Hi - Here is a Flip video of my telephone collection. I am very proud of it - but in comparison to some collectors I have seen on the internet - it is still small.
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/f762c071b6b3e5d034a1dfb64d18c2b2/video/12893347
Enjoy!
Russ
Very nice collection, Russ. It doesn't look small to me! I'd like to see more of your miniature 500's some time. Beautiful collection. Thanks for sharing it.
that is a cool collection I especialy like the english candle sticks
Russ:
I noticed an ad of a 500 model from 1949. Can you take a close up picture of it? There is a thread going about a 1948 pre-production 500 on the forum right now.
Excellent collection. :o
Hey Russ...really nice collection and I love the way you showed it with the flip video. You should be very proud....Doug
Russ,
If your collection is small, mine is miniscule. You have some really impressive phones.
Larry
Hi Dennis,
As requested here are a couple of photos of my small 500 sets. In the 3rd photo is light pink 500 set with the handset cord - it is a music box. It play "Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer".
Russ
Hi Jorge,
Here is a scan of the page you wanted It came from a magazine that I "forgot" to return to the doctor's office. I believe it is from Wired Test magazine, I've never heard of it before, but my wife and I thought the image was cool and would look good in my "Telephone Office". I think it is really a 5302 set because the back of the set - behind the handset - looks a little short.
Russ
Thanks for the pictures Russ. I like those little phones. I have a few. I'll have to post a couple photos. One of them, a pink one is a music box also. I recently bought it new in the original box. They're fun to try and collect. Lately I've seen them go over $25 on eBay. Your Rose Beige one is nice (in the first picture).
Russ:
I like the last word of the ad caption: "rotaryness". Way cool!
Thank you for the closeup.
That's definitely a #7 dial on that phone. That's a model 500, not a 5302. I'm pretty sure about that. As one might have said to Regis..........That's my final answer.
Quote from: Russkirk on April 20, 2010, 10:32:53 PM
Hi Jorge,
Here is a scan of the page you wanted It came from a magazine that I "forgot" to return to the doctor's office. I believe it is from Wired Test magazine, I've never heard of it before, but my wife and I thought the image was cool and would look good in my "Telephone Office". I think it is really a 5302 set because the back of the set - behind the handset - looks a little short.
Russ
Thanks for posting the scan, Russ. What was the publication date? It looks like it's fairly recent.
Here are some links to photos of some mini 500 sets.
Pastel palette (late 1950s) minis in a carrying case.
http://www.paul-f.com/we/500mini_57.jpg
Four early MD colors.
http://www.paul-f.com/we/500mini_MD.jpg
I got the "Wired Test" magazine about a 12-18 months, but I don't remember the exact publication date. So, I think it is less than 2 years old. I tore the magazine apart to get the telephone page out for framing. Neither side of the single page has a reference date.
I vaguely remember seeing a mini 500 case on eBay some time ago. It went for more money I could afford. I like the two color mini in the photo, I have never seen one of those before. But I will be on the lookout for one in my antique stores. I found one with a pencil sharpener in the middle of the dial, but the Antique dealer wanted a firm $75. Sometimes you have to let one go when they want a crazy amount of money, I would rather spend that money on a real phone.
I seem to be attracted to the minis. I usually find them for $15-25 each. Most people I show my collection comment on the minis. My collection of telephone related items is growing just as rapid as my telephone instruments.
Russ
Paul, that Black and Ivory mini is very nice. A nice addition to anyone's collection.
Quote from: Dennis Markham on April 23, 2010, 02:25:44 PM
A nice addition to anyone's collection.
Dennis: You must write "Copy" for ebay listings!
Terry
Paul,
Thanks for posting those links. I really like those in the MD colors. That ivory two-tone looks like chalkware. Jonathan posted a picture of chalkware minis that he found here.
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1421.15 (http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1421.15)
He also posted a picture of his 500 keychain collection in this thread. It is used to decorate a tabletop tree a Christmas.
Thanks for the link, Stephen. Those are some great collectons.
Cataloging the promotional pieces that were made for each telephone model would make a great reference web site. I'll contribute some photos if someone wants to organize the content.
Holy jee-beezies Batman......Some of those 500 collections are incredible :o
Well, we've been our new home for about 6 weeks and each of our collection rooms are completed.
I am happy to report not a single phone was damaged in the move. Of course I did pack them myself and I would not let the movers pack any phones. I packed from 1-4 phones in a box with handsets double wrapped. On my woods, I wrapped all the receivers and transmitters in bubble before wrapping the whole phone. The transmitter mouth pieces were wrapped separately also and place in the same box as its owner. I was so nervous when they were loading my switchboard into the moving truck.
I had to get new dark shelves for the colored plastics. This allowed me to give the black sets a little more room on the bookshelves.
I have much more room in the new place, not only for working ( work at home 100% now) but also for my golf displays (not shown).
My wife and I had to plan out where most of the phones went before mounting them. She rearranged them and made them more viewer friendly compared to the old house.
Russ...
Wow! Russ, great collection and a great presentation. You have some beautiful phones.
Quote from: Dennis Markham on October 19, 2010, 08:14:23 PM
Wow! Russ, great collection and a great presentation. You have some beautiful phones.
I second that, Russ really nice display. You should be very proud. ...Doug
I'm currently working on getting two more phones ready to display, and then the current iteration of my collection shall be complete with seven pieces and I'll be sure to post some pics. For now, though, here is a crappy shot of five of them:
I like that the effect your photo has. When I first saw it I thought it was done on purpose. Really, I did. It kind of looks ghostly (just in time for Halloween).
Seriously, I'm not making fun of your photo.
Debbie
Just picked up a display case for my phones. Got it for $40 at a local garage sale. Here are some before and after photos. I think it makes the room look more like a small museum.
Don't pay any attention to the beach bum.....
Quote from: Russ Kirk on October 11, 2011, 06:23:31 PM
Don't pay any attention to the beach bum.....
No problem Russ, I think I see your surf board just around the corner there somewhere.
Nice display. I like the wall covered with phones like that too. Is that a 551A PBX?
Terry
very nice collection!
where's the basset?
Nice display, Russ. The new cabinet looks very nice. It doesn't take long to fill up, does it?
Yes, that is a 551A PBX. I picked up from Craigslist about 2 years ago from a guy that bought a storage unit. Only paid $175. So some storage units may have hidden treasures.
Oh yes, it did fill up fast, but it does not look so crowded now. I still have a problem with what to do with about 5 wall phones.
As for the bassets, I do have two basset telephones elsewhere, but the real ones were taking a nap on the couch. As usual...
I've had a some of my smaller wall phones piling up for some time sitting in the closet. I was waiting for the right idea and space to display. So, I finally got some time and added a wood board near the ceiling and mounted some of my plastic wall phones a couple DeVeau intercoms. The wood board will allow me to easily move the phones as I get more out of the shed for display. Here's the photo....
Very nice Russ. You have a wonderful display.....Doug
Very nice collection, I cannot believe I have never seen this post.
I plan on finishing some wood and hanging it on the wall so I can hang my wall phones on it, they currently sit proped up on the wall on top of my dresser.
Ben
This last weekend my wife bought me these phone she found at garage sales.
She is a great phone hunter!
Black WE 500 set from 3-53. Most dates are from 50-53 - $15. This one goes great with my existing WE 501 from 3-53
Green WE 2500 set - $10
Red Stromberg Carlson 1543 - $12
She also found some phone marker signs. - $10
Nice collection.
Are the last two photos posted for Australian viewing only?
Thanks. Darn iPad posted them upside down. They look good on my iPad, i will have to fix them and re upload them tomorrow.
Either that or someone super glued the handsets.
Nice pick-ups, Russ. They do appear upside down here but when I click them and they enlarge right-side-up.
Dennis
I just re shot the photos.
I love all the mini phones.
Where did you pick those up?
Quote from: tallguy58 on October 14, 2014, 08:43:07 PM
I love all the mini phones.
Where did you pick those up?
Various places, antique shops, phone shows, ebay and from friends here.
My wife, Kathy, found a new glass display shelf for my phone room. I placed a few into my sets in my secret "Amazing Shrinking Machine" and they all fit nicely.
I placed the mini 500 sets on top; the mini princess sets and princess knickknacks on the second shelf; the third shelf has my toy phones; the bottom shelf has one toy and misc. heavier sets to weigh it down.
Once the minis were off the top of my main display case, I was able to set up and plug in my Mushroom set and Speakerphone set. Overall it make for a better display. Change is good!