"Promoted" Colors

[poplar1]

Here is a BSP from the TCI library showing promoted and non-promoted colors available for various equipment types in 1965. Red (-53) and Ivory (-50) >telephone sets< are not listed at all.

501-375-100-i3 500-120-100 issue 5

http://telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/439-500-120-100-issue-5-april-1965-telephone-apparatus-and-materials-color



             1.03  Handsets,  cords, and dials are available in
                     matching colors. No provisions have been
             made to continue production of telephone sets or
             their components in colors rated Manufacture
             Discontinued (MD).

            1.04  The term promoted color indicates that
                     apparatus listed in this section is manu-
             factured in quantity. (See Table A.)

            1.05  The term nonpromoted color indicates that
                     apparatus listed in this section is manufac-
            tured in limited quantity. (See Table A.)  A non-
            promoted color may be obtained by customer
            request and only on special order.

[andre_janew]

Ivory is listed, but red is not. 

[poplar1]

Ivory is listed, but red is not. 

What I meant to say is that ivory and red telephone sets, or parts for same, were no longer available. Ivory jacks, connecting blocks, wire, ringer covers, etc. were available.

[unbeldi]

The previous issue of that BSP was C16.020 Issue 4 1963, but I don't think I have it found anywhere.

We know that red was available again later, as red-53 Princesses were introduced in 1967 for the first time.
I don't recall having seen ivory sets later though.

[poplar1]

The previous issue of that BSP was C16.020 Issue 4 1963, but I don't think I have it found anywhere.

We know that red was available again later, as red-53 Princesses were introduced in 1967 for the first time.
I don't recall having seen ivory sets later though.

Both red and ivory were added to the available Princess colors in 1967.

Ivory was probably the most common color for telephone sets in the early 80s. Date range chart shows 500s, 554s, 2500s, 2554s, Princess and Trimlines in the 1983-1985 range.

[unbeldi]

Ah, yes, of course.  Ivory princesses were added too.
It seems to me that red 500s and 554s existed again as well. The ban on red was apparently very short.

[Jim Stettler]

I had an early  tenite (soft) plastic princess in red. I think the date was 1959-60. The red was a different shade than the later 1967  red.

Jim S.

[unbeldi]

I had an early  tenite (soft) plastic princess in red. I think the date was 1959-60. The red was a different shade than the later 1967  red.

Jim S.

That has not been my observation.  I found them to be identical.  The color of my red 2500s has been exactly the same too.
The red—53 is however, slightly off from the Pekin Red—20, which is a little brighter.

Princesses were not produced in Tenite at all in production.  Some of the trial sets in 58 and 59 were, but I have not seen reports of any in red. Colored CAB Tenite was phased out by mid 1959.
See also:  http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=14183.msg148187#msg148187

PS: here is a view of a selection:

[Jim Stettler]

ISTR it being a brighter  red than the "official red". It came from a phone center employee. she had 2, they had both had been "notched", they both cracked @ the notch, I got the one that had a smaller crack.

I bought  the princess, 2 trim lines and a 500 for $20.00 each. The 500 set and trim lines were clear, the princess "tenite"  red. The only reason I bought the princess was that it was an unofficial color, I couldn't justify buying the other one.

JMO,
Jim S.
This princess set was more along the shade of Pekin red.

[unbeldi]

This princess set was more along the shade of Pekin red.

Perhaps it was painted ?
One of the two Princesses in my picture earlier is a painted set, it is dated in 1960, and for a long time I didn't realize that it was painted, I thought I had a custom housing. It looked perfect inside and out, with the exception of a tiny 'white paint' spot on an edge. When I finally tried to remove that, I discovered that the spec got larger rather than disappear. Turns out my housing was aqua blue underneath.
It was custom alright, but painted with a 1959 red handset and red handset caps (none painted) without center holes.

[Jim Stettler]

It wasn't painted. It was the first princess phone I ever bought. I opened it up to see the guts.


Jim S.