1941 Mahogany Monophone

[Stockdale]

Thanks All.  I consider my self lucky. Don't find one this nice to often.  Been hording these things for years, and this is probably nieces AE in lot.  Cant believe the value...
Appreciate the info on gold plate.  I will not rub it off I promise.  Don't even plan to put much on the phone.  Little soap and water but it is really pretty nice as it is.  Leave well enough alone.     After all, if it made it this far with no damage, then my job is to keep it the same, and not mess with it.  When I am done with it the next guy can do what he wants with it.  Not have to remove something I screwed up.   
Is there a way to date the phone?  Are the parts inside dated as WE are?  Thanks for the Gary Groff info.  I will send him an email.

[AE_Collector]

AE is terrible at dating things. The 40 was made from late 30's to late 50's. I am working on a project to try to decipher the coding on the bottom/bavk of AE phones of that era. Things such as cloth versus plastic insulated wiring inside will eventually help to narrow down the potential time frame but I need more input from everyone. If you have time to complete my AE Code Surey please do.

Here is the link to the Code Survey:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=5514.msg67058#msg67058

Terry

[Doug Rose]

Here is another going on eBay. Not nearly the fine condition of your outstanding find, but check out the price!!...Doug


http://tinyurl.com/ck32eev

[AE_Collector]

I stumbled upon that right after it was listed and was dreaming about it for a moment. But everyone else has now stumbled upon it as well so up the price goes. Too bad someone managed to lose the transmitter cup and receiver cap somehow. And how they came up with an Ivory replacement receiver cap is another mystery!

$877 and climbing. It is worth pointing out that this one is an AE 34 (1934 - 1939), the predecesor to the AE 40 which might make it slightly more valuable but when it comes to colored AE's, they are all valuable.

<PS> Ended at $877

Terry

[Stockdale]

Terry, I also found the "34" and was watching it go.  $877 I believe was final.  WOW!  Was a nice phone.  Was wondering if the lady of the house had the ear piece changed to the IVORY to be against delicate ears?  LOL...   Who knows how they end up this way     Just luck to survive at all. 
I feel pretty elated with my $40 find now.  Think it is a keeper.    
Just received the base gasket from Gary, ( WOW!!! its here!!)  and will install and clean up phone a little.  Will post pics when I have it cleaned.  As a side question, would my "number card" have been original do ya think?  Mine has seen better days, but if it is as I believe, original, perhaps I had better keep it "as is".  Thanks.

[AE_Collector]

Some of the early 1960's phones (with the plastic fingerwheel that the number card went inside of) had plain cards in them but yours needs one of the black background AE numbercards like these (below). There are three sizes of writing area available on these with the smallest area being the oldest, then the medium and finally the large writting area. Then there is a white background version of the largest one which wouldn't be correct for the AE40. It was for AE's newer than the 40 & 50. I would suspect that the smallest one was extinct before the AE40's time frame so either a medium or large one with black background would be the most accurate for an AE40.

Terry

[AE_Collector]

I don't have any Mahogany AE's at all in my AE Base Code Survey so is there any chance I can get you to fill one in for this phone Stockdale?

The Word File is attached at the very bottom of this post.

Terry

[GG]

Stockdale, BEFORE you try removing or replacing the number card retainer ring from the dial, you need to be certain you know exactly how it's done, using a thin small screwdriver or similar tool to slip under the ring from the inside edge, and sliding the metal catch upward.  If you've already done this on other AE dials, you know the routine.  If you haven't, say so here and folks will direct you to various pages that explain the procedure in detail. 

Once you know how it works, it's easy to do safely.  But if you don't, it's easy to damage those number retainer rings. 

[unbeldi]

I see that this topic still gets hits...
Just to narrow the manufacturing time based on the bottom plate, this phone was made no earlier than 1952 and no later than 1957, and in that range I would pick the earlier years, 1952 to 1955.

[Pourme]

This is my first time reading this....Man, what a fantastic find! A collector's dream....

[flybynyte]

I'm very late on the scene here,....congratulations on this awesome acquisition.  A telephone you might  have expected
to see in the grandest of palaces!...................
                                                                           $40.00

[WEBellSystemChristian]

I'm very late on the scene here,....congratulations on this awesome acquisition.  A telephone you might  have expected
to see in the grandest of palaces!...................
                                                                           $40.00

Well, the phone is worth just that...

...if you take the decimal point out!

[AE_Collector]

Christian:

The numbercard above in the last picture of reply 20, that is what you can put on the green 80 to match the Wait for Dial Tone card on your green 90.

Terry