probably because I am 14! I love old phones and dials and mechanical and electrical stuff! I collect phones, and I like to repair vintage electronics and tube radios and test equipment! I am probably the only 14 year old who uses a 1961 Western Electric 500! (I have other 500s, I just have this one hooked up now)
Western Electric - A unit of the Bell System and main supplier of AT&T since 1882! -15 year old phone collector!

Jim Stettler

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

Holtzer-Cabot

Quote from: Jim S. on September 19, 2016, 12:22:12 AM
What date is the '61?
Jim S.
The chassis is dated 9-61, and all the internals (network, ringer, dial, switch-hook, case) etc. all have matching dates of 9-61. Would this be a soft or hard plastic phone?
Western Electric - A unit of the Bell System and main supplier of AT&T since 1882! -15 year old phone collector!

Kenton K

The body is probably soft plastic. I have a 1964 black soft plastic so they making soft plastic for a while.

KK


poplar1

There are 3 additional dates (1967) that appear to be refurb dates. The clear plungers were probably added then. Did you see dates on the cord restraints inside the phone? The housing date may be in a circular "clock" stamp.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

Holtzer-Cabot

Quote from: Kenton K on September 19, 2016, 11:37:14 PM
The body is probably soft plastic. I have a 1964 black soft plastic so they making soft plastic for a while.

KK
Okay thanks! What exactly is the difference between soft and hard plastic?
Western Electric - A unit of the Bell System and main supplier of AT&T since 1882! -15 year old phone collector!

Holtzer-Cabot

Quote from: poplar1 on September 20, 2016, 08:01:34 AM
There are 3 additional dates (1967) that appear to be refurb dates. The clear plungers were probably added then. Did you see dates on the cord restraints inside the phone? The housing date may be in a circular "clock" stamp.
Oh really? I thought refurb dates were in orange and had an 'R' and the date, but I guess not all of them were like that? I didn't check the cord restraints.
Western Electric - A unit of the Bell System and main supplier of AT&T since 1882! -15 year old phone collector!

poplar1

It's true that most phones remanufactured for Bell phone companies at the Western Electric Service Centers were date stamped in vermilion ink, or with white stickers. However, Illinois Bell sets are often stamped like yours.

Some phone companies also did some "in house" refurbishing, but I don't know whether your phone was stamped by Illinois Bell or at Western Electric. Perhaps the dates are just for some other purpose? Not the typical "R" + date as you pointed out.

Color 500s always had clear plungers, but the early black 500s bad black plungers. I remember my grandmother's new black 500 made in 7/64 had clear plungers and a 7D dial with metal fingerwheel. I was thinking that the change to clear plungers on black 500s didn't occur until 1963 or 1964, but perhaps it was earlier.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.