Today's Antique Store Finds

WEBellSystemChristian · March 13, 2015, 05:58:12 PM

Today I found an antique store that I had never seen before, it must have just opened. When I walked inside, I immediately saw a really nice D1, and later on saw a 1952 500. I got the D1 for $62 and the 500 for $19, after a price drop on each.

HarrySmith · March 13, 2015, 06:55:27 PM

Nice find!

Kenton K · March 13, 2015, 07:22:50 PM

I love the dial cards!

WEBellSystemChristian · March 13, 2015, 09:21:43 PM

Thanks guys!

I think the D1 was restored at some point by a collector a long time ago. It has spots under the cradle where the paint wasn't sprayed on, and there's gray primer underneath. I don't know of any refurbishing shops (bell or non-bell) that actually used rattlecan primer. Nevertheless, it's a great paint job! I just polished it and touched up the spots where the paint was missing, and other minor chips in the body.
The handset looks like it was worn down (has a grainy look) but it has a great shine. It looks like it was really rough, and someone smoothed it down.
The fingerwheel paint isn't that good, so I might powdercoat it.
The dial card on the 500 is real, but the card on the D1 is a repro. It was printed on old paper, so it's not very new. Shouod I replace this with a decent reproduction card from TCA, leave it in, or put a real one on top, but leave the original behind the better one?

Sargeguy · March 13, 2015, 11:25:27 PM

What type of dial is on the D-1?

WEBellSystemChristian · March 14, 2015, 11:43:31 AM

Quote from: Sargeguy on March 13, 2015, 11:25:27 PM
What type of dial is on the D-1?

A 5H from 1949.

Doug Rose · March 14, 2015, 01:57:53 PM

5H dials from 1/49 and 2/49 are brass and look great stripped down on a WE Brass Dial Stick...Doug

WEBellSystemChristian · March 14, 2015, 11:27:32 PM

I almost forgot to ask you guys a question!!!

At one antique store I visited yesterday, I saw a very nice WE OST receiver in a display case for $80. The top Bakelite piece was chipped a little, but Old Phone Shop sells replacement parts like that in ABS for cheap! Is that a good price?

patcorr · March 17, 2015, 04:08:43 PM

I like them! Pity about the cord on the 500, but that is easily replaced. I would love a dial finger wheel model that is not plastic. We don't have those in Ireland.

WEBellSystemChristian · March 17, 2015, 04:42:22 PM

Quote from: patcorr on March 17, 2015, 04:08:43 PM
I would love a dial finger wheel model that is not plastic. We don't have those in Ireland.

You could probably find one for a really cheap list price here in America (on ebay), where the shipping cost would vastly overrule the actual price of the phone. That way, the price of the phone would be the shipping cost.

patcorr · March 17, 2015, 04:50:36 PM

You could probably find one for a really cheap list price here in America (on ebay), where the shipping cost would vastly overrule the actual price of the phone. That way, the price if the phone would be the shipping cost.
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I have looked them up with envy, and they can be quite cheap, but as you say, the shipping would make it expensive. I have people in the US that could bring them over to me, so I may talk nicely to them

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Today's Antique Store Finds