Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Telephone Talk => Collector's Corner => Topic started by: paul-f on October 12, 2015, 02:09:26 PM

Title: Decorator Phone and WE Card Dialer -- too similar?
Post by: paul-f on October 12, 2015, 02:09:26 PM
While handling lots of phones recently, these two ended up side by side.  One is a non-Bell decorator phone made with WE 302 internals and the other a 660-type Card Dialer.

Coincidence? You be the judge.
Title: Re: Decorator Phone and WE Card Dialer -- too similar?
Post by: Dan/Panther on October 13, 2015, 01:40:32 PM
I play guitar, and after awhile, I guess they run out of ways to make them look different. In fact one discussion we have on a regular basis, is why do they charge $500.00 for Guitar A, and $5,000.00 for Guitar B.
When they look exactly alike. Even when someone explains it to me I still don't get it. It MIGHT be twice as good, but 10 times. Not possible.
Example top guitar $250.00.
Bottom Guitar $45,000.00. Both NEW, both in current production. Top Guitar Foreign made, Bottom guitar Martin.

Guess which one is mine, and I love the way it sounds. Obviously the Martin is the more desirable guitar, and is probably a better sounding guitar, BUT 180 times better ? The money I saved, I bought a new car.

D/P


Title: Re: Decorator Phone and WE Card Dialer -- too similar?
Post by: 19and41 on October 13, 2015, 02:21:13 PM
You wanted a guitar to play and to make it sound nice.  The Martin might give it's best performance sitting silent on the antiques roadshow.  That B&B phone looks like a gift to a stock broker.
Title: Re: Decorator Phone and WE Card Dialer -- too similar?
Post by: NorthernElectric on October 13, 2015, 04:19:08 PM
I wonder if the 'decorator' phone belonged to a stock broker?
Title: Re: Decorator Phone and WE Card Dialer -- too similar?
Post by: paul-f on October 13, 2015, 06:53:43 PM
The "bull and bear" sets were made in fairly large quantities and offered for sale through mail order and retail outlets -- as gifts for your favorite "big shot" investor.

I believe I have an ad from the 70s here somewhere.  While looking, here's a URL for a site that apparently has one for sale!
   http://www.bullmarketgifts.com/Vintage-Bull-Bear-Telephone-p/v307.htm (http://www.bullmarketgifts.com/Vintage-Bull-Bear-Telephone-p/v307.htm)

Edit: The ad shows a different variation on the bull and bear figures.