1959 White Mushroom Telephone Completed

[WesternElectricBen]

If you may remember from last June at Lancaster, I picked up a base of a 8/59 500 P/U "mushroom phone" for $40. Well, after sourcing parts and sanding them down, I have now completed it. Although, some time down the road I would like to pick up another dates matching phone and put it on top. But, I am more than happy with the result for now. You can hardly tell what parts I got from what phone and what parts are new.

The base and components are all 8/59, but as I said the original plastics were lacerated. I wired a 4 conductor cord into a junction box, and split it off to a transformer for the light and 4 prong plug. Admittedly, a 500 P/U set most likely wouldn't come with a detachable plug, because it would be a pain to move and replug in the phone.

I have two restoration videos:
Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF8k1Y0ja8U
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ78xV7I5RY
and I have a final overview and demonstration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF8k1Y0ja8U

I hope you enjoy,
Ben

[Doug Rose]

Ben...that is just super! You have done an outstanding job on this. You SHOULD be very proud.

Both you and Christian did great work on your white set and his black set.

You guys are our future in collecting of telephones. You guys are keeping phones alive!  Top notch job....Doug

[Dennis Markham]

Very nice, Ben!  That was a very nice project and the results are excellent.  I enjoyed watching your videos as well.  That's a beautiful phone to add to your collection. 

It is very impressive work for anyone, let alone for someone  your age.  Congratulations.  I hope you keep up the interest and good work.  Great job!

~Dennis

[WesternElectricBen]

Thank you both very much, Doug and Dennis. I like to think I have high expectations, and I believe I met them.

I hope more younger people join the hobby just as much as you guys, but people my age are more into sports and stuff like that. Sadily..

Ben

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Wow, fantastic job, Ben! It came together better than I expected it to!

What brand is that housing? I remember you said it was SC before you started restoring this phone, but the badge looks narrower and higher than the SC 500 logo.

[jsowers]

Ben, your pictures are every bit as good as your 500U. Both are excellent. I liked the back-lighting of the first two a lot, that you got from the window behind. The white of the 500U is very pristine looking and all the same color too.

Also, I notice in the background of the last picture a GE AM-FM clock-radio like I had when I was a kid, circa 1970. I was twelve years old. It was my introduction to FM radio, which was vastly different from AM in those days. We never had a console stereo or anything with FM until that GE came along. I listened to it for hours.

[JimH]

Nice job, Ben!  Very impressive.  I too, watched your videos, and you handled that like a professional.  I think when it's your own phone, you do a better job than a professional ever would!  Congratulations!

Jim

[WesternElectricBen]

Wow, fantastic job, Ben! It came together better than I expected it to!

What brand is that housing? I remember you said it was SC before you started restoring this phone, but the badge looks narrower and higher than the SC 500 logo.

Christian, the housing is actually Northern Electric. Thank you, I'm very happy with the result.

Ben

[WesternElectricBen]

Ben, your pictures are every bit as good as your 500U. Both are excellent. I liked the back-lighting of the first two a lot, that you got from the window behind. The white of the 500U is very pristine looking and all the same color too.

Also, I notice in the background of the last picture a GE AM-FM clock-radio like I had when I was a kid, circa 1970. I was twelve years old. It was my introduction to FM radio, which was vastly different from AM in those days. We never had a console stereo or anything with FM until that GE came along. I listened to it for hours.

Jonathan,

Thank you very much, my mother happens to be a photographer, so I've learned a bit about lighting.

I'm very happy how all of the different plastics came together. Good eye, I was told it was a 1966 GE, but you may be right. Of course, now FM is the only thing with any music on it around here.

Ben

[WesternElectricBen]

Nice job, Ben!  Very impressive.  I too, watched your videos, and you handled that like a professional.  I think when it's your own phone, you do a better job than a professional ever would!  Congratulations!

Jim

Hi Jim, thank you very much. I'm glad you watched the videos, I think it really helps when showing the process of putting a phone like this back together.

Ben