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Handset Identification

Started by TelePlay, December 26, 2011, 12:04:45 AM

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TelePlay

Does anyone recognize the manufacturing box on this handset and what it says?

Phonesrfun

Sorry, but it's too small and grainy to make it out.  can you get some better pictures, including a side view and the individual transmitter and receiver elements?

-Bill G

TelePlay

Not my photos. Here are front and back. Don't have any with the elements apart. Looks like it might say Western Electric Company but the "E" looks like a star.

I'm at a loss on this so any help would be great. It's on a 302.

Phonesrfun

Then it's a standard F handset from a 302.  I thought you were asking about a handset that looked like a WE F style.  Ifit says Western Electric and not Bell System, it probably says F1 W.  The W would have designated a handset that was made by WE,but sold outside of the Bell System.

-Bill G

TelePlay

This is the best blow up I can get. Still think it's a WE F1?

Phonesrfun

I can't tell from the photo what it is.  It sure looks like a Western elrctric, and if it was on a WE phone, the chances are it is.  For sure, it is an F style handset.


-Bill G

Phonesrfun

F1 W handsets were not made by North, they were made by Western Electric,which was the manufacturing and supply arm of The Bell System.

Western also made phones and replacement parts for phones that were sold to independent phone companies and to the US military and other users of phones.  They were identical in every respect to the phones used in the Bell System, except they did not sayBell System on them,but Western Electric and had the W suffix.

Northern Electric (Not to be confused with the US company called North Electric) was the Canadian subsidiary of Bell Canada.  Northern Electric also made a 302 made to the exact design and specs of the Western Electric 302.

To confuse things even worse, some phones made by North Electric, the US company from Galion, Ohio often used parts made by others including Western Electric.  Any such parts made by Western Electric would have had the Western Electric name and the W suffix.

What does the embossed name on the 302 housing say?  That would be located on the back beneath the hand-hold.
-Bill G

TelePlay

I bought the phone. It should be here in a week or so. When it comes in, I'll post here what I bought. If anything, I got some parts and who knows, I might get something a lot more. Always dicey when buying from a seller who does not know what they have and I don't like to ask questions, rather take a chance.

Yes, I understand what you told me about WE being a supplier but not being the provider of record of a phone. I bought a 302 a few weeks ago and while it has a WE F1 handset, there were no markings on the shell, under the hand hold or anywhere else. And it seems to be a tenite shell dated 1949 on the front inner lip. This phone that is on the way to me may be a similar mystery phone. I didn't know about the W so thanks for that.

Will get back on this thread with pictures once the phone arrives. I asked the original question to make sure I wasn't buying something other that a WE type product. You were a great help. Thanks.

paul-f

Compare it with some of the F-handset handles shown here:
  http://www.paul-f.com/we300typ.htm#Fhandsets

The F1W does look like a possibility.
Visit: paul-f.com         WE  500  Design_Line

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