Gift ideas

[Dennis83]

Hi everybody. Thank you for having me in the forum. I am not personally a rotary phone enthusiast. The reason I have joined is to do a little research for a birthday present to my grandfather who is turning 80 this year. He has a rotary phone enthusiast for many years and has quite a collection. At some point I need to do a little research into a couple of them for him, so I'll be sure to make this my first port of call. But in the meantime, I was hoping I could pick some of your brains for gift ideas. My first instinct was to do a search for secondhand rotary phones for sale online at http://www.for-sale.ie/, but it quickly occurred to me that the last thing he needs is another phone, especially one that he would have to restore. He's not as firm on his feet as he used to be. So then I was thinking a nice book or possibly a subscription to a magazine or website. Anyway, I thought this would be the best place to ask. Thanks a million in advance for any tips or pointers anybody can offer.

[.....]

Welcome to CRPF.

If he has access to the internet and surfs the net, point him to this site. He will find other enthusiasts that he can share his phone stories with. At 80 I'm sure there are a few things that he could teach us. It would be one of the best birthday presents you could give him.

Wish him Happy Birthday from us here at CRPF.

[Number, please!]

I agree!  If he can use a computer and can read the small Print, he'll love this!

[paul-f]

I was hoping I could pick some of your brains for gift ideas.

A better idea would be if you can subtly pick his brain.

If you haven't already, ask him some general questions about his collection and get him talking about it. If he's like most of us, he'll be more than glad to have an audience and tell you how he got started, what he collected first, how his collection evolved and show off his last few acquisitions.

You can then lead him with questions like:

   
• What is your favorite phone or collecting area?
• Where did you find [these, or a particular] phone(s)?
• Are there any phones you have always wanted but not found?
• Do any of your friends also collect phones? (If you can contact them, they might know what he'd like.)

About now, a bunch of us are wishing we had a thoughtful grandson who was planning to surprise us with a birthday present. He's a lucky man!
I can think of a lot of things I'd like, but your grandfather probably has different interests.

Let us know if you get any insights from talking with him or a friend, or can share some photos of his collection. That may help give us some more specific suggestions.

[Dennis83]

Hey, thanks for the support and advice guys. What a friendly forum this is. I'll do as suggested and tap him up about his collection and its history. I'll get back to you as soon as I've got more info. Cheers! 

[Pourme]

Hey, thanks for the support and advice guys. What a friendly forum this is. I'll do as suggested and tap him up about his collection and its history. I'll get back to you as soon as I've got more info. Cheers! 

I don't have a Grand Son named Dennis....Guess I won't be getting a phone related Birthday present.....What a good Grand Son!

[Greg G.]

Get him this, he'll love it!

https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/6052863842.html ( dead link 03-03-21 )

[oldguy]

in case your from the west coast.
https://sacramento.craigslist.org/atq/6069208130.html ( dead link 03-03-21 )