1963 Western Electric Wooden Phone Booth

[KeithB]

Last Saturday, I drove from Charlotte, NC to a few miles south of Atlanta, GA to purchase this wooden phone booth.  It was only in fair shape, but I think that's to be expected with most of these.  The seller's story was that it was originally installed in Noonan's General Store in Sharpsburg, GA, but they weren't certain exactly how old it was.  They thought it might have been from the 1940s or 1950s, but the fan and light fixture inside were more recent, 1958 or 1959 at the earliest.  Last Sunday, I was unsuccessful in moving it up the back steps to the deck, so I've been slowly disassembling it beneath the carport all week and moving the pieces into my shed.  Monday night I removed the ceiling along with the fan and light fixture, Tuesday night I removed the 167A payphone mounting bracket, the oak seat, and the metal shelf.  Wednesday evening, all the aluminum corner mouldings and other trim pieces came out.  At this point, I removed most of the wood screws holding together the plywood sides and kept it together with a ratcheting nylon strap wrapped around the top. 

The wife was a bit dismayed I didn't continue dismantling it Thursday and Friday evenings, but I knew I was very close to complete and the weather was going to be beautiful Saturday.  This morning I installed metal corner braces around both rear corners to hold it together while I completed the disassembly, and removed the nylon strap.  There was only one decorative wood panel installed, and it came off first.  Beneath it was an asset/property tag from the day it was delivered (photo below.)

I removed the front along with the doors first, then one side, then the other, and finally the back.  The front is solid wood, but both sides and the rear are thick plywood, held together with slots and wood screws.  When these were all set aside, the linoleum flooring came out, and all that remained was the steel bottom.  It's going to need a lot of wire brushing, but it's all surface rust only.   I think the toughest thing today while dismantling the booth was remembering to take pictures and resisting the urge to start cleaning and refurbishing anything.

The plan of attack on this relic is to start from the bottom and work my way up.  The steel base will probably require at least a week or more of work, including painting.  The interior walls were porcelain over steel, but that's coming off because it's in bad shape everywhere. Fortunately, the glue/contact cement is dried and coming apart already.  The one exterior wood panel is in need of new veneer, and I'll probably use it as a pattern to build two new panels of oak.  The oak seat is in good shape, it will be stripped, sanded, and stained, while the mounting bracket beneath it will require cleanup and new paint.  I'm fairly certain I'll be replacing the porcelain over steel shelf (also in poor condition) with a similar piece made of oak.  The beige phone mounting bracket definitely needs sanding and fresh paint.

The final pieces of work will be the ceiling light fixture, the fan, and the solid wood front frame and doors.  The glass is completely intact, and the wood is mostly solid, with some minor repairs needed near the bottom-most corners.  The original louvered grill shrunk and cracked/broke in many places, so I'll need to source something appropriate to replace it.  All of the signs I saw on eBay last night looked wrong for it, especially the horrid plastic things they installed in the late 60s and early 70s.

I think this ought to keep me busy for a few months through the winter and into next summer, don't you? 

[KeithB]

More photos . . . Except for the asset tag, these pictures were all taken by the seller before I confirmed I'd purchase the booth.

[bingster]

It's amazing how dirty the insides of phone booths can get.  Sounds like a fun project, though.

[Phonesrfun]

Looks like more fun than the law allows!

It will be nice to see the progress you make this winter.

Good luck

[Doug Rose]

Keith....it looks like a beauty. I am quite sure with your talent this will be a brought back to its original glory. I hope you find a payphone to install in it!!!.....Doug

[bwanna]

very nice, keith. your booth looks pretty much the same as mine. darrin, remember, back in the day folks would have been smoking while on the phone.. that nicotine can really create alot of grime over the years!

have fun with your project keith. will look forward to pics in the spring

[bingster]

darrin, remember, back in the day folks would have been smoking while on the phone.. that nicotine can really create alot of grime over the years!

That makes sense.  I smoke, but even I can't imagine sitting in a tiny box and filling it up with smoke.  Ick.

[Dennis Markham]

Looks like a big project, Keith.  You're the man for the job.  I can already envision it complete with your phone inside.  Take lots of pictures!  Congrats on your new phone booth.

[35chevy]

I have for sale a 1954 3 sided Western Electric wood booth.  I've cleaned it up, the light & fan work.  I also have a 3 slot  chrome automatic electric phone, no lock or coin box.  I don't know if phone booth is worth more as is or refinished.  It looks pretty good, just don't know the value.  Don't know where to advertise, where did you find yours?  Any info you have would be appreciated.

[Russ Kirk]

I have seen these sell from a low of $200-300 to a high of $1000 to $1200.  It is a wide range.  For most collectores the key thing is location.  

Since booths can be very heavy the shipping could cost several hundred depending on distance.

I got a quote from one shipper to pack one up in Chicago and send it to me in California,  the tab was $650 for shipping,  I passed.  I go my phone booth a few miles from my home and hauled it home in my pickup.

I would not refinish it,  leave that for new owner. Some people may want to keep it as-is.

Where is the phone booth located?

Russ

[35chevy]

We're in Shelton Wa, 20 miles from Olympia.  Our first thought was to leave it be, it is in pretty good shape.  Thank you