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Western Electric 302 won in January.

Started by Dan/Panther, February 24, 2009, 10:28:35 PM

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Dan/Panther

I won the following WE302 from ebay in january for $10.99, it just arrived today after much arguing back and forth between me and the seller.

Well to begin with It's Northern Electric Not WE. That's O.K, but I do have a couple items connected with it that I would like everyone opinion on.

After closer examination of the phone, first I found out that the Creme colored cords, are real cords, not painted white, or just regular wire.
Note the photo you can see the WE type strain reliefs, and they are original. O.K. that said, they could have put those on from some other source.
Now the body of the phone. It wasn't just painted after it was together, it has been taken apart, or was painted that way originally. The nut and spring washer are not painted yet there is over spray on the back of the fingerwheel.

Well to make a long story shorter, look at the photos and tell me your opinion, could this be an original factory paint job ?

D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Dennis Markham

I have been told that if the finger wheel is painted, it's not a phone company paint job.  Usually the paint on the factory paint jobs was an enamel that shines up pretty well.  But I'm only basing my opinion on that.  I don't think I've seen a painted 302 in person but I know the 202's that were factory painted have over-spray inside the base of the phone.

Is that handset BROWN Bakelite???

BDM

Looks like paint running down the back edge.
--Brian--

St Clair Shores, MI

McHeath

I too have heard that a painted finger wheel is a homemade paint job indicator.  My 554 was painted by Ma Bell and they used some sort of very durable high gloss paint, Polane?, and it looks quite good even after 35 years in an old mans garage.

That said this 302 is a nice phone and I like those cords.

bingster

Those appear to be genuine Northern/Western cords, but they're both mounting cords.  The "handset cord" is red/green/yellow, which marks it as a mounting cord.  If you look at the markings on the restraints, the cord number of each cord should start with the letter "M."  A handset cord starts with "H."
= DARRIN =



Sargeguy

I think the factory ones either had stainless steel or clear plastic fingerwheels, like the Western Electric ones.
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

Dan/Panther

What appears as paint runs is actually where I cleaned the back, and the cleaner ran down the back edge.
Yes it appears that the handset is very brown.
There is paint oversapray under the case as shown in the first photo.
Also keep in mind this is a Northern Electric phone not Western Electric, is it possible they have different paint requirements ?
the phone has obviously been spray painted,

D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Dan/Panther

If anyone is interested it's fgor sale, it came from my great Grandmothers estate, I'm asking $2500.00, but i will take any reasonable offer over $1000.00.
D/P ;D

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Sargeguy

The plot thickens.  The brown handset definitely points towards a factory paint job.
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

Dan/Panther

Keep in mind, this is Northern Electric. If you notice the first photo, it has overspray under the case, and none on the base.  I would think someone would go to all the trouble to remove the wiring and all, when a quick spray from the outside would accomplish the same.
The dial makes me think it's not original though.
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

McHeath

QuoteIf anyone is interested it's for sale, it came from my great Grandmothers estate, I'm asking $2500.00, but i will take any reasonable offer over $1000.00.

WOW!  Your great-grandmothers phone!  It must be like 200 years old!  I will give you $0.987 in cash, American even.

Sargeguy

My theory:

The subscriber had a cracked ivory 302 base.  No replacements were availableat the parts depot, so this was the solution.  That would explain the WECo ivory parts and the care used in the repaint. 
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

bingster

But an ivory 302 shell would have been paired with a solid ivory handset, rather than a painted one.  It's a mystery.

Dan, is the handset marked "F1?"
= DARRIN =



Dan/Panther

Bingster;
The handset is marked...

        Northern Electric
        company limited
patented 1922, 1923, RD 1935
                  F1
       Made in Canada

What is also odd, I have another 302 made in canada, and it's stamped on the base, made in Canada. This one has no markings like that.

D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Dan/Panther

Consensous was, this most likely was not original.
However, here is another ebay auction with an identical "NORTHERN ELECTRIC" 302, painted exactly like mine. I think this goes beyond coincidence.
I didn't post it until after the auction ended.
I'm now convinced mine is original paint.

D/P

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320344851015

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson