Chrome card number retainer ring

[TelePlay]

Where were chrome card number retainer rings used?

I've seen only black on 302's. Which phone or finger where used a chrome retainer?

Thanks.

[Adam]

In the 500 set era, chrome dial number card retainers were used on the dial filler of colored manual sets.

In this case, the chrome number card retainer was required, since only black phones had number card retainers, colored sets had the whole thing built into the lucite finger wheel.  WE elected not to make matching color number card retainers for the manual sets, and made chrome ones instead which went with all the colors.

[AE_Collector]

Where were chrome card number retainer rings used?

Are you limiting your equiry to WECo phones? Lots of AE phones with chrome number card rings.

Terry

[TelePlay]

The seller claims the following:

CHROME METAL Western Electric Card Retainer Sets.

Western Electric Dial Card Card Retainers for A1, 102, 202, 302, 354, 653, Dial Candlesticks, and other old telephones

This is what one looks like, all three pieces come together. Am I getting what the seller says they are?

[AE_Collector]

Others will have to comment. That is NOT AE and I think it potentially is WECo.

Terry

[wds]

The older WE #2 dials came with chrome rings.

[Doug Rose]

Color WE 302s with a dial blank came with a chrome retainer ring as well as the manual 500s. Making a very sharp contrast...Doug

[Dennis Markham]

I recently picked up a "black-dial" Model 500 in Red.  I believe it to be all original, with Gray cords.  It has a chrome/silver ring on it as well.

[Doug Rose]

I recently picked up a "black-dial" Model 500 in Red.  I believe it to be all original, with Gray cords.  It has a chrome/silver ring on it as well.

Dennis...that is one beautiful phone!....Doug

[paul-f]

Early "card holder frames" were painted to match the set color, and were of four-piece construction (separate card retainer and card retainer spring).
C37.311, Issue 3, p9.

Later models, like yours, combined the card retainer and spring into one piece.
501-150-100, Issue 7, p8.

As mentioned, 300-series and 500-series colored sets used chrome card holder frames.
C30.011, Issue 6, pp 4-5.

Card holder frames were often packaged with the housings, so a two-tone set created from a black set and a red housing could include a chrome card holder frame - althought the black frame could be left in place.

[Phonesrfun]

Aren't the Western Electric ones nickel, not chrome?

[dencins]

I agree with Bill. 

The Western Electric "card holder frames" I have seen are painted or nickel.

The AE card number rings (or card holder frames?) were painted or chrome.

Dennis

[paul-f]

Aren't the Western Electric ones nickel, not chrome?

Did you read C30.011, Issue 6, pp 4-5?
   (There's a copy in the Library.)

Those made in the 50s were chrome. 

I believe there were some early ones in nickel.  I've found a few on #2 dials and manual sets.

[Phonesrfun]

By golly, I stand corrected.  I think the only one I have is from a candlestick, which lead me to believe that was the only way they did it.

[GG]

The one shown by TelePlay looks like newer WE since it has the one-piece metal insert (the object on the right).  That would seem to place it as being later than the era of "two-tone" WE phones.   

I vaguely recall these chrome retainer rings being used on some non-dial sets, because they were needed to go into the dial blanks, and chrome would be used with colors other than black.