My St. Louis Flea Market and Antique Store Scores

[Ampico66]

I live in the city of St. Louis, MO and routinely go to the flea markets and antique stores in the area.  I've found several 5302 sets as cheap as $7 up to $25, but don't know how "rare" they are.  Could somebody please enlighten me?  I want to just scrap them for the 5H dials, but feel bad about doing that. 

I've also found several 202 sets for $40 - $45.  They all had E1 handsets (one of them the bullet type) and one of them had the 5H dial, I think, and also (I know) had the subset, WE big metal one (model number I forget).

I found a Western electric dial candlestick, polished out brass (original black paint was stripped off, of course) just a dial blank where the dial should go, but complete with a nice receiver, $50. 

My greatest find was the 302 in ivory, nice shape, $20 in Michigan in 2005. 

Still looking for that A1......

Damon

[Craig T]

Hi Damon, if any of your 5302s are in color they would be pretty valuable.

Just a quick search shows finishing prices b/w $12-$31 dollars for 5302 in the color black.

By the way, great web site link showing your collectibles. I collect old electrical hardware too. I will put up a post in the Off Topic section. Check it out if you get a chance. Excellent pics of your telephones on your website too!

-Craig

[foots]

  Hello Damon. That is a really good site you have. I really like the Woodstock and Underwood typewriters.

[Greg G.]

$7-$25 sounds like a good price for even a black 5302, depending on the condition.  Personally, I don't cannibalize phones unless they are beyond salvation.  You can find 5h dials on ebay, although they appear to be a bit pricey, so I can see why you're tempted to salvage them from a 5302.  I suppose if you found several of them locally for a good price, it wouldn't hurt to cannibalize one for the dial then sell the rest for parts.  http://tinyurl.com/yaedyww

BTW, welcome to the group.  I took a look at your website, I am IMPRESSED!  I discovered the same thing you did regarding repairing old radios.  I have a 1929 Majestic Highboy with all the parts, but nonworking.  I thought it wouldn't be difficult to find someone to fix it for a reasonable cost, but I got a rude awakening.  So for now, it sits as decor, which I have to say isn't bad, the cabinet is gorgeous, that's why I got it.

[AET]

Same here, old Silvertone with no missing parts, not working, capacitors are shot, but it makes a good table and has 5 500s on it. 

Ampico - I have to ask you where your username comes from, I work at a company called AMPI, so that's why I'm curious.

[Dan/Panther]

Tom;
I believe Ampico manufactures electrical connectors for Radios, I think the older UHF style. They probably make other items, it's just where I recall seeing the name.
D/P

[bingster]

Not to fuel more forum addictions, but those of you with non-working radios should head over to the antique radio forum ( http://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/index.php ), where many, many people with absolutely no electronics experience have been helped to repair their own radios.  Several of the members here are also members there.  

D/P... Ampico or Amphenol?

[Greg G.]

Not to fuel more forum addictions, but those of you with non-working radios should head over to the antique radio forum ( http://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/index.php ), where many, many people with absolutely no electronics experience have been helped to repair their own radios.  Several of the members here are also members there.  

I'm familiar with that forum.  My main problem is no place to work on it.  I've barely etched out a small work space in my apt. for phones, and even that's overflowing.

[Ampico66]

American Piano Co = AMPICO -- Youtube search Ampico Mason & Hamlin to hear one that is rebuilt and in tune.  They're really neat player pianos that reproduce expression.  I've been to the Ampico factory in East Rochester, NY, but it has since been torn down.  They stopped making the Ampico piano in 1947, I think.