75th Anniversary 302

[TelePlay]

As an after thought before shutting the computer off a few days ago, I went into the "Time: ending soonest" filter and saw this poorly pictured 302 at the top of the list with less than 7 minutes to go in a 7 day auction that had no bids. Only 3 pictures, two the same view and one of them fuzzy. The front view non-fuzzy photo got me interested. It looked like it had short ears so I put in a bid at the end and won it for the starting bid price of $23.00 plus a somewhat high $17.55 for shipping - but it was a metal shell so what the heck. $40.55 and it was mine.

Vintage-Retro-Black-Bell-System-Western-Electric-Public-Rotary-Phones-NR

It arrived yesterday. Some good, some bad.

The solid core F1 handset is embossed 19 and has a 8/48 transmitter, a 7/15/49 receiver and a bad cord. The cord retainer is stamped 5 7 which I guess is May 1947. So the handset cord and elements seem to have been replaced about 10 years after the phone was built. Now I'm thinking it might have had a E1 straight cord on it originally. The line cord is a 3 conductor rubber corded also stamped 5 7.

The rest of the phone is a date matching early 302. The base is dated 5/39, the coil II 39 and the ringer 5/39. It has a 5H dial that needs work. I can't see the date on the dial and haven't had time to remove it. It does have the original greyish brown gasket, though. The dial spring seems to have come detached or is broken in that the finger wheel does not return when dialed. It is an H1 mount and the number E242 is stamped into the metal shell to one side of the mounting hole.

The plungers are 3/8" in diameter and rise 1/4" above the cradle, nothing short about that. The ears rise 1/2" above the cradle. The bottom has only one major bumped out area (under the ringer) and is flat under the capacitor.

Yes, it needs work but it is the older 302 I now own and what's remarkable is that I received this phone exactly 75 years to the month after it was manufactured -- 5/1939 to 5/2014. It's older than me, pre-dates W-II is is a 75th "anniversary" phone for my collection.

I think it was worth the $40. Not as good a deal as one gets walking estate sales, but not bad for an eBay under the radar acquisition.

[poplar1]

The brass terminal screws and dabs of black paint indicate a dial made before IV 40, so there is a good chance it is original.

It's doubtful that it would have had an E1 handset when new (1939). Except for some found on 1936-37 sets, E1s if present were added later--either when the phone was remanufactured at the WE service center, or by a seller trying to make a 1940s 302 appear to be older than it is.

So far, no grooveless E1 handsets have been reported as original on 302s. All '37 and newer E1s so far reported have grooves in the handles.

[WesternElectricBen]

Very, very nice find. With maybe a nice cleanup/repaint it should be a nice example of a earlier 302.

Ben

[Mr. Bones]

John,

     Congratulations on a very cool find! I have one '39 302, and until last Friday, it was my very oldest one.

     Yours looks very original. Enjoy! (Love the ringer mute option!)

Best regards!

[TelePlay]

(Love the ringer mute option!)

Mr. Bones, you caught that. Took photos as arrived. Bias spring is also in the high position so I doubt the phone rang at all, if any, for the previous owner. The paper was yellowed and brittle and has been removed.

Since then, I've noted in my original post that the handset is embossed 19 so it must be a solid core Jan '39 handset. The handset cord retainer is stamped 5 7 for May '47?. The 3 conductor rubber line cord is also stamped 5 7. I'm thinking a '39 phone would have a four conductor line cord and a straight handset cord. Both cords seem to have been replaced in the late '40s.

[unbeldi]

(Love the ringer mute option!)

Mr. Bones, you caught that. Took photos as arrived. Bias spring is also in the high position so I doubt the phone rang at all, if any, for the previous owner. The paper was yellowed and brittle and has been removed.

Since then, I've noted in my original post that the handset is embossed 19 so it must be a solid core Jan '39 handset. The handset cord retainer is stamped 5 7 for May '47?. The 3 conductor rubber line cord is also stamped 5 7. I'm thinking a '39 phone would have a four conductor line cord and a straight handset cord. Both cords seem to have been replaced in the late '40s.

The cord dates are more likely 1957.  It's quite rare to find coiled rubber cords in the 40s, and I suspect the digits you are quoting are stamped on either side of the jagged seam that is created when the retainer is bent and closed around the cord. The month/year dating you used only works for the handset marks.

The cords were apparently added at the same time the dial was serviced (57L).

[TelePlay]

Karl, yes, the retainer numbers are from each side of the jagged seam where the retainer comes together around the cord. That makes more sense now. Thanks for the help.

[poplar1]

Why would you expect a 302 to have a 4-conductor mounting cord? L1, L2Y, GND and

[TelePlay]

Why would you expect a 302 to have a 4-conductor mounting cord? L1, L2Y, GND and

Yeah, that was the 4 conductor I've seen on some 302 phones that I've received that had the 4 pronged wall jack with the 4th conductor tied off to the spare terminal on the ground block going nowhere, or snipped off. Not original, right?

[poplar1]

You're talking about a D4W mounting cord. The cord has eyelets instead of spade tips on the plug end, and the 283B plug was already installed on the cord at the factory. There was also a D3AM cloth cord with 283B plug, but for some reason, the D4W is more common on 302s found today. Perhaps they only stocked one type on the trucks?

I always keep my fingers crossed that the black lead will be "taped and stored" rather than cut off, so it can be used with a 202 or a 151AL. Too often, it's been cut. Maybe the installer/repairman figured no one would ever know if he took this shortcut.

Why would you expect a 302 to have a 4-conductor mounting cord? L1, L2Y, GND and

Yeah, that was the 4 conductor I've seen on some 302 phones that I've received that had the 4 pronged wall jack with the 4th conductor tied off to the spare terminal on the ground block going nowhere, or snipped off. Not original, right?