What Do You Think is the Rarest Color Before the 500 Set??

[Doug Rose]

Its a cold, windy Saturday in MA and I just finished the leaves. I was thinking that since I do not collect 500 sets, or Princess' etc , color sets that are not painted are tough to find for my collection. I had a very fortunate year getting a Blue WE 302 and a Mahogany North Galion, adding some color to my collection. We saw an outstanding Brown AE34 that two collectors have. Jester had an wonderful Walnut NE #1 Uni phone. Some great older color phones did surface this year. In the beginning of the year an Ivory Kellogg Masterphone that was a lamp was presented to us, that we have not seen since. As I was bagging leaves, I thought, "what is the rarest  color before the 500 sets?" Is is the Blue 302? What is your opinion??? I have my opinion, what's yours?......Doug

[AE_Collector]

I've been led to believe that the Orchid colored AE sets are potentially the hardest AE color to find. They are all hard colors for me to find!

Someone likely has a higher resolution scan of these brochures. I think I've seen these posted on the forum elsewhere.

The Orchid 1A is right below the Mahogany 1A which is top left. As far as I know it was only an available color for the 1A sets. I've never heard of any of the later AE sets being available in Orchid.

Terry

[Jim Stettler]

The rarest color, or the rarest official color?
For this situation I would say the rarest offical color.

I like the clear/transprent/translucent sets myself. I also really like the swirled sets.
Too bad most of them aren't official.
Jim

[Doug Rose]

Jim....  Whatever color you think is the toughest would be official enough for me....Doug

[Jester]

An interesting question, Doug.  I have never personally seen any early AE, North or S-C in color in my local area, but we're mostly old Bell System here.  I do recall seeing a few colored 302's, an Ivory 354 and some Continentals around here before I actually owned any.  I also saw my first walnut uniphone in a local flea market 25 years ago.  Those aren't as rare as they are uncommon, but seeing one in Southeast Texas in 1985 I think qualifies as a rarity.  The one I have heard very little of is the Ivory Uniphone.  Does one in good shape even exist?

[AE_Collector]

I also saw my first walnut uniphone in a local flea market 25 years ago.  Those aren't as rare as they are uncommon, but seeing one in Southeast Texas in 1985 I think qualifies as a rarity.  The one I have heard very little of is the Ivory Uniphone.  Does one in good shape even exist?

Jester, your ship has come in! A lovely blue Uniphone on ebaY in West Virginia!

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120619885740

Terry

[bingster]

Odd phone--Northern base and North handset.

How far behind the 500 are we going?  I'd guess something like Oxidized Silver for Western sets. 

[ESalter]

Coincidentally, my dad and I were talking about colored 302s on the way to work yesterday.  He said in the late 70s and 80s he remembers seeing 302s EVERYWHERE.  Thrift shops, liquidation shops, etc, etc.  He asked why it is when he saw all of these why not a single one was a colored one.  So, does anyone know what percentage of the 302s made were colored?  I guess what I mean is how many black ones for each colored one.  I'm curious to know what the statistic would be for finding a colored set in a "random slice" of 302 production.

---Eric

[Doug Rose]

Odd phone--Northern base and North handset.

How far behind the 500 are we going?  I'd guess something like Oxidized Silver for Western sets.  

Hey Darrin...I was thinking non painted sets, but the one I am thinking of meets only half of my criteria. In the mid 50s WE was trying to push color out as fast as possible. For a short time, WE made 302s in SOFTplastic, not thermoplastic. These were made in green, ivory and red. There is a legend of blue, but never seen. Softplastic bases with painted F1 to match. Why painted F1s? The Ivory and the green were were close to themoplastic colors, but the Red is the rare one! Is is the color of the 1955 red 500 sets, a deep red, or blood red. Below is a picture of three Red WE from 1955, a 500 set, a 302 and a Continental 202 (completely painted). In my humble opinion this is Western Electric's rarest color phone to find, the Blood Red 302. I know of only one other, owned by Mark Scola. Mark got me my handset to complete m y 302 in the very early days of the ATCA list serve. I have included a picture of the green softplastic 302 with the matching painted handset that I no longer own. See the last picture with the thermo and the softplastic....Doug

[jsowers]

I've been led to believe that the Orchid colored AE sets are potentially the hardest AE color to find. They are all hard colors for me to find!

Someone likely has a higher resolution scan of these brochures. I think I've seen these posted on the forum elsewhere.

The Orchid 1A is right below the Mahogany 1A which is top left. As far as I know it was only an available color for the 1A sets. I've never heard of any of the later AE sets being available in Orchid.

Terry, they made the AE40 in Orchid too, and many of the other colors the 1A came in. See the picture below.

Jester, I grew up in AE territory in the 1960s and 70s and never saw a color AE40 or an AE1A of any type. There were plenty of AE40s with and without chrome rings and fingerwheels. Our AE40 was totally black and so was my grandmother's AE50, but hers did have a spitcup on the handset. The private line phones tended to be the ones with chrome on them. I'll never forget how cold to the touch it was.

[AE_Collector]

I guess I haven't seen that AE 40 brocure before. I didn't think they ever made 40's in Orchid. Certainly haven't ever seen one before!

Now I have my own copy of it too. I'm surprised that this site allows it to remain at almost 2 meg in size once posted!

Thanks, Terry

[Doug Rose]

I guess I haven't seen that AE 40 brocure before. I didn't think they ever made 40's in Orchid. Certainly haven't ever seen one before!

Now I have my own copy of it too. I'm surprised that this site allows it to remain at almost 2 meg in size once posted!

Thanks, Terry

When I first started collecting, I went into an antique store and saw an Orchid AE40 (purple to me) and a Blue AE40 sitting side by side. I had never even seen an AE40 at this time, I live in MA in WE country. I asked the owner and he said he was selling them for $200 apiece, but I could have them both for $300 and I was getting a deal! This was when I was paying no more than $20 a phone at the Fleas and there was an abundance of phones around. I thought they were fakes as they were in perfect condition. By far, my BIGGEST known mistake in collecting telephones. Then again, I was probably not making much more than that a week back then. Ah....regrets....Doug

[JorgeAmely]

I posted this once a while ago. Time for another trip down memory lane. From Ray's website ...

Doug: the one you passed, was it like this? 

[Doug Rose]

I posted this once a while ago. Time for another trip down memory lane. From Ray's website ...

Doug: the one you passed, was it like this? 

Jorge....No they were wither AE34s or AE40s. This was before I had ever seen an AE40. In my wisdom, where they were absolutely perfect, I felt they were fakes. This was loooooooong before I found the ATCA. At the time, I couldn't have afforded them, even if I wanted them.  ....Doug

[Jim Stettler]

Jim....  Whatever color you think is the toughest would be official enough for me....Doug

A transparent soft plastic 302 is very tough to find, I have heard of one that is probably soft plastic . I have heard of an ivory/rose swirl 302 as well.
It is probably slightly harder to find the swirl 302.
JMO,
Jim

BTW Bell labs made a clear and white swirled 302 housing.