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Oxford Gray 554

Started by WEBellSystemChristian, July 31, 2016, 12:26:46 PM

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WEBellSystemChristian

#15
Well, I guess we can say this turned into an odd discussion... ;D

The phone was shipped yesterday, it's expected to be delivered this Monday.
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford

WEBellSystemChristian

#16
Everything arrived safe and sound!

This is the first time I've recorded opening a box, but I'm glad I did, because the seller packed the phone EXTREMELY well! It was layered in 2-inch thick bubble wrap, and was secured in the box with lots of newspaper. I highly recommend the seller to anyone buying from them!
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford

WEBellSystemChristian

I peeked through layers of bubble wrap to see the handset. Sure enough, Gray! It took 5 minutes to unwrap the handset alone!

I pulled the chassis out from its cocoon, and I grinned at the sight of a perfect Gray 554!!! All dates match to September/October 1956, except for a replaced transmitter, from 1965. (It's a tamper-proof variation, so I can use it with one of my payphones!) I half expected to find a stiff and cracking handset cord, but this one is perfectly flexible. The plastics have an ever-so-slight fade to them, but it doesn't bother me at all!

Bonus: the blank dial card you see is really a stick-on attached to the acetate disk, I see the original card underneath! ;D

I'm so excited with my new purchase! A good polish will bring it to museum condition!!
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford

WEBellSystemChristian

Dates:
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford

Pourme

Wow....Nice!...Find of the month candidate for sure...congrats!
Benny

Panasonic 308/616 Magicjack service

Doug Rose

Nice find Christian.....it's a beauty!......Doug
Kidphone

jsowers

Christian you are one lucky guy. To find this phone and know what you were looking at also involved skill and you have that too. Looking at the auction pictures, there was never any question in my mind that this was anything other than dark gray. On a rarity scale, this one is off the chart rare. One comes up about once every ten years or so. Due to the color, they were never very popular in the first place. So only a few have survived. Heaven only knows how many more are out there.

Please post a picture of the finished phone and its number card when the time comes. It won't take a lot to finish this phone. It looks to be almost new.
Jonathan

WEBellSystemChristian

#22
Thanks everyone!

Jonathan;

If you think about it in terms of the colors available at the time, it doesn't seem rare. But try to imagine why anyone would spend extra to install a Dark Gray (or you could look at it as a Light Black) wall phone, which somehow escaped being sent to a refurb center in the '60s (after all it was a 'frowned upon' color within Bell System by then) , and then was saved from the trash at the end of it's service life. A rare color somehow escaping severe damage, refurbishment, and Trash Day is pretty amazing. That goes for any dates-matching phone.

I'vs already polished the plastics, and I still need to clean and reshape the cord. It also looks like someone along the line decided to 'clean' the plastics with a scotchbrite pad! :o It only seemed to work like 2000 grit, so it polished out nicely.
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford

WEBellSystemChristian

Here's how she looks restored!

All I have done is polish/wax the plastics and reshape the cord; no sanding, so there are still a few gouges and scratches from age. The dial card is original, and is the only one I have with the phone's location printed above.
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford

Kenton K


b3tamax11

What an impressive find!

Dennis Markham

Beautiful phone, Christian!  Congratulations on spotting that phone.  Color me Green....with envy.  :)

~Dennis

Pourme

Cleaned up really nice....great find!
Benny

Panasonic 308/616 Magicjack service