Here is another auction contest just for the fun of it. It is a rare (maybe/maybe not) NOS (maybe/maybe not) "mushroom" that is being put up as a special auction because the seller put a reserve on the eBay listing. It was listed in a 7 day auction ( with thanks to a heads up from david@london by way of WEBellSystemChristian ) and there are 6 full days left in the auction as of this posting. If it did not have the reserve, I would have done this as a regular Auction Contest, but, it does so it's being put up as a special auction. As with the other special auctions, there is no gap minimum, no rules and no winner. Just take a guess and I'll run the list of guesses to document this eBay auction item for posterity.
Absolutely any and all members are very welcome and strongly encouraged to take a guess. After all, there are no wrong guesses, just one lucky one. No one knows the winning bid on any auction until it ends. However, it is important to get your guess in before someone else grabs your guess.[/b][/color] )[/i].
This phone was listed on eBay for $9.99 and after one day, 6 bids have pushed the price up to $63.00, reserve not met.
The seller listed it as a "Rare 1961 Kellogg/ITT " Mushroom" Sea Green Telephone" with the item condition as " - - - " and " - - - " with the auction listing description simply as an " Up for bids is this gorgeous 1961 sea green Kellogg / ITT 500K telephone, sometimes referred to as "the mushroom telephone" because of the shape of the dial light cover. These phones are hard find, especially in this color. It is in exceptional condition for being over 50 years old! Everything appears to be original, even the cords. The base, dial, transmitter, and receiver unit all have a date on 1961 on them. The network has a date of 1-60. I did test it and it makes calls with no problems. The dial turns freely and out-pulses correctly. The mushroom phone was one of the telephone industry's first attempts to light a dial. The later Princess and Trimline models had lighted dials as a standard feature. On the bottom it is marked 500 16 ( L R ) 32M 461. The 500 refers to the body ( phone type ). The 16 refers to the color ( sea green ) which is very close to a Western Electric color code 64 turquoise. The ( L R ) refers to ringer type which in this case means Less Ringer. 32 refers to special feature which in this case I assume is the lighted dial. M refers to dial type, in this case is a metro with numbers and letters. I'm fairly certain the 461 refers to the date as other parts have the same date. Because of the excellent condition and the fact that a ringer has never been added it is my opinion that this telephone was never actually put into service. There are no cracks, chips or scratches anywhere. The only issues are some small red spots on the cords and the ever so slight color difference of the handset caps and dial. Both issues are minor and not very noticeable. See all pictures for details. "
http://www.ebay.com/itm/191510559168
Since this is a "special rules" no winner contest, the best guesser will not be included in the Hall of Fame or be counted in the Contest Standings as a win. This one is just for fun.
All I ask is that guesses be at least $25 dollars apart, one guess per player (can't revise a guess) and no guesses will be accepted with less than 12 hours to go in the auction, special rules for a special contest . . . ;)
S C O R E B O A R D
$ 325.00 - TelePlay ( 15 )
$ 350.00 - wds ( 1 )
$ 375.00 - andre_janew ( 10 )
$ 425.00 - jfish ( 3 )
$ 455.00 - Kenton K ( 7 )
$ 477.50 - kleinkaliber ( 13 )
$ 500.00 - JorgeAmely ( 4 )
$ 530.00 - WesternElectricBen ( 8 )
$ 555.00 - Mr. Bones ( 14 )
$ 615.00 - Fabius ( 6 ) -> WINNER - Final Selling Price $610.00
$ 675.50 - Autonut ( 16 )
$ 700.00 - tallguy58 ( 12 )
$ 785.00 - HarrySmith ( 5 )
$ 842.00 - Dennis Markham ( 2 )
$ 919.00 - david@london ( 9 )
$1,150.00 - WEBellSystemChristian ( 11 )
Auction Status
02-12-15 Listed $ 9.99
02-13-15 6 bids $ 63.00
02-14-15 7 bids $ 102.50
02-15-15 9 bids $ 146.50
02-16-15 9 bids $ 146.50
02-17-15 10 bids $ 153.50
02-18-15 10 bids $ 153.50
02-19-15 11 bids $ 202.50 ( reserve not met - 9 bidders )
02-19-15 13 bidders, 31 bids $610.00 Ended 18:15 PST
I'll go $350
I'm going to guess $842.
Let's try $425.00
$500 for the 500.
$785.00
I was checking this out this morning. On my watch list. First time I have seen a Kellogg Mushroom!
$615
I'll say $455
530 please.
$919
what a great phone.............more pictures added.
$375
$1150
I was really confused when David sent me the link to the page; I thought there was an error in the listing. I thought Kellogg surely didn't make mushrooms...NOPE, wrong again!
Well, when we think we know everything about a particular phone, another strange fact about them shows up! I guess that makes this beauty really valuable! :o
$700
$475
$555.00, please
$325
Guessing $675.50
It is up to $260 and the reserve is still not met! How high could the reserve be?
Quote from: andre_janew on February 19, 2015, 07:12:01 PM
It is up to $260 and the reserve is still not met! How high could the reserve be?
Just my guess but I'd say about $500-600. Anyone else?
Just sold for $610 and the reserve was met around $450 to $600.
The winner of this Special Auction Contest is Fabius who with the 6th guess of the contest offered a winning guess of $615.00 to get his second win which ties him with two others as the Special Auction Contest Grand Champions to date.
Check out the Special Auction Contest (http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=13212.0) standing page to see who else has won in the 9 CRPF Special Auction Contests to date.