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Very Unique Princess ???

Started by Dan/Panther, June 07, 2010, 06:29:25 PM

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cello973

Were the Princess phone all manufactured in one plant?
Vince

unbeldi

Quote from: cello973 on March 15, 2013, 03:42:47 PM
Were the Princess phone all manufactured in one plant?

I have read somewhere that they were first made in Indianapolis, and later at the Shreveport factory. This is what I copied into my collection journal. Not sure of true fact.
I would think that the first year or so at least, they would all be made in one plant until the problems are worked out of the production system and demand has picked up.

poplar1

That is the same thing told to me by A.L. Soots how worked for WE in Indianapolis. He said that newly designed phones were first made in Indy then production was moved to Shreveport. (I have also heard somewhere that the "shop" where they were developed was in Indy.)

On the other hand, the Trimlines may have stayed in Indianapolis.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

poplar1

Here are the dates on the 701BW-59:

housing 12 60 (llllllllllll 60)
495B network IV-60
8A dial IV-60
G3 handle 2 60 (ll-60)
rec cap 6060
T-1 xmtr 12 2 60 B
U-1 receiver 12 2 60
H4CJ handset cord 60
mounting cord III 60

So I don't think the plungers were added later.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

cello973

I had heard the same thing about  Indy....
Vince

paul-f

True.  The model shop was in the Indianapolis plant.  Most of the field trial sets in the late 1950s thru 70s were built there.

Shreveport was occupied starting in 1967.
  Shreveport Info
Visit: paul-f.com         WE  500  Design_Line

.

Dan/Panther

If the plungers were transplanted, where did they get them, aren't Princess plungers different then regular plungers.
D/P

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

poplar1

Why would anyone change the plungers on a never-used phone? Make a lamp out of it, sure, but not change the plungers.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

poplar1

#23
This is another Princess with matching plungers. This one is four months later than Vince's white one and one month before my pink one.

Vince, is yours marked 701B or 701BW?
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

paul-f

This is an interesting mystery.

The plungers are obviously out there.

OTOH, the earliest BSP references found show color codes for ordering housings, but not for ordering plungers and the announcement material and early ads show clear plungers transmitting light from the dial light.
Visit: paul-f.com         WE  500  Design_Line

.

Scott

While researching what I had in another box of parts I acquired I found three 701BWs. I wasn't sure what the W stood for until I found this thread. Also in the box was this shell. I had always thought a shell like this with matching plungers was from Stromberg or Northern. But it looks like it goes with one of these bases. There are no markings inside or out. Hopefully there is a blue handset in one of the other boxes. I'm going to see if I can put one of these back together. I will post photos when done.

Scott K.

Jim Stettler

I have never seen color plungers on a WE princess.

However, it looks like some are in the hands of collectors.

My best guess is a field trial to see if people preferred matching plungers.
I think transparent won out  because of the light transmission.

There were non-lighted princess phones after the break-up. On new non-lighted sets they didn't have a place for the socket.
If you wanted a lighted dial they would sell you a modular light kit to use on a rebuilt modular set.

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

Key2871

I still have seen what the W stands for on that set.
As for colored plungers, I can see right off why they weren't popular, as those with poor eye sight, they would blend right in with the base and be difficult to see.
KEN

poplar1

The blue housing is not Western Electric. Cutout for dial finger stop is in the wrong place. Writing on bottom of set says Western Electric, but not Bell System. The W in 701BW also indicates it was not sold to a Bell operating company.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

Scott

Good eye. I had not noticed the different location of the cutout for the finger stop. So I guess I won't be putting one of these together.  Thanks for the input everyone.

Scott K.