Collecting Phones

[Zeek]

Out of curiosity, what do you all look for when picking up a phone? Not including special phones (like soft plastic with gray cords), are you looking for matching dates? What are the other things you look at before deciding it's worth your effort.

What about a rare phone that has a crack in the case; do you pass it by, or is there a process that you all use to repair a case on a special phone. How about fading of color on phones, do you avoid shells that have any fading or moderate fading?

I'm curious as to how you all decide what's worth adding to your collection.

[WesternElectricBen]

When I collect phones I go to antique stores to find the "special phones" as I've gotten my best deals their. Though even on eBay the sellers don't usually show part age or if there matching etc. I pretty much just look for rare phones.

Sometimes I look for projects, to learn to sand on, paint, repair cracks etc. Though once in a blue moon I buy a phone that might not be worth as much as the older ones. I buy the newer phones (mid 60's-70's) for daily use.

Ben

[zaphod01]

I'll be putting a green soft plastic, grey handset cord, in the classifieds later today. All dates matching 1955. Body dated 2 18 55.

Wife has a new rule. In order to buy a phone, I have to sell a phone. She says I started out in Collectorville but the train has left the station and the next stop is Hoardertown. 

And I just bought two more 5302's. Gotta make some room!

[twocvbloke]

Personally I look at the price, if it's cheap enough I'll probably buy it, if I have the money to...

She says I started out in Collectorville but the train has left the station and the next stop is Hoardertown. 

It's not hoarding if you put it on display...

[Zeek]

So Ben, you'll actually purchase a cracked phone? How difficult is it to repair a crack and after it's repaired, is it noticeable? I've also gotten into tube radios (picked up a 1950's Zenith K725 and an older Zenith) and cracks on those can be repaired easily, but the plastic is much thicker as well.

I've been avoiding the cracked phones like all get out even though I've seen some really nice phones that had an edge crack, and if there's any way to repair that, it will change my search criteria greatly.

Zaphod, my wife has given up...I call her into the room to see a phone and she threw up her hands and said, if you want it, get it...just quit calling me. Exactly what I was hoping for lol. What are you asking for the green phone?

Twocvbloke, that's pretty much been my criteria too. I was really happy to get a white 80's Western Electric off of ebay for $1.04. Turned out to be in excellent shape. I agree, it's not hoarding if you display it...it's only hoarding if you don't belong to a forum on an item. I'm finding it really difficult though to find a forum on vintage pizza boxes (kidding...really!).

Anyone have any tips on purchasing a phone on ebay, that looks like it may be all original, from someone who doesn't know what they have and you'd like to see the dates on the inside? Also really interested in finding out more on fixing cracks.

[WesternElectricBen]

Zeek, sometimes I will buy cracked phones if they are rare or  early model... To fix them I currently use super glue but I want to try acitone as I heard it completely fixes the crack and makes it unnoticeable.

Ben

[twocvbloke]

Anyone have any tips on purchasing a phone on ebay, that looks like it may be all original, from someone who doesn't know what they have and you'd like to see the dates on the inside? Also really interested in finding out more on fixing cracks.

The way I do it is just to ask what it looks like inside "to see if it's damaged or not", as not to raise their suspicions that they might have something more valuable than they're selling it for, usually works well and they get all you need to see in the shot, but as for me, I just take a gamble and bid, if it's not what I thought it was, but it's cheap, oh well, but if it's pretty decent and cheap (like my red WE500 from 1956), then great...

Twocvbloke, that's pretty much been my criteria too. I was really happy to get a white 80's Western Electric off of ebay for $1.04. Turned out to be in excellent shape. I agree, it's not hoarding if you display it...it's only hoarding if you don't belong to a forum on an item. I'm finding it really difficult though to find a forum on vintage pizza boxes (kidding...really!).

That's how I see it, if I like it, and it's cheap enough, I'm usually quite happy, about the only disappointment was my cream ITT-cased Northern Electric 500, the dial was pretty much shot and the whole thing (inc. the handset cable) painted rather badly and thickly, the handset caps are cracked, and it just doesn't look good, and I'm not good at de-painting things like that, still have it, sat on the shelf over my computer, I should see about getting a new set of plastics & a dial for it, but it's not on a list of priorities...

[zaphod01]

I'd take $60 for the green phone. Several pictures posted in the Classified and I have more pics if you want them. I took the 12 photos eBay allows!

It's rare to find one all original with the gray handset cord. Shipping would be $15 (well packed in a LARGE flat rate box). I hate cramming a nice phone in a medium box. It's just too snug for me. I got one of those huge rolls of bubble wrap at Walmart. Really works well.

I'm restoring a 202. I have my eye on a 634 subset and I need the money. I have a 500 converted to a subset but the ring sounds like a 500. Useable but...

[Doug Rose]

Out of curiosity, what do you all look for when picking up a phone? Not including special phones (like soft plastic with gray cords), are you looking for matching dates? What are the other things you look at before deciding it's worth your effort.

What about a rare phone that has a crack in the case; do you pass it by, or is there a process that you all use to repair a case on a special phone. How about fading of color on phones, do you avoid shells that have any fading or moderate fading?

I'm curious as to how you all decide what's worth adding to your collection.

IT IS CONDITION CONDITION CONDITION!!! When I buy a phone I want it to display like it is new. I do NOT want a crack or a missing piece staring at me. A damaged phone is great for parts if the price is right. Sooner or later when you buy a damaged phone for display, you will move it. Ask yourself the question, "do I want 10 black 302s sitting next to each other on a shelf." Buy what you want for your collection and buy others for parts or trade. Be selective and decide on what era or company you might want to collect. Quality is much better than quantity. It is most important to learn the value of a phone...any phone. We have all overpaid at some point. Educate yourself. You are in the right place to be educated....good luck....Doug

[Greg G.]

Out of curiosity, what do you all look for when picking up a phone? Not including special phones (like soft plastic with gray cords), are you looking for matching dates? What are the other things you look at before deciding it's worth your effort.

What about a rare phone that has a crack in the case; do you pass it by, or is there a process that you all use to repair a case on a special phone. How about fading of color on phones, do you avoid shells that have any fading or moderate fading?

I'm curious as to how you all decide what's worth adding to your collection.

Generally, no, I won't buy a cracked phone.  There are exceptions.  First one would be if it was a 302 for a cheap price, the bases make good subsets.  Another reason depends on the phone and type of repair I would have to make, e.g. a cracked 60s era 500 I wouldn't bother with unless it was cheap (parts phone), or like the AE 21 wall phone I got a while back.  The receiver had a hole in it that was repairable. http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=7808.0   

[deedubya3800]

Most of my phones are in complete, usable, presentable condition, but obviously used, just not abused or damaged. I only have one that is a "shelf queen" that is rarely ever taken down, and has only been used twice to ensure its operation. I do have one ivory 302 from 1951 that is in poor-to-fair condition in appearance, but perfectly functional. It was a steal of a price, and I wanted an ivory I didn't have to feel bad about using.

[zaphod01]

I'm really bad about bottom feeding. I'll bid the minimum bid and try to get a phone that has a part I need. I've been bidding on busted-up Tenite 302's trying to snag a nice dialer. (anyone out there have a nice 5H for sale?).

I've bought phones for $0.99 and recently got a very nice, all dates matching, 1952 TA-236/FT (Signal Corps 500) for $5. It was too nice to part out. I had Steve Hilsz clean and calibrate the dial ($6) and sold the phone for $43.

For me, the thrill is taking sometime that doesn't work and making it function again. 

Nothing goes in the display case unless it's fully functional. I even insist on rewiring party line phones so that they ring.

[Zeek]

Thanks for the replies all! Sorry hadn't responded sooner, but weekdays are busier than I'd care to be and weekends are generally the only time I have to reply.

Out of curiosity Zaphod, were you Army Signal Corp.? I served in Signal Corp. ETS'ing out of Ft. Belvoir attached to USAISC. Ironically enough, I served in Korea in 1st Signal exactly 20 years after my Dad served in 1st Signal in Vietnam.

I received my phones and I'll be disassembling the 1950's phone to see if the numbers match. Unfortunately I also bought a couple of old tube radios that captured my interest and now I'm jumping between the two.

I agree with y'all, it's quality and not quantity and there is something satisfying about making something old (e.g. not working, working partially) and making it, "new" again.

Thanks for the responses!

[zaphod01]

I was a 93E20 Meteorological Observer. Trained at Ft. Monmoth Signal Corps School 24 years after my father trained at the same base! I was billeted in the same old WWII era barracks.

Did a year stateside and then the Army decided my MOS was close enough to Artillery Meteorological Crewman (93F20) and shipped me to Vietnam. Served with 6/14th Arty and 6/32nd Arty. Google 'siege of Ben Het' or 'battle of Dak To'.

I won't put a damaged phone in my 'Phoneseum'. In my opinion, a cracked Tenite 302 case is scrape.

I have several Zeinth 6 tube radios, too. The stuff of my youth. Listening to the 'Lone Ranger' in the early '50's...