I was browsing Craigslist recently, and purchased the telephone pictured below. I absolutely love this phone, and am very excited about it because it is my first soft plastic model 500. It was made in July 1951, and was refurbished in the later fifties.
Nice way to start your collection.
The best phone and a good year to start out with. You have to be careful while looking at WE 500's sometimes bc certain people will mark them at 30-40% higher then they are actually worth. I started with a red stromberg carlson 554 from 1972, all original never refurbished.
Gee an early one! Good score.