This should be interesting.

Greg G. · July 18, 2010, 01:57:21 AM

Came across this post while searching CL. That was me who they're seaking. They have two warehouses stuffed to the beams with all kinds of vintage artifacts. None of it was organized and most of it was packed in boxes, it was moved over here from a large estate in the east (I think they said Virginia). Nice of them to hold it and try to contact me.

~~http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/atq/1841961445.html~~ ( dead link 03-04-21 )

AE_Collector · July 18, 2010, 02:50:59 AM

Craig's List WORKS!

What do you think they have for you? Maybe you better not tell us until you get it since they give contact info...and I'm not far away! (kidding)

Terry

Greg G. · July 18, 2010, 04:38:23 AM

Quote from: ae_collector on July 18, 2010, 02:50:59 AM
Craig's List WORKS!

What do you think they have for you? Maybe you better not tell us until you get it since they give contact info...and I'm not far away! (kidding)

Terry

No idea what they have. Could be nothing, could be a 49'r.

LarryInMichigan · July 18, 2010, 08:46:41 AM

Briny,

It looks like you are becoming infamous. What will be next? Your picture in the post office

?

We are on the edges of our seats waiting to hear what they found for you. Maybe a rusty 5302

Larry

Greg G. · July 18, 2010, 01:35:54 PM

Just talked to David. He gave me a brief description of what he has. Two boxes of telephones and telephone "stuff". One is a wooden wall phone, he said the rest were "bake-A-light" (that's how he pronounces it) phones from the 30s, 40s, or 50s (he's not sure what or when they were made), and possibly an old intercom system. The warehouse where the stuff is at is just down the road from me. The items are from a very old family farm estate in rural Pennsylvania. I'll probably be able to meet up with him within the next week.

LarryInMichigan · July 18, 2010, 01:38:02 PM

We can't wait. Hopefully there is something really good like an SC 1211 or an AE 34. Keep us posted.

Larry

Greg G. · July 18, 2010, 01:42:03 PM

Anybody here collect the wooden wall phones? I've never really had much of an interest in them because my preference has been for functioning phones, so I haven't educated myself on them. But depending on the condition and the price, I can't pass up a good deal, that is, if it turns out to be a good deal. I remember him from when I first toured their other warehouse, nice old gentleman in his late 70s, I think he said this was his parents estate, who inherited it from his grandparents.

McHeath · July 19, 2010, 01:10:05 AM

Maybe it's a box full of early 90's cordless Panasonics.

Greg G. · July 21, 2010, 07:30:31 PM

I caught up with the gentlemen today. Somewhat of a disappointment. Mostly old intercoms and part of a Kellogg candlestick. Not one complete phone in the bunch. Also some switchboard headsets and a handset, and a couple of subsets.

One of the intercoms looked interesting enough to use as a decor piece, but it was missing half the buttons. There was also something called a "Dictophone", no idea what that is.

Too many pictures to post here, I uploaded all of them to Photobucket. I put each one in a separate folder under "Intercoms": http://s252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/Brinybay/Telephones/Intercoms/

AE_Collector · July 21, 2010, 07:51:15 PM

Briny...you didn't say if you bought the stuff or not? Some nice looking wood there even if some of them technically aren't phones.

Terry

HarrySmith · July 21, 2010, 08:06:56 PM

I agree, some nice looking wood. With a little work you could probably get a good buck for some. The WE watchcase receivers and original green cords alone can get a good price with the right people

Greg G. · July 21, 2010, 08:26:10 PM

Quote from: ae_collector on July 21, 2010, 07:51:15 PM
Briny...you didn't say if you bought the stuff or not? Some nice looking wood there even if some of them technically aren't phones.

Terry

No, I didn't. The one pictured was only a "maybe", but I'm not in the market for "maybe" stuff. I don't know what to offer for it anyway, not having any experience at buying these things.

gpo706 · July 21, 2010, 08:29:11 PM

Brinybay, its "Dictograph" not dictophone, these are real early sets and very collectible.

If he has a bunch sell them on, these are from the 20's/30's, all mine are from the 50's onwards.

(I wish I had the time to get them to work!)

Greg G. · July 21, 2010, 08:34:14 PM

Quote from: gpo706 on July 21, 2010, 08:29:11 PM
Brinybay, its "Dictograph" not dictophone, these are real early sets and very collectible.

If he has a bunch sell them on, these are from the 20's/30's, all mine are from the 50's onwards.

(I wish I had the time to get them to work!)

He only had the one Dictograph. That was the other "maybe" because of its decor value. Give me some idea of what would be a fair offer for this and that other piece I posted. In fact, if you could give me a range to work with, starting with "bargain", "fair", "no more than...", that would help.

How exactly were these used?

gpo706 · July 21, 2010, 09:49:55 PM

These were internal intercom systems not connected to POTS back in the day before PBX's etc, over here they lasted till the late 60's when the GPO began rolling out PBX system, Plansets etc.

A nice looking kit like that shoud get a few hundred bucks on ebay for the right buyer. I've seen similar vintage Dictographs go for that over here.

Even at that BB its a nice piece to take up some (more) wallspace, I took my best looking wall 6 key 1960's unit and mounted on the wall, people come in a ask WTH is that?

Mines are all junk buys, needs restoration etc!

News:

This should be interesting.