FACE Standard Model 500 clone

[Tribune]

It looks like Tribune has been successful in saving Face

Now that, sir, is one fantastic pun. I applaud you!.

To answer Bellsystemproperty's question, the dial is marked FACE Standard as well,  though the Italian company was part of ITT at the time. I'll take some pics and post them up tomorrow, but most of the mechanism is plastic.

[Tribune]

My mistake Bellsystemproperty - the dial is actually marked ITT. Certainly not Western Electric style. Here's a few pics of the dial

[HarrySmith]

Hi Tribune
I saw a post from you on another forum about using Retrobright on your phone. I have used it with good results on White & Beige phones. Neither had number rings or metal which seems to be your concern. There is a post here abut it if you search and there are others who have used it. I had not good results trying it on a yellow handset though.

[McHeath]

These copies of WE's standard phones are fascinating to me.  Indeed I've always found it curious, from a purely logical standpoint, as to why countries bother to go to all the expense of cooking up native designs for things when someone else has already come up with a winning design.  From airplanes to weapons to phones it seems like we often are happily reinventing the wheel.  Guess it does keep the local economies going, and that is something, so perhaps that's why. 

[paul-f]

The winning designs are patent protected, so other market competitors are forced to reinvent the wheel - unless they can license the design.  That theoretically lets the original innovator profit from the innovations.  It also provides windfall profits for scores of lawyers.

[Tribune]

Hi Tribune
I saw a post from you on another forum about using Retrobright on your phone. I have used it with good results on White & Beige phones. Neither had number rings or metal which seems to be your concern. There is a post here abut it if you search and there are others who have used it. I had not good results trying it on a yellow handset though.

Thanks for the info Harry. Will probably try it initially on a browned beige NE 500 I have, and take it from there. Just got to wait for the sun to return to sunny Alberta first before putting it out in nature's UV rays.

[HarrySmith]

Here in South Florida that was not a concern for me