All matching numbers 55/500 arrived today. What a letdown.

[Dan/Panther]

I recently bought a near mint condition all matching 1955 WE500. It arrived today, and I opened it and was very pleased with how pristine it was, almost new. Then I started to look closer and much to my disappointment on the back in the carry well was written...

Signal Corp U.S. Army
Telephone set
Western Electric.

Just how much does that delvalue an otherwise great phone ?

D/P

[winkydink]

I recently bought a near mint condition all matching 1955 WE500. It arrived today, and I opened it and was very pleased with how pristine it was, almost new. Then I started to look closer and much to my disappointment on the back in the carry well was written...

Signal Corp U.S. Army
Telephone set
Western Electric.

Just how much does that delvalue an otherwise great phone ?

D/P

Do you have any photos ?

[HobieSport]

Gee, D/P, that's just some hard luck there.
I see signal corp 500s on Ebay from time to time.
Here's one:  http://tinyurl.com/dz7sfr
(I don't know what year (s) it is.  I'm assuming '60s because of the plastic dial.)

Anyways, it seems to me that the Signal Corp phones of any type would be worth more than the civilian counterparts, just because of general interest in militaria.  At least I know that I pursued and got a NE Gallion Signal Corp and my interest in it was for the military history.

Whatever the case, congratulations.  Sounds like a really nice phone.

[BDM]

There's another one on the 'Bay right now.

[Dan/Panther]

I just wish it had been mentioned in the listing.
Here is a Photo, the only concern is the dull finger stop. makes me wonder how could a phone stay that nice, but the finger stop loose it's plating?
G1 handset, heavy coiled cord, suede feet, soft plastic shell, the dial has the real solid whirrrrr !!!! Also the suede feet are almost perfect, and riveted on not screwed.

D/P

[Dan/Panther]

I forgot to add it also has a Kellogg dial card.

D/P

[HobieSport]

What a beauty!  I still think IMHO that the Signal Corp makes it more desirable, not less.  Would like to hear others' opinions about that.  That is odd about the fingerstop loosing it's plating while the rest of the phone is so pristine.  Have you tested it for radioactivity?  Did it come from New Mexico?

[BDM]

Yeah, as common as these sets are, you've got another interesting piece. BTW, a military version of the North Electric Galion went well above the norm recently.

[Dan/Panther]

Yes it came from Alamagordo Why ?

Funny you should mention that. In 1980 my Grandfather was coming to California for his yearly visit, when he had a Heart attack in Roswell New Mexico.
So I took a bus to Rosewell to drive his car to California. On the way I stopped at White Sands Proving Grounds to look at the Sand. I took a tupperware container and crawled through the fence and scooped up a bunch of the sand. I later found it's a federal offense to take the sand, and a hefty fine.
I still gave the container of sand. we enjoy sitting in the dark and watching it glow....
D/P

[Dan/Panther]

On the bottom, the original date has been glass bead blasted off, and in pencil is written..
"Property of
Muderfill ?"

That is all I can make out.
Notice the feet are perfectr.
D/P

[Dan/Panther]

Where the original date used to be, I can faintly make out what appears to be 11/49....


It could happen....
D/P

[bingster]

I remember seeing that one on ebay.  The rest says "loaned to f..." and the date.

[HobieSport]

On the way I stopped at White Sands Proving Grounds to look at the Sand. I took a tupperware container and crawled through the fence and scooped up a bunch of the sand. I later found it's a federal offense to take the sand, and a hefty fine.
I still gave the container of sand. we enjoy sitting in the dark and watching it glow...

Hmm:  I'll think twice about playing in white sparkly sand boxes from now on, at least without one of these toys:

http://tinyurl.com/dxswy2

Those are nice feet!  So does anyone have a theory on why the fingerstop chrome is gone while the rest of the phone is so good?  It's got me stumped, but that's nothing new.

[Dennis Markham]

Hopefully the Statute of Limitations has run out on the sand. 

In 1949 wouldn't the date have been printed near the front of the phone as they were in 1950?

[Dan/Panther]

Hopefully the Statute of Limitations has run out on the sand. 

In 1949 wouldn't the date have been printed near the front of the phone as they were in 1950?

What sand

Details, Details, Details....This phone was a prototype for the new numbering system location.... ::)When it didn't look good, they sand blasted it off and went to the other system, them they went to the new system in 1950...     

D/P