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Finally got one, with matching numbers.

Started by Dan/Panther, December 11, 2008, 06:47:41 PM

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Dan/Panther

Dennis was right, if I waited I would eventually get a matching number phone in my birth year.
I just never expecxted it would be this one.
I took a real chance on this one, as at the time I did not know they made plastic overlays for phone bodies, and the damage would have made the phone very hard to repair. But I took the chance and won it for $15.50.
It arrived today, in pretty dirty condition, but the plastic overlay came off fairly quickly, to reveal a 1949 matching numbers 302.
It has the H-1 body, F-1 hanset, with 8-49 component parts inside, the body is date stamped 8-15-49-2, that's just 63 days before my birthday, which is close enough considering I didn't think I would run across one at all. The base, the ringer, the transformer all marked 8-49. The dial is marked 8-49, 5-H*, with the Z/Operator face I was commentimng on and looking for yesterday.
It's also my first F-1, without spot nor blemish.
A very fine day for me indeed.
One question, What were the proper handset, and line cords for this date 302 ?

The first set of photos are from the auction the rest are after I took it apart.

D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Dennis Markham

Dan,

We learn something every day.  I have never seen or heard of the covering that you describe and show here.  Interesting.  It looks like you got a great phone for $15 and whatever your shipping cost was.  I think either a brown cloth handset cord and line cord or straight black rubber cords would have been on those phones in 1949.  I don't think the coiled black cords had been released by then.  Is there a crimp date on the coiled cord that is there now?

Congratulations on your purchase.  The idea is to win more than you lose.  This one was a winner.  I'm sure it will clean up nicely.  That outer shell probably protected that original case all these years.

Dennis

bingster

The handset cord is from a 500.  It's got that shaped restraint that is supposed to be pressed into the notch in the bottom of the transmitter cup. 

I didn't know about the color overlays until yesterday when I found two of them on ebay.  They're both new in their boxes, and include not only covers for the base, but for the handset, caps, and finger wheel, too.

That one's going to clean up real nice, Dan.  And you just can't beat that price!
= DARRIN =



Dan/Panther

#3
Ironically my suspicions were confirmed a couple nights ago when I found two auctions on ebay where they are auctioning off a Red and a Green cover kits, complete in box new, they are vintage, I'd guess 50's.

That is when I knew I had a winner in this 302.

Bingster, I thought that cord was 50ish, that's O.K. though I have a couple black phones that could use a good cord.
On the cord crimp, I was really surprised at the date, It's dated 1975, model number 59918, and is paper taped to the cord. It must have been put on by the owner, I can't imagine W.E. refurbishing this phone in 75, and leaving it all original, or even refurbishing it at all.

D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

McHeath

I too never knew about these colored covers for the 302s.  And that 1975 cord date, major weirdness there.  Overall though you got a sweet deal for the price, and even got a extra piece of history with that cover, and the fact that someone was still using this phone during the Ford administration. 

Dan/Panther

#5
Against my better judgement here is the link to the RED cover.

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-VINTAGE-MASON-COLOR-PHONE-TELEPHONE-COVER-RED_W0QQitemZ120347761858QQihZ002QQcategoryZ38037QQssPageNameZWDVWQQtcZphotoQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem ( dead link 03-14-21 )

Check his other auction for a green cover.

D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

bingster

Dan, how was your cover attached?  Was it glued or what?
= DARRIN =



Dennis Markham

I have never seen such a thing (but that ain't saying much)....We learn something every day.

Dan/Panther

It slips over and is not glued, but It does stick after awhile.
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

benhutcherson

I agree that the handset cord replacement must have been a home job.

I can't see Bell coming up with a jerry rigged solution that looks that bad, or seems so precarious(with no strain reliever holding it in place on either end).