What is the difference ?

[Dan/Panther]

Is there a difference between, a Red clothe covered handset cord, and a Peking Red clothe covered handset cord. I see both listed on eBay, but different sellers.

D/P

[paul-f]

If they're Western Electric cords and follow the standard color codes:
  -20 Pekin Red
  -53 Red

There are photos somewhere on the forum showing the two shades side by side on 302s.

[Dan/Panther]

Thanks Paul, there are 2 different cords for sale, about the same price but different descriptions. One is here and the other in Canada.
D/P

[paul-f]

So some of the next questions are:

   
• Are the manufacturers known?
• Are they vintage cords or modern? (Any date codes?)
• Where did the color descriptions come from?
• Are the color codes or names marked on the cords or packaging?
• Did the sellers describe the colors accurately?
• Were they stored in the dark, or have the colors faded?
• etc.

[poplar1]

Please provide photos and/or Ebay links.

Is there a difference between, a Red clothe covered handset cord, and a Peking Red clothe covered handset cord. I see both listed on eBay, but different sellers.

D/P

[Dan/Panther]

Here are the links.
One Here, one in Canada.
It's obvious there is a difference in color, just not sure screen color accurate.

D/P

http://tinyurl.com/qf2ud57

http://tinyurl.com/pm4mwh8

[poplar1]

The one with red conductors is made by oldphoneguy AKA old phone works (Kingston, Ontario), AKA house of telephones, which was originally Odis Levrier's company in Texas.

The one with brown conductors is being sold by oldphoneshop. This appears to be premade by, or made from bulk wire from, phoneco (Galesville, WI). Their color cords all have brown conductors.

The last red cords I ordered from phoneco were a little too "red" for  pekin red phones. I haven't tried the red cords from opw.

Many years ago, Mary told me that she was shocked to find out that the green receiver cords she bought from Odis had been made with brown wire that he had purchased from phoneco, then dyed green, before selling back to her.

[poplar1]

Another difference: for some reason, OPW cords are 44 inches--instead of the minimum 48 if they are trying to match a Western Electric H3C or H3B handset cord. I have asked them about this, but as usual, cannot get any response. (Distance is measured between the restraints, not from cord tips.)