Hacked 302 housing

[TelePlay]

This has nothing to do with phones but it is something that was done to a phone, namely a 302 metal body, so the last owner could use the phone with a G1 handset.

A lot of work to do that,  much more than it would have been to get the proper F1 or F1W handset replacement.

[AL_as_needed]

Or they could have gotten a 5302 and had the best of both worlds.

[andre_janew]

He may not know where to get the right handset.  He probably did the best he could with what he had.  I imagine some of you guys would've done the same thing if you didn't know about this forum or eBay.

[TelePlay]

Now that the eBay listing has ended, phone sold for $30 plus $22 shipping, here is the link.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-Western-Electric-1945-black-metal-desk-telephone-rotary-dial-phone-Bell-/152359047053

Seller described it as "VINTAGE Western Electric - 1945 black metal desk telephone - with rotary dial phone - Bell System - cord to receiver only - dial spins freely - numbers are clear - suede leather foot pads attached - missing face plate on dial - normal wear / scratches from use - 5" wide x 7.25" deep x 5" high - phone itself weighs 5 pounds 8 ounces"

The "grey" handset cord was wired into the line cord opening, just another option on a frankenphone I guess.

So, was this phone worth $50 to the buyer? It was a BIN so no buyer is shown. What's worth that price on this phone or did the seller get lucky in finding a buyer?

[AL_as_needed]

How does that saying go? A sucker is born every minute?

[andre_janew]

This phone has what might be an AE dial.  It also has a hole in the back of the case.  I guess that would give whoever bought it the option of putting the line cord in  the back along with the handset cord.  Maybe he thinks the gray handset cord is worth what he paid for it.  If that is the case, then he isn't aware that it is the wrong shade of gray and too skinny to be that valuable.

[unbeldi]

If the handset cord is indeed gray, it was probably a good buy.   In really good condition, these cords can go for $25 to $30.  Perhaps the buyer communicated with the seller about the cord. The handset is a G1A, made from Bakelite, it appears, nothing special, but perhaps a needed part at times.  The rest of the phone is also part-out quality. A 302 base can be sold to make a subset to recoup some cost.
Not a great phone, but may have some parts value solely based on the proper identification of the cord.

[Jim Stettler]

The gray cord has black  boots. That may be really cool early .....or not. I don't know.
Hard to say. The notched cradle   is kinda cool to me and I could see maybe buying it as a curiosity.

[19and41]

What do ya wanna bet this unit is never considered for illumination or punktrification?

[TelePlay]

What do ya wanna bet this unit is never considered for illumination or punktrification?

Might be. It looked like it was a lamp once, drilled in the back, which without seeing pictures of the inside would make me leery. It were punked out, no real loss.

It sold for $20 too much and the shipping was $10 bloated. Should been at the most $20 total, not $50.

[andre_janew]

If it had once been a lamp, then the hole would've been in the top part of the back instead of on the side.

[Pourme]

I tried to locate pics, but couldn't. I have seen 302 phone lamps for sale on EBAY where the hole was located off center like that. I suppose to avoid the mouse hole in the center.

[markosjal]

It was not long ago there was no internet and I was the only known weirdo collecting old phones. In those days that is what I might have done

[19and41]

Call me crazy, but if I were bent on having a lamp and a phone, I would make a platform upon which to put a functioning phone with a lamp mounted on that.  That could actually benefit the phones' use.

[TelePlay]

I tried to locate pics, but couldn't. I have seen 302 phone lamps for sale on EBAY where the hole was located off center like that. I suppose to avoid the mouse hole in the center.

Like this? Most popular but much harder drill is through the handset and housing. This is an easy housing only spot. In either case, it's a waste of a good phone . . .