Just won on ebay this what appears to be a prototype from the 50s. I know one similar is pictured in the Dooner book with an E1 handset.
Wasn't there a thread on just such a telephone a while back? I was trying to find, but did not have a lot of luck.
Quote from: JimH on March 27, 2011, 10:37:09 AM
Just won on ebay this what appears to be a prototype from the 50s. I know one similar is pictured in the Dooner book with an E1 handset.
Wasn't there a thread on just such a telephone a while back? I was trying to find, but did not have a lot of luck.
Jim....very rare phone. Could you post the link of it? I am envious, nice, nice find.....Doug
I saw that on ebay and figured that it was just somebody's hack, but I was apparently wrong. It looks like you really have a find there!
Given the date on it, I wonder if this was another attempt by WE to figure out how to use up the stock of D1 bases. How is the the D1 base attached to the cover of the lower part?
Larry
Jim,
Very nice! Congratulations on scoring a great find!
Ed
Great find! Very interesting. Keep us posted on what you find out about it!
Pardon my ignorance But isnt this a 202 with a subset? The subset looks different but thats all I can see. ???
Nice one, Jim.
Several of these traded hands in 2006 - 2007, causing a stir on the club lists. At the time, we discussed lots of rumors about their history but found few documented facts.
It appears that the set is basically a marriage between a D1 mounting and a 684A subset. To get them to fit together, a new housing was cast to hold the D1 in a slightly recessed reserve. This gives the marriage a more finished look -- somewhat like the much earlier AE2 (see Terry's avatar).
The only other unusual component is a 11" D4Y cord to attach the two. I haven't looked to see if that is unique to the set or if it's in the BSPs for other purposes as well.
Other components include the standard 684A parts (101A coil, B1A ringer, 195A cap), 4H or 5H dial and F4 handset (usually) plus handset and mounting cords. The F4 suggests the sets were planned for relatively long loops, so having a short (11") mounting cord may have been an advantage.
Most of the sets reported to date have the newest components dated in late 1955. This is about the time the 5302 was introduced, so my guess is that the GN4676 was a similar effort to recycle used parts (also like the continental and imperial sets that were mentioned).
Both metal and plastic housings have been spotted.
Since they include recycled parts, they were probably assembled in the distribution houses / refurb facilities.
Now for the rumors. ;)
The speculation is that the metal housing came first and some clever person noticed the weight of the set was way too heavy. Imagine picking it up by the cradle and walking around.
So, a plastic housing was tried. The problem was that the set was still heavy and there was too much stress on the two screws that held the parts together. Many of the plastic sets found have cracks.
Therefore the idea never really caught on. Presumably the D1s were recycled into continental and imperial sets -- with sepatate subsets.
It will be interesting to see the internal components of your set.
Congratulations!
Thanks for all the great information, Paul! Since I haven't received it yet, here are some more photos that confirm what you've said. The handset is an F4 and it does have some cracks on the corners. I can see why it may not have been too good an idea...it looks kind of cumbersome and clunky. The set appears to be attached with the D1 mounting screwed with its usual screws through the underside of the top of the subset cover, and then the cover seems to be screwed on from the back of the subset with yet another set of screws. No wonder, with the soft plastic, that it did not hold up too well. It also looks like the handset and line cords were replaced. Is it me, or does the whole thing look painted, too (including the handset)? I guess I won't know until I get it.
What seems odd, too, is that this set seems to have "gone out into the world" in service as someone's telephone. Since the cords seemed to have been replaced and it has definite wear. I could just see someone's face when the telephone man announced "how about this one, it's all I have in the truck, or I'll have to come back tomorrow." ;D
BTW, just another thought I'd like an opinion on. Do you think the cracks should be repaired, the "original" type cords put back on, or leave it be? I value everyone's opinion. Thanks
Quote from: JimH on March 28, 2011, 12:50:57 AM
BTW, just another thought I'd like an opinion on. Do you think the cracks should be repaired, the "original" type cords put back on, or leave it be? I value everyone's opinion. Thanks
Jim....would you post the auction number on this great find....thanks...>Doug
Sure Doug, the auction number is 270725493802.
thanks Jim....I appreciate it....you got a great deal....Doug
Jim;
I would fix the cracks and put the original cords back on it.
But then what do I know....
D/P
Oh I see it is attached to the subset... I have been studying these pictures and it just hit me ;D
Quote from: JimH on March 28, 2011, 12:45:09 AM
It also looks like the handset and line cords were replaced. Is it me, or does the whole thing look painted, too (including the handset)? I guess I won't know until I get it.
What seems odd, too, is that this set seems to have "gone out into the world" in service as someone's telephone.
You're welcome. The set looks painted to me as well. It will be interesting to hear the results of your inspection of the inside of the housing. Perhaps there are earlier repairs hidden under the paint.
All the GN4676 sets I've seen or heard about had been installed and used. Since the only real new part was the housing, they probably just built a batch and put them in service in a few limited areas. We haven't found a guess at quantities made or areas where they were used yet. They sure don't turn up often. There can't be many out there (certainly compared to the hundreds of millions of 500-series sets that were made).
I'd also patch it up and replace the cords - but that's a personal preference.
I just looked at the auction. You were all over this in no time! Talk about being in the right place at the right time! Well done!
The coil cord is for a G-type handset and not an F-type handset. It's from a 500 or 554 set and the strain relief is too big to fit the hole, so it sticks out a lot. Yes, I'd change the cords out because these don't look correct at all. Mounting and handset cords meant for a 302 might be your best bet.
Congratulations, Jim, that is definitely a rare find and a good score. Fantastic example of Bell System eco-industrial engineering: zero waste, with 1930s-era parts being used in the 50s and probably intended to last into the 70s.
I agree, look for 302 cords, probably including a coiled handset cord from that era.
I don't think these would have been "foisted" on less-than-willing subscribers. I think they would probably have been installed in businesses such as factories where functionality was all that mattered. I would envision one on some warehouse manager's desk where he was happy to see it replace the plain D1 he'd had before, because now the bell was topside where he could hear it better over the din of the warehouse when he was up walking around. And I seriously doubt they'd turn up in residences, specifically because they were slightly awkward and could have gotten dropped & broken.