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More French Socotel S63's...

Started by FABphones, April 22, 2018, 01:43:48 PM

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FABphones

An interesting weekend. The temperature went up into the 30's so I took myself off to a couple of Vide Greniers (similar to flea markets in the states?).

Saturday - picked up a Grey rotary Socotel S63 for 2 euros (pic 1). Interesting this one, as it has a button on the front, not seen one of those additonal button models before. I'm thinking it is a party line button but I'm told it might be a Mute button (hmmmm, I'll find out when I test it).

Sunday - went to another Vide Grenier and picked up an Ivory push button S63 (in French, clavier) model for 8 euros, then back to the same Vide Grenier I had visited the day before (it was a two day event) and picked up it's Ivory S63 rotary cousin, again for 2 euros.

Three phones, total spend 12 euros. I was on the lookout for those two Ivory versions for my collection so am pleased to have found them so fast. Coincidentally, all dated 1982.

I found a blue one as well, but I don't collect Blue.

Am just in the process of cleaning them up, all good so far, will probably be testing them tomorrow (although I've never had one fail me yet).

For info:
*Called the S63 as that's the year they replaced the U43 models.
*The shell is injected plastic (originally only available in grey).
*The front is tilted at 35 °.
*Made until 1985.


Here they are, the grey one after being cleaned up, but the Ivory pair are still in all their muck in the photo (doesn't look so bad on the pic but the Ivory rotary phone was very grubby!)

Edit: I'll add a better pic of the Ivory phones once I've cleaned them up
A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
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Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
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andy1702

#1
Those were good buys! I've got a grey one and an ivory one somewhere. I need to dig them out and try to wire them up. They're a nice looking phone, but I think that big machine screw in the middle of the dial lets them down a bit in the looks department.

You should definitely have bought the blue one. Blue seems to be a less common colour. I think I've only seen one blue one, but quite a few grey and ivory examples seem to turn up over here.
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HarrySmith

The two tone grey looks good, I like it.
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

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

FABphones

Pic of the two cleaned up Ivory Socotels as promised.
That grey ring underneath the fingerplate really bugged me. Gone!  :)

A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
***********
Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
*************

HarrySmith

Another nice clean up! Congrats!
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

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

twocvbloke

They do look like nice phones, and the MIL receiver on the back just adds to their uniqueness... :)

FABphones

I quite like this style of phone, they've grown on me since I first saw this design. I used to ignore them totally. Agree about the centre screw though, it would have been nice if they'd thought that part of the design through a bit more.

I have a green S63 for trade in the 'for trade' section of this site (I don't collect colours).
Also seen a couple for sale on eBay UK, one seller wants a whopping £170 for his.  :o
A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
***********
Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
*************