North Galion in Mahogany Brown or Maroon?

[Pourme]

Benny....I had had two false starts on finding what I thought at the time was a Brown North, now we know as Marron.  This is the link of my find in October 2010....Doug


http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=3509.45

Doug,
After looking at the link, I decided to do a SSS treatment on the phone. (wiping SSS on, letting it sit 1/2 hour, wiping it off, repeat) basically trying to "feed" the 65+ year old bakelite with the SSS oil content. Couldn't hurt, right?

This picture (as you say, it's hard to capture the detail with the camera) was taken after the second wipe down. You can see not black swirls but, shades of maroon. I like seeing the detail.

Would it be correct to assume brown is rarer than maroon? Or do we even have a way of knowing?

Either way both are beautiful phones!

Benny

[Doug Rose]

Best I can guess is the Maroon has no other color mixed with it, just the Maroon, but the Mottled Brown has black in it.  I have never seen a solid brown, but it doesn' mean there wasn't one. It is a beauty no matter what...Doug

[HarrySmith]

That one does not look like it has different colors, just different shades from discloration.

[Pourme]

That one does not look like it has different colors, just different shades from discloration.

After looking at it closely, I agree with you, Harry. Probably could clear it up with sanding, which I'm trying to avoid. I could carry on how I don't want to destroy what time has created...call it 'patina'....truth is I hate sanding. 

Benny

edit:
PS:
Thank you moderator for changing the subject. I was considering how to go about doing that, & what to change it to.

Benny

[Nick in Manitou]

Intentional or patina...I think it looks really nice as it is!

Nick

[Jester]

Very nice, Benny!  Whichever color you have, I'd call it a keeper.  Your ringer coils definitely appear to be SL.  How are the solder joints on the leads?

[HarrySmith]

I agree. Call it Patina. (I hate sanding too!)

[Doug Rose]

Benny.....try a fine steel wool soaked in skin so soft, use liberally. Do not rub hard, just consistent. Use a q-tip for the back grille and the hard to get spaces. Let it it for 24 hours and wipe the excess off. You will see a marked change.  That baby will shine.

Fine steel wool soaked with SSS....Doug

[Pourme]

 Thanks, Nick.....

Very nice, Benny!  Whichever color you have, I'd call it a keeper.  Your ringer coils definitely appear to be SL.  How are the solder joints on the leads?

I did re solder one of the leads that looked a little iffy. I checked the wiring against another working, non dial, one. I also did a search on wiring and it checks out, there. I'm stumped.

We agree on sanding, Harry!

Doug, I may test that on the back side. That would be considerably easier than going through the coarse to fine sandpaper. When I use Novis 2 I get a good amount of color on the cloth, every time. Is that normal? I don't think it's smoke residue, it don't smell at all.

Benny

[Stubbypylon]

A picture of one of my Mahogany North phones (that still needs to be restored but all good things in time) just to show the difference between the Maroon.  You can see the black in this photo.

[LarryInMichigan]

From here, it looks like the mottled coloring in the bakelite is supposed to be that way.  I wouldn't try to sand it out.  I would not use any steel wool on it either.

Larry

[Doug Rose]

Larry...if you are concerned about the fine steel wool, try it on the inside of your phone. I used citrus trip on my mottled mahogany as mine was painted.  Try it on the inside of the base. It is Bakelite and will not scratch.....Doug

[kleenax]

Have to disagree with the crowd folks; this is not Maroon but is indeed Mahogany.

Maroon is a solid color; not really mottled at all, but there may be "some" discoloration in some spots. The reason is that the black and mahogany colors are true bakelite; the other colors are not.  You can get a better idea of the color by looking at the receiver cap; it seems to be a little darker.

Here is a photo of 4 of the North colors side-by-side; I call the maroon color "Oxblood", but that's just me ;-) There is also a RED North color.

[Doug Rose]

Ray....I love the blue, never actually seen one. I saw Red with really bad pics that had a break out of the back and I passed.    Mahogany Brown should have flecks of black in it and to me it is darker than the Maroon. I don't see any black in Benny's North.  I still think it's Maroon and I would try citristrip on the inside first. If it passed, I would use it on the outside to even the color up. But that is me. Do you still have the Blue phone?  If so, can you post pics of it? Matching Blue fingerwheel? ....Doug

[kleenax]

Ray....I love the blue, never actually seen one. I saw Red with really bad pics that had a break out of the back and I passed.    Mahogany Brown should have flecks of black in it and to me it is darker than the Maroon. I don't see any black in Benny's North.  I still think it's Maroon and I would try citristrip on the inside first. If it passed, I would use it on the outside to even the color up. But that is me. Do you still have the Blue phone?  If so, can you post pics of it? Matching Blue fingerwheel? ....Doug

Don't have any of my colored Norths anymore I am sorry to say :-(  I will post some pics sir!