Brass B1 Base

[Doug Rose]

I have never seen a Brass Base on a B1, but this is solid Brass. I figured it was a plate. The Cradle is just stripped and buffed. Repro base cover, but real ones are tough to find.

I added a Brass 5H.

Happy the way it turned out...Doug

[NorthernElectric]

Nice.  And it prompted me to check both of mine with a magnet.   

What product did you use to strip the cradle with?

[Doug Rose]

I purchased it this way, but in the past Citristrip does a nice job....Doug

[MMikeJBenN27]

I have never seen one of these either.  I thought all were either aluminum or pot metal.

Mike

[oldguy]

Nice find Doug. I've never seen or even heard of one before.

[Doug Rose]

thanks Gary. A1s had a brass base, but I have never seen a B1 with one. It cleaned up very nice...Doug

[Doug Rose]

this is a stripped B1 with a Black Dial Blank. You can see the phone base is a Dark Grey color. Brass is kind of cool ...Doug

[NorthernElectric]

this is a stripped B1 with a Black Dial Blank. You can see the phone base is a Dark Grey color. Brass is kind of cool ...Doug

Is that one steel?

[Doug Rose]

Is that one steel?

A magnet sticks to it

[NorthernElectric]

A magnet sticks to it

Likewise both of my B1s.  I seem to recall reading somewhere B1 bases were made of steel.  If yours is stripped but is still dark gray it makes me wonder if they were treated chemically to produce an oxide coating like bluing or parkerizing and then painted or japanned on top of that.