Just ran across this one a minute ago: a genuine, original Western Electric Left Handed telephone
http://cgi.ebay.com/Black-Rotary-Dial-Phone-Left-Handed-Telephone-Rare-Nice_W0QQitemZ200310795408QQihZ010QQcategoryZ985QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
( dead link 07-14-21 )
Funny, it doesn't look any different than any of my others. By that extension, I guess we can assume that they're all left handed. Since I'm right handed myself, I'm surprised that I've never had any trouble using one.
That's pretty funny. I think we all talked about this before...someone said right handed people use the left hand to talk so one can write with the right hand....or dial with the right hand while holding it with the left.
It's strange, like playing the guitar. Why is it that right handed people play the cords with their left hand. You'd think they'd be more dexterous with their right. Or how about catching a baseball...catch left, throw right. Seems like it would be easy to catch with the right hand but have you ever tried it? It's difficult for a right-hander.......but I digress.................
I sent a question to the seller asking what makes it left handed. Soon we will all be enlightened. ;)
I'm a lefty. Yet I throw with my right, I punch with my right, I shoot with my right, I can even write with my right(terribly, but readable). I prefer to answer and use the phone with my right. So this phone is no good for me. In fact, since most of my phones are left handed (according to this auction), I should probably just offer them up to you guys. They're no good for me!
Quote from: BDM on February 19, 2009, 10:31:34 PM
In fact, since most of my phones are left handed (according to this auction), I should probably just offer them up to you guys. They're no good for me!
To ease the pain of this, I would be more than happy to take care of all of those awful, useless candlestick telephones you have.
Consider a friendly gesture of good will toward a fellow forum member-I try to do what I can to ease suffering in the world.
Now, believe it or not, there are left & right handed candlesticks. Standard was receiver = left hand. So, with that, I'm sorry, I just can't give them up knowing this ;D
Ahh, of course it's even possible to orient a 151AL or the like so that the hook is on the right side.
I'd hoped you might overlook this :)
Nah, don't believe you can. You have locating pins on both the shaft and transmitter head. At least on W.E. desk stands. Not sure about the independents?
There was one on ebay recently that was set up with the receiver on the right, but it was clearly the result of somebody taking it apart and not knowing how to put it back together correctly. If you take the bolt out of the perch, you can turn the transmitter housing over so that it faces the back. When you do that, the receiver is on the right, but then you look down to see the cords coming out the "front."
When I bought my 51AL ages ago, it had been the victim of this particular mistake.
They made them. I remember reading and seeing a few pics. I remember they were made for those particular about which arm is used for the receiver. I know they're fairly rare. But, I'm still looking for a right handed D or B mount. If any of you guys see or know of one, drop a dime my way, collect of course ;)
I'm a lefty and mine works just fine for me. With the one in my room, I usually hold the receiver in my left, dial with the right, then sit down on the bed, with te reciever to my left ear and the phone sitting on my right knee. I'd really like to know how the left-handed ones are different. Really never gave it any thought before.
Quote from: BDM on February 20, 2009, 01:27:26 AMBut, I'm still looking for a right handed D or B mount. If any of you guys see or know of one, drop a dime my way, collect of course ;)
Boy, is today your lucky day! It just so happens I have one. It's ultra-rare, so naturally it commands a hefty premium. Coincidentally, I have an amazingly identical version for the other hand. It's said that the pair is never seen in the same room at the same time, but pay no attention to that.
Bingster, that's a great looking left handed telephone. I especially like your dial card.
Quote from: BDM on February 20, 2009, 12:31:28 AM
Nah, don't believe you can. You have locating pins on both the shaft and transmitter head. At least on W.E. desk stands. Not sure about the independents?
Of course, if ones 151AL were, perhaps, assembled from a box of parts, and one didn't have the locating pin, it would be entirely possible to turn the shaft around so that the hook is on the right side.
I'll have to check on the transmitter cup, but I don't think I've ever noticed any locating pins on it. Like I said, though, I'll double check.
Ben, the transmitter cup doesn't have locating pins. I should have said transmitter support, not head. As the support does have a locating pin.
Darrin, very nice looking D mount. The paint looks original and in nice condition. Love that dial card also. I'll make a deal with you. I'll trade ya for a case of Old Bay potato chips, a six pack of beer (your choice), and an old phone number to a very sexy young lady I used to date. It's the deal of the century, so let me know ;D :o ;D
Quote from: AtomicEraTom on February 20, 2009, 02:14:53 AM
I'm a lefty and mine works just fine for me. With the one in my room, I usually hold the receiver in my left, dial with the right, then sit down on the bed, with te reciever to my left ear and the phone sitting on my right knee. I'd really like to know how the left-handed ones are different. Really never gave it any thought before.
Hey, all my phones are left handed!!!!
I'm a righty myself, but, go hand to hand when my arms get tired. Sometimes, I hang up the phone in the opposite direction.
I dial with my right hand.
Yet, my good eye,and, my good leg are on the left side.
And, that leg has been broken.
My right leg has most of the problems.
Bill Cahill
Now a truly left-handed telephone would have the dial reversed, too, wouldn't it? Counter-clockwise with the "1" on the upper left? BTW, I'm a lefty, too ;)
Quote from: JimH on February 20, 2009, 01:04:29 PM
Now a truly left-handed telephone would have the dial reversed, too, wouldn't it? Counter-clockwise with the "1" on the upper left? BTW, I'm a lefty, too ;)
No no no! The dial would be inside out, and upside down ;)
Over,under,sideways down? when will it end?
Quote from: Steve on February 20, 2009, 01:36:42 PM
Over,under,sideways down? when will it end?
The Yardbirds ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4DdAs0PddQ
;D
Quote from: Dennis Markham on February 20, 2009, 08:48:11 AM
Bingster, that's a great looking left handed telephone. I especially like your dial card.
Quote from: BDM on February 20, 2009, 12:35:38 PM
Darrin, very nice looking D mount. The paint looks original and in nice condition. Love that dial card also. I'll make a deal with you. I'll trade ya for a case of Old Bay potato chips
Thanks, guys. The dial card is a fake that I made many moons ago to imitate the only dial card I had back then (the one below), which was from a local independent telephone company in Virginia. It came from a North Galion with a WE #6 dial installed in it. I had never seen another dial card in person, so I had no idea what a "real" one looked like.
That 202 is my favorite phone. I lucked out and got a nearly perfect one on ebay. After a good scrubbing, the only flaw was very minor paint loss on the cradle ears. It gets constant use, and is mated to a 684.
Brian, you have no idea how tempting your offer is. I'd knock my mother down for a bag of Old Bay potato chips. ;D
Bingster, you made that care?! It looks very authentic, even with water marks and misaligned numbers. It really looks nice.
Not the Tidewater card, no. That's the original one. The Chesapeake and Potomac card on the 202 is the one I made.
Speaking of left handed.....
The Famous outlaw "Billy The Kid" for years was known as the left handed gun, based on the below photo.
It wasn't discovered until recently, that the photo shows the loading door for the Henry rifle, on the left side of the rifle, it is actually on the right side of the frame. which meant the photo negative had been printed backwards, and Billy was right handed after all.
So this makes me conclude that the left handed phone was simply a reversed photo. ::) ::) ::)
D/P
Bing, those chips are to die for!! Of course, you eat enough of them, you will die from all that sodium :-\
Bingster, I just noticed you are a Son of the Old Dominion. I lived there for a couple years myself. lived a bit as a pioneer on the high street in Petersburg, before moving to Colonial Heights. coming from Chicago, I realize the meaning of "Gods Country" now.
I live in Virginia, but I'm a Marylander born and bred. You're right though, there's a lot of stunningly beautiful country in the state.
Well folks no reply yet on what makes this 500 "left handed", I'm beginning to think we will never know.
Sadness creeping in, must hold on.... :'(
Love the Dial Card. I know when my dad was a kid, their number was HOpkins something, and I beleive his grandma's was UPtown-6-5636. Wish they still used the alphanumeric system, eh?
One of my parents' phone nos was Lakeview 1-5783, and, the tv shop I worked at had Lakeview7-3322. Rainbow Television Service, owned, and, operated by Craig W Knox. The best boss I ever had!!!! ;D
Bill Cahill
Okay here is my reply as to why is this phone left handed...
"Hi, It appears contoured for a more natural grip but I could be way off in left field on this theory. Thanks--Marc"
Ahhh well, at least he was honest. I won't knock someone for being honest and not coming off as an a$$
I don't think he thought his answer through. Since most people are born with hands that are exact mirror images of each other, it stands to reason that the grip would be identical for each hand.
Quote from: bingster on February 21, 2009, 07:02:36 PM
I don't think he thought his answer through. Since most people are born with hands that are exact mirror images of each other, it stands to reason that the grip would be identical for each hand.
He does state he could be way off, and that he is :P
Yeah I like his honesty in that he simply may be wrong. Not some crazed fanatic who swore up and down that it was made for left-handed people and if you don't like my answer then you can.....
After all these old phones are a mystery to many people, who did not actually ever use them.
I admire his honesty. Much more than I can say for one ebay creep, that selling a Motorola stereo phonograph, claiming he thoroughly took case apart, and, re glued it, replaced all tubes, needle, and, entirely cleaned, and, adjusted it, continued his lie by claiming VM, RCA, Zenith, and, others, tried to copy teh "famous" Motorola record changer.
I sent him a friendly e mail informing him that RCA, and, Zenith changers weren't the same, and, that VM sold changers to many companies, including Motorola. It is varified by the VM website.
He sent me a nasty e mail back starting with" Sir, you are an idiot! I have been repairing these machines for 10 years now, and, know all there is to know!" He continued it with cuss words, and, telling me I'm obviously a complete idiot who didn't know what he was talking about.
Now, that's one ebayer who totally ruines things for the rest of us....
Bill Cahill
I have a theory about left handed telephones: If you flush them in a toilet in The Southern Hemesphere they twist the other way. It's just a theory.
"I have a theory about left handed telephones: If you flush them in a toilet in The Southern Hemesphere they twist the other way. It's just a theory."
A simpsons reference perhaps?
Quote from: Bill Cahill on February 21, 2009, 08:11:30 PM
I admire his honesty. Much more than I can say for one ebay creep, that selling a Motorola stereo phonograph, claiming he thoroughly took case apart, and, re glued it, replaced all tubes, needle, and, entirely cleaned, and, adjusted it, continued his lie by claiming VM, RCA, Zenith, and, others, tried to copy teh "famous" Motorola record changer.
I sent him a friendly e mail informing him that RCA, and, Zenith changers weren't the same, and, that VM sold changers to many companies, including Motorola. It is varified by the VM website.
He sent me a nasty e mail back starting with" Sir, you are an idiot! I have been repairing these machines for 10 years now, and, know all there is to know!" He continued it with cuss words, and, telling me I'm obviously a complete idiot who didn't know what he was talking about.
Now, that's one ebayer who totally ruines things for the rest of us....
Bill Cahill
Bill;
I'm not quite clear, what exactly is it that you and that guy disagreed on ?
D/P