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VERY RARE CLEAR WESTERN ELECTRIC MODEL 500 ROTARY TELEPHONE DATED 1949

Started by zapper, September 15, 2019, 09:41:42 AM

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Daniel B.

You search for an item no. by copying it into the normal eBay search frame.For info,  it's also work for any sold listing but you have to select sold item on the right side of the page before...

Daniel

Daniel B.

The handset was made after 1959 for sure... you can see the fabrication date in a circle molded in the plastic on the handset top... also the hole in the center of each cap...Daniel

loblolly986

Don't all the clear dial bezels have the small "OPERATOR"? At least, the ones I've seen photos of do. It's as if W.E. kept the old bezel mold around just for this very purpose.

The base has the three-point dial bracket, so it could be a '49 base that was converted to a 500D as early sets often were. But why would a clear set be refurbished? Or were these placed in service back in the day like any ordinary set?

By the way, a simple way to pull up any eBay listing by item number is to pull up an existing item page with a URL like the following:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/233341824032

and replace the item number with the desired one in your browser's address bar. Alternatively, go to the eBay home page and append itm/ and the item number to the URL.

No need to futz around with the eBay search function.

Babybearjs

John

.....

On my 1958 WE 500 clear the the 0 is over the p.
Also the handset logo on the eBay one is Bell System and mine is Western Electric.
My handset caps have no center holes.

poplar1

Quote from: Duffy on September 15, 2019, 05:37:16 PM
On my 1958 WE 500 clear the the 0 is over the p.
Also the handset logo on the eBay one is Bell System and mine is Western Electric.
My handset caps have no center holes.

WE G-type handsets were not marked "Bell System" until about 1968, when the "Bell System Property -- Not For Sale" logo was added to handsets WE sold to the Bell operating companies. So the clear handset on Ebay is most likely 1968-1973.


"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

Jim Stettler

Quote from: david@london on September 15, 2019, 01:17:24 PM
Centre holes in handset caps too, however the 'operator' on the dial bezel looks like the early small font, with the zero above the letter 'p'. Or should that be the curved 'operator' if it's a 1949 model?


Quote from: loblolly986 on September 15, 2019, 04:41:22 PM
Don't all the clear dial bezels have the small "OPERATOR"?

The small "operator"  dial rings are early. On  early sets  the dial rings were back-painted . The alpha/numeric's would get painted white or black, and the  rest of the ring would be painted to match the phone.
The small operator font also shows up a lot on special finish sets, since it cam be back-painted to match.
Most of the early clear bezels have back painted a/n the 500 sets from the 70's have a full clear dial ring
Jim
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Dan/Panther

After having looked at literally thousands of photos of 1949 and older WE500'S, In my opinion, the only thing 1949 is the date stamp on the shell. Nothing is period correct for a 1949-500.
On the first page of the link below you can see a few photos of early 500's. More are located throughout the thread.

The thread is located in the Collectors corner, under the name, "Now the story can be told" I can't copy and paste a link because it leaves my account open.

BTW, I WANT TO ONCE AGAIN THANK JIM FOR THE SHELL TO MY PHONE HE DONATED IT TO ME. 

D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

tubaman

@Dan/Panther, I'm not sure what issue you are having with links, but if others haven't read the brilliant thread about your 1949 set it's here - http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2394.0
:)

Jim Stettler

Quote from: Dan/Panther on September 17, 2019, 12:38:23 AM
In my opinion, the only thing 1949 is the date stamp on the shell. Nothing is period correct for a 1949-500.
BTW, I WANT TO ONCE AGAIN THANK JIM FOR THE SHELL TO MY PHONE HE DONATED IT TO ME. 

D/P
I agree with Dan regarding this phone. If the dated plastic is correct, then someone swapped out everything else. The other option is someone back dated the stamp on the housing.
Jim

Your welcome regarding the housing D/P

You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

zapper


zapper

Sent a message to the seller:
Good Morning,
When you have the time can you tell me where you acquired this phone. The phone has become a topic of discussion on a phone website I belong to. The cover is the only part with a 49 date. The handset and cords are probably 60s-70's the pictures where we can see the inside show a missing equalizer that was on 49-50 phones. Since you in N.J. its possible the phone came from a Bell Labs employee who put it together with various newer parts.

Sellers response:
Hi we got the phone from a estate of a rocket scientist in Hacketstown NJ. The mouthpiece inside had a date of Dec 1949. We did not take the phone apart any further. Thanks for your interest.
Zapper

Dan/Panther

Zapper, Online there is a service that fabricates rubber stamps.
In fact I think somewhere I have a couple of the stamps. One is the "Loud" with the arrow, and the "C/D 500" When you do a complete restoration the stamps help to retain the graphics wiped away by the process. You send a photo or drawing of what you want, and the size. For about  8-10 bucks. Then all you would need is the Vermilion paint.
Tubaman, if I copy the link, it copies my online open status.


D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

tubaman

Quote from: Dan/Panther on September 17, 2019, 12:46:37 PM
....
Tubaman, if I copy the link, it copies my online open status.


D/P

@D/P, afraid I'm still confused. A link is just text with HTML tags at each end. What are you worried about being exposed by that?
:)

Dan/Panther

When I copy a link, it copies the page as It is on my screen, that shows up as me on line and others can access my page.
Copy the URL at the top of the page you are current on, open another window and past the link. Then you will see what I mean.
Whether others can actually access my information or change anything, I would rather not chance it as the ability to edit all posts would be avaialble.


D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson