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Now the Story Can be Told - 1949 WECo 500 Set

Started by Dan/Panther, March 20, 2010, 11:08:11 PM

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Jester

Quote from: Jim S. on April 18, 2010, 02:44:03 AM
Quote from: Dan/Panther on April 17, 2010, 10:46:46 PM
Paul;



Every one should try to use their "coolest" phone for the call. Kenny should use his 1962 500, I am planning on using a 6-9-58 F-53115 transparent 500 set. A green 532 amplified set should get used(hint). You should use a phone that is significant to you or that you mentioned on the list, or that is a really oddball and cool set...
Jim,

Hint taken.  I'll do my best to have the 532 ready in time!
Stephen

paul-f

Following up on Jim's suggestion, I've started a thread to post photos of the phones we'll be using during the conference call.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2534.0
Visit: paul-f.com         WE  500  Design_Line

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Dan/Panther

Has anyone consider that dropping the 'Z' from the dial, was actually cutting the last link to the old style phones. That 'Z' was about the only thing that was from Old style phones. Could that possibly have been a factor in dropping the "Z'?
D/P

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

Jim Stettler

Quote from: Dan/Panther on April 18, 2010, 01:13:21 PM
Jim;
I'm all for your suggestions, I wouldn't have a clue how to co-ordinate all of that. But seriously WHATEVER time I need to hook up I will. Whether noon or 3 AM.

Was the Smithsonian comment tongue in cheek ? I can not even imagine something I have had contact with being in the Smithsonian.
D/P

Dan,
You can print a member list and highlight members that are planning to call. After the call starts you can do a "roll call" going down the list of highlighted names:



Regarding the Smithsonian, I didn't comment on the Smithsonian until I decided if the set was worthy. I think it is.

The Smithsonian is called the Nations attic. They collect all manner of things.  They have many historical telephones.
I am sure the Smithsonian has a black 500, the question is "how early is it?"
There is a good chance that they may have a 1949 early production set.

You should check with them and see, You may be able to pin down the date of your set better, if nothing else you can make them aware of your set.


If they have a 1949 early production set, they may even be willing to swap, that way you have your 1949 birthday year set, formerly of the Smithsonian.
Something to think about,
Jim
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Jim Stettler

Quote from: Dan/Panther on April 20, 2010, 11:19:47 PM
Has anyone consider that dropping the 'Z' from the dial, was actually cutting the last link to the old style phones. That 'Z' was about the only thing that was from Old style phones. Could that possibly have been a factor in dropping the "Z'?
D/P
ISTR  that the reason stated for the change in the dial bezal had to do with cost reduction once they switched to injection molded dials.
This may of been in one of Paul & Russ's "early 500" set articles.
Jim
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Jim Stettler

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

Dan/Panther

Jim;
That is a very interesting site.
I sure they must have more documents pertaining to the 500. After all isn't it one of the designs Henry Dreyfus is best know for.

I have to get to work on finding a permanent home for this set. It is much to important for one person to have alone. It needs to be where people can see it.
Believe me that hurts to have to admit that.
It's like when you are a kid, and you catch a baby rabbit, you want to keep it, but you know you can't.
D/P


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

Jim Stettler

Don't be in  a big hurry to get rid of it. It would get more appreciation by being shown at phone shows, than it would at many museums.

If you keep it around then it can be an ongoing research project.
Jim
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Jim Stettler

#818
I was trying to post the webpages from my link.
Jim
It didn't work
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Dan/Panther

Jim;
I was able to save them, I have them in a file. I saved them one section at a time. I clicked on Analysis, then file, save page as...
I had to change a couple numbers at 2 because they had duplicate page file numbers.
D/P

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

Jim Stettler

I was able to save them as well, I was trying to post the image in the thread. Maybe someone can try a screen capture.
Jim
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

paul-f

Here are two of the relevant pages from the Cooper Hewitt Museum site.
Visit: paul-f.com         WE  500  Design_Line

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paul-f

I contacted the Cooper Hewitt Museum in February 2005, while tracking down physical design models and field trial sets.  They were very helpful and offered to schedule a visit to view the material that was not on display.  After spending hours on the phone with reference librarians, it became clear that they couldn't locate (at the time) any of the models (wood, clay, plaster, plastic, etc.) that Don Genaro told us had been destroyed or discarded from the Dreyfuss store rooms.  Further, most of the museum's boxes of paper files contained drafts for Henry Dreyfuss' books and material on other clients.

The AT&T and Bell Labs documents were reported to be a small part of one box, including info on things like World's Fair exhibit interiors and facilities.  The most promising area included 2 folders containing 8 B&W photos and 76 color slides, a press kit and a few other documents.  I chose not to make a special trip based on what I heard and asked other collectors to check it out.  I haven't heard more about it since.

If anyone lives near or is visiting NYC, it would be interesting to get a first hand account of what's really there.  Perhaps they have a more thorough inventory of the materials by now.  It's worth another look.
Visit: paul-f.com         WE  500  Design_Line

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rp2813

I've wondered about the removal of the "Z" also. 

It used to be that there were "ZEnith" prefixes provided to make certain calls that weren't local.  You'd be instructed to dial Operator and then request to be connected to the ZEnith number. 

I'm thinking that since ZEnith numbers weren't direct dial, there was no point in retaining the "Z" as a character.  Probably a decision made more out of sensibility than for distancing the 500 from previous models.

Maybe there is a coincidental bit of timing between when ZEnith numbers started being used and when the "Z" on the dial disappeared?
Ralph

Dan/Panther

I know the industry developed a standard for dial markings, and configuration. Can anyone explain why lettering starts at 2, and no letter Q.
What is industries fear of the number 1 ?
D/P
I know on the first televisions they had a channel 1, and that was eliminated, I can see the rational behind that, maybe they didn't want a station saying; "We are number 1".  Actually I think the number one was eliminated and allocated to another purpose, seems I heard a military reason.

D/P

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