News:

"The phone is a remarkably complex, simple device,
and very rarely ever needs repairs, once you fix them." - Dan/Panther

Main Menu

young generation enjoys vintage phones

Started by southernphoneman, April 04, 2013, 09:00:53 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

GusHerb

I started collecting when I was 8, my first two phones were two from my grandma's house that I swapped for new cheapo Trimlines. The ones I got were Bell System Trimlines. Of course after that the rest is history...except I got my first rotary phone for my 10th birthday.

After I went nuts with the phone collecting then I got really into the "Bell side" of the Bell System, I picked the brains of linemen constantly, got alot of great specific info regarding my own CO from that. I also have this Bell System engineering and company operations book that was published in 1984 that I've been going through, TONS of info in that too. No idea where I got it, had it forever and only now just picked it up and started reading.

My parents, aunts, uncles, and relatives that grew up through the Ma Bell era have little to no appreciation for the Bell System and phones like I do. It's so bad it makes me wanna beat them with my steel cased 1937 302! I have to be very careful what phones i put out for use, my mom sees a rotary phone and sees "beat me" written all over it!  :'(
Fortunately for me, the rotary dial makes them grab the cordless phone instead.  ::)
Jonathan

Western Electric

I am 13
and I think rotary phones are awesome ;D ;D ;D
My fav phone is my Itt carlson 500
or maybe it is
a stromberg tt
because it has S-C plastics but the rest is itt
BELL SYSTEM PROPERTY
         NOT FOR SALE
       Western Electric

WesternElectricBen

#17
I am 12, and have about 100 phones! Obviously when I was born their was not any talk of these old phones as bell system was allready gone by 15 years. So watching old movies and shows like oceans 11 and Get Smart really got me interested.

Ben

HowardPgh

Are Western Electric and WesternElectricBen the youngest collectors on the forum?
I started collecting phones when I was around 13 in 1968. I wish I had the good resources that we have today to learn about the phones.  This forum is a prime example of such a resource. 
Howard

DavePEI

#19
Quote from: HowardPgh on April 15, 2013, 09:30:02 AM
Are Western Electric and WesternElectricBen the youngest collectors on the forum?
I started collecting phones when I was around 13 in 1968. I wish I had the good resources that we have today to learn about the phones.  This forum is a prime example of such a resource.  
If not, they would certainly be close, and it so nice to see them join in. I think I was about 12 in 1964 (but had my first phones 4 or 5 years earlier) when I really began to get hooked, and it would have been so nice back then to  have such a resource like this. Instead, because of where I grew up, Brockville, Ontario, Canadian home for GTE/AE I had my friends parents who worked at that plant and at Phillips Wire and Cable (which Phillips Electrical Works became after telephone manufacturing was moved to the new AE plant on Strowger Blvd there in 1954).

It is certainly a pleasure to see the young guys not only to be taking part, but also enjoying the hobby as much as we did back then, and even now darn close to 50 years later...

Dave

The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

Jim Stettler

My first phone item was an orange cone from Mountain States Telephone. I found it when I was 8. I am know 51 and still have the safety cone.
Jim
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

southernphoneman

thank god for forum members, western electric ben, and western electric, it is youngsters that age that will keep vintage phone collecting alive, and keep this forum going for a long time to come. :) :)great going western electric ben and western electric  ;) :) :) :)

WesternElectricBen

Quote from: southernphoneman on April 15, 2013, 05:22:40 PM
thank god for forum members, western electric ben, and western electric, it is youngsters that age that will keep vintage phone collecting alive, and keep this forum going for a long time to come. :) :)great going western electric ben and western electric  ;) :) :) :)

Thank you SouthernPhoneMan!

Ben

southernphoneman

Quote from: WesternElectricBen on April 15, 2013, 05:23:49 PM
Quote from: southernphoneman on April 15, 2013, 05:22:40 PM
thank god for forum members, western electric ben, and western electric, it is youngsters that age that will keep vintage phone collecting alive, and keep this forum going for a long time to come. :) :)great going western electric ben and western electric  ;) :) :) :)

Thank you SouthernPhoneMan!

Ben
your welcome, and keep up the excellent work that you do on your phones it really impresses me that someone so young is so enthusiastic with these vintage phones.

WesternElectricBen

Is it just a coincidence that the two youngest people on the forum have WesternElectric in the title?

Ben

southernphoneman

Quote from: WesternElectricBen on April 15, 2013, 05:33:37 PM
Is it just a coincidence that the two youngest people on the forum have WesternElectric in the title?

Ben
those are good titles to have because it represents quality, and western electric is definitely quality.

HarrySmith

I had no idea from your posts you guys were that young! It is great to see, as has already been said, we need young people to carry on ;D
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

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

AE_Collector

You're 16 now aren't you Harry!?

AutomaticElectricTerry

HarrySmith

Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

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

xhausted110

Quote from: HowardPgh on April 15, 2013, 09:30:02 AM
Are Western Electric and WesternElectricBen the youngest collectors on the forum?
I started collecting phones when I was around 13 in 1968. I wish I had the good resources that we have today to learn about the phones.  This forum is a prime example of such a resource. 

I am 13. love old phones and use them every day!
- Evan