Find of the Month - December 2016

[AE_Collector]

Post your "Find of the Month" here.

A "Find of the Month" is a telephone or a related item that you acquired during the month that you are particularly excited about either because of its rarity, the difficulty you had in trying to find it for your collection or the exceptional "deal" that you got on it.

The "Find of the Month" contest is focused on the collection of telephones rather than on their sale for a profit. To be eligible for the "Find of the Month" contest:

- The finder must have personally acquired and actually own the item.
- The item can be acquired for free but it can not be a gift or present from anyone.
- The item (or any of its components) cannot be put up for sale during the contest period.
- Only one "Find" per owner can be in a "Find of the Month" contest.


A Nomination Should Include:

1) at least one picture of the item.
2) the price & shipping cost.
3) where and/or how it was found.
4) the forum link if discussed in another topic on CRPF.
5) the eBay link if won there.
6) and other information of importance about the find.


Ideally your item would be posted in its own thread elsewhere on the forum such as "Auction Talk", "Flea Market/Yard Sale Finds" or "Collectors Corner" Board. Then you or anyone else can nominate your "Find" to the Current "Find of the Month" thread by posting at least one picture and other details including the price paid, any shipping costs and a link to the original discussion on the forum. It is not a requirement that your find be posted elsewhere on the forum but the more details the better.

Nominations of phones listed in other forum discussion topics, by members that do not own the item but realize it is indeed a "find" worthy of being nominated as a "Find of the Month" candidate, are always welcome.

Please pick your best "Find" to submit for the month limiting your entry to one phone or one "Find" that might include multiple items. If you have already entered for the month and come up with something even better either submit your new find indicating that it replaces your previous entry OR you can enter your new Find in next months contest.

To check out a list of all past winners including the Find of the YEAR winners click here:  http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=12971.0

TelePlay has grabbed pictures of all of the "Find of the Month" winners since we started this back in 2010 and he has put them into albums on PhotoBucket. Thanks John.

To check them out, click --> HERE <--

Terry

[Sargeguy]

1881 Providence Telephone Co. long distance bill

According to most sources, the first commercial interstate line was between Boston and Providence and was completed in 1881!  That would make this one of the earliest long distance bills anywhere. 

$22.72 from eBay

[Slal]

Can you nominate someone else?  I don't want to mess things up for another member, so if Doug Rose declines then delete.  ; )

Like the "tea gongs" though.

While I have a box with 'cow bells' I suspect they're probably a reproduction.  His look very nice.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=17189.0

[Doug Rose]

Thx Bruce....I will try to put some time into this beauty during the weekend. ...Doug

[.....]

I'll throw in my 1957 Western Electric Test Cabinet that I picked up for $100.00 CDN / $75.74 USD.

It came out of the Central Office in Port Perry, Ontario, Canada. The fellow I got it from sent me this.

"Doug

It was from the Port Perry CO in the 1985 time frame, Bell was upgrading all the CO's to Nortel DS1 equipment which took up a 100 sq feet floor space compared to the 2000 sq feet for the old step equipment that your tester worked with. Install timeline for your tester would have been 50s, I spent 6 months in 1975 as the service tech for the Port Perry area and was daily working with your tester testing lines I was to work on. You would dial the lines number that you were working on, and by using three of the switches tell if there was a short, ground or open on the line then go out and find where the problem was and fix it.

John"

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=17200.0

[TelePlay]

Can you nominate someone else?  I don't want to mess things up for another member, so if Doug Rose declines then delete.

Yes, you can nominate another members phone or phone item. The only problem is if, in this case, Doug came up with a better item and wanted to nominate it, then one of the two nominations in a month would have to be taken out of the poll.

We've encouraged members to nominate someones phone or phone item that is in the Find of the Month upped layer of phones because some members just don't wont to do it themselves or they don't think it is worth of being nominated. And a member can always ask to have such a nominated phone removed.

So, you are okay with the nomination.

[Slal]

Thx Bruce....I will try to put some time into this beauty during the weekend. ...Doug

Cool.  Didn't mean to mess you up if find something even nicer.  : )

Should have messaged you, but hindsight is 20/20.

Anyway, if that does happen.  Will nix this one.  No biggie.   

Yes, you can nominate another members phone or phone item. The only problem is if, in this case, Doug came up with a better item and wanted to nominate it, then one of the two nominations in a month would have to be taken out of the poll.

We've encouraged members to nominate someones phone or phone item that is in the Find of the Month upped layer of phones because some members just don't wont to do it themselves or they don't think it is worth of being nominated. And a member can always ask to have such a nominated phone removed.

So, you are okay with the nomination.

Thanks.  What's the old saying about road to perdition being paved by good intentions?  ; )

Can see how more than one would be a problem.  Will withdraw this one if that happens.

December will be interesting.  Historic phone bill, early subset, and a cool looking test cabinet that was saved from Steam-punk 'artists' who would've probably torn it up just to get the dial or the meter.

[Doug Rose]

Can you nominate someone else?  I don't want to mess things up for another member, so if Doug Rose declines then delete.  ; )

Like the "tea gongs" though.

While I have a box with 'cow bells' I suspect they're probably a reproduction.  His look very nice.



http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=17189.0

Got a little time to work on it, sure miss Dennis as the gongs and metal needs to have the nickel freshened up. Still....over all happy with the result....Doug

[Sargeguy]

Nominating other peoples's stuff is encouraged, it is more fun than submitting your own

[AE_Collector]

Absolutely. A member can nominate as many finds of other members as they think are deserving. I guess that if two items for one member get nominated the owner has to make a decision but we allow an item to be bumped to the following months contest as well.

Terry

[Slal]

Maybe I'm easily impressed but Doug... May I come over to your house and be a 'restoration apprentice' for a day?  ; )  Looks nice! 

Silly question that's probably in FAQ somewhere.  If you nominate someone else, then seems to me voting would be a conflict of interest.  Assume it's on the honor system?  i.e. recuse myself since I've made a nomination. 

December a tough one imo:  an historic document that's amazing to even have survived.  Or... Early authentic subset, and not one of those 'Frankenstein ' rigs from Phoneco or the eBay. ; )

Best wishes to whomever gets it this month.  : )

--Bruce

[Jim Stettler]

Please vote.
Nominations and voting are different animals. If you think a phone should get nominated, then please nominate it. Once it is time to vote, vote for the phone(s)  you feel are the "best find" {using your personal criteria}.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By my criteria:  I like to consider the "story"  of the find, If someone locates a $50.00 phone that they have been chasing for 10+ years, it outweighs a $500.00 phone bought for $20.00 by someone else at a yard sale.

JMO,
Jim S.
FOtM and the Auction Contest are for fun
The interesting thing regarding your vote for "FOtM" is that you use your personal criteria to decide your vote.

The interesting thing regarding the auction contests is that your guess is "How much it will sell for" not, "how much do you think it is worth".

[Doug Rose]

Maybe I'm easily impressed but Doug... May I come over to your house and be a 'restoration apprentice' for a day?  ; )  Looks nice! 

Silly question that's probably in FAQ somewhere.  If you nominate someone else, then seems to me voting would be a conflict of interest.  Assume it's on the honor system?  i.e. recuse myself since I've made a nomination. 

December a tough one imo:  an historic document that's amazing to even have survived.  Or... Early authentic subset, and not one of those 'Frankenstein ' rigs from Phoneco or the eBay. ; )

Best wishes to whomever gets it this month.  : )

--Bruce

thanks Bruce....you are welcome anytime.....old wood is really easy to bring back to life.

I stripped off the remaining lacquer, using medium to fine steel wool with Citrix stripper...once I got the surface of the wood where I wanted it to be, I used Howard's Walnut restorafinish.  This stuff is  magic and really brings out the grain of the wood.

The gongs are not where I want them, but still display well. It is a labor of love that I truly enjoy. Box is over 100 years old and looks much younger    in my humble opinion.

This was so easy, even I could do it  ....Doug

[Slal]

Please vote.
Nominations and voting are different animals. If you think a phone should get nominated, then please nominate it. Once it is time to vote, vote for the phone(s)  you feel are the "best find" {using your personal criteria}.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By my criteria:  I like to consider the "story"  of the find, If someone locates a $50.00 phone that they have been chasing for 10+ years, it outweighs a $500.00 phone bought for $20.00 by someone else at a yard sale.

JMO,
Jim S.
FOtM and the Auction Contest are for fun
The interesting thing regarding your vote for "FOtM" is that you use your personal criteria to decide your vote.

The interesting thing regarding the auction contests is that your guess is "How much it will sell for" not, "how much do you think it is worth".

Hadn't thought about it that way.  Figured nominating someones find is a compliment and sort of a 'vote' in itself as it were.  If no one voted on contest itself though-- kind of moot point.  : )

thanks Bruce....you are welcome anytime.....old wood is really easy to bring back to life.

I stripped off the remaining lacquer, using medium to fine steel wool with Citrix stripper...once I got the surface of the wood where I wanted it to be, I used Howard's Walnut restorafinish.  This stuff is  magic and really brings out the grain of the wood.

The gongs are not where I want them, but still display well. It is a labor of love that I truly enjoy. Box is over 100 years old and looks much younger    in my humble opinion.

This was so easy, even I could do it  ....Doug

Methinks you're too modest.  Saw what you did with that red one.  Am guessing you must have some nice toys in the 'dungeon' or workshop. 

How you guys can get them so shiny is beyond me.  Probably a nice Baldor model 114 or 632E?  Schweet...

--Bruce

[jfisher]

1957 Red Western Electric 500.  Purchased this last week as a "Buy it Now"  All dates 1957, cord and plastics in good shape, no cracks or breaks.  Someone messed with the base and remove network and ringer. In the process of cleaning it up with Novus and I am looking forward to adding it to my collection. $44.75 ($35 plus $11.35 shipping) delivered, luckily the post office was gentle because the packaging was atrocious.
Jerry Fisher

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http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-RED-Rotary-Dial-Telephone-Desktop-Corded-Western-Electric-G-3-Bell-Syste-/282291584790

EDIT: above link and photo below added