Any info on this phone? I was asked if it had vents and it does, is that something special??
If it has vents in the cradle handhold it means that it is from the ~first year of issue 1937. It looks like it may. Who asked? Do you have it for sale?
It also has a dial card with three letter for the exchange name, from what I can tell despite the view angle. This means it came from one of the few large cities that used 3-letter exchange names, if the card is original.
Yes I listed it on ebay....here are some more pictures.
The vents
It is indeed from first quarter of 1937. See the date stamp on the base. Are you sure you want to sell it? Most collector would probably want to keep it.
Very nice.
I believe ENGlewood was an exchange in Chicago, and I think Chicago didn't switch to the 2-letter system until the late 40s. So, the dial card is probably original.
I bought it for the e1 handset that I put on my other phone. I'm not really a collector, I just have the one that I like and keep my eye out for whatever strikes me. Here is the one I have.
Gosh. An authentic 302 with E1 handset. E1 handsets were used for very short time on some 302, perhaps because manufacturing hadn't kept up yet with needs.
How much did you pay for it?
So, the F1 handset on this phone now doesn't match the 302, most likely. Knowledgeable collectors can tell, because there are dates in the handset too.
The 302 in original state could fetch a few hundred dollars.
I paid $20 , I just wanted the handset. Is it still worth anything with the f1 handset?
That's a fantastic deal. Yes, it will still be worth more, because people want the phones with the vents, and you can't tell from the pictures how old the handset is, and you certainly didn't promise anything misleading in your ad, which I just discovered.
Wow, what a great example of a first-year 302! If it's not too late,I would highly recommend putting the E1 back on the phone, because that significantly increases the value!
How much are we talking about. I wanted a E1 for my phone so if I put it back on I would have to buy another E1.
Would it be worth more if it had a dial in it? The place I bought it had a bunch of old parts and dials for sale cheap.
There are dates on the receiver, handle (behind the receiver assembly), transmitter, and possibly inside the snuff catcher (mouthpiece).
While seamless E1s have been found dated as late as 11 02 37, most likely a I 37 302 would have originally had either an E1 with groove in the handle, or an F1 with no groove. In fact, earliest grooved F1 reported here (so far)is 6-12-37, and that was on a Bell Labs Trial phone.
Perhaps this 302 and the other parts for sale were stashed away long ago?
A phone this old may be worth more "as found" without a dial. Adding a dial will also require a 59A dial adapter (gasket) in order to be as originally furnished. Are the cords original? (Cord dates are on the metal restraints, inside the phone base.)
The vents disappeared by November, 1937.
Quote from: mark9564 on January 08, 2015, 11:09:23 PM
Would it be worth more if it had a dial in it? The place I bought it had a bunch of old parts and dials for sale cheap.
No, don't put a dial in it. It would probably be more valuable as it sits than modified with mismatched parts. This phone is probably worth around $150-200.
Again, wonderful example!
Cord metal restraints have a 37 stated on them, so I guess original. I think I will see how it does with the F1 since I'm not going to find another E1 so cheap.
I'll be glad to send you a nice E1 handset with a nice cord and you send me the 302 with the original E1 handset, as would just about anyone reading this.
There are plenty of E1 handsets out there. Not too many complete phones from I 37.
Just sayin................ :)
~Dennis
I think Ill pull it from ebay until I can find another E1 and put the original back on it.
well I just got a bid, so I guess ill let it go and whoever buys it can put their own E1 on it if they want.
I'd pull the auction, it's early so it's not Doi bad.
Kk
Maybe reinstall the date-correct E1 and revise the auction?
I'm going to leave it as is and if the winner wants the origin E1 they just need to get me a replacement , or the just get what is on it now.
It would be nice to actually learn more about the details of this phone, such as just what are the dates and numbers on all the parts. We don't see completely original first year issues of phones that often and it would be nice to record the parts found for the database. If Mark still wants to sell after all, then he has detailed information to write a nice sales pitch to attract the maximum bid possible.
I would be glad to document more of the phone what more would you like to know about it and I will take some additional pictures if you tell me what to take pictures Of
More pictures
https://www.flickr.com/gp/75809601@N06/5Qj2JU
I am surprised to see a D4S line cord. This is a 4-conductor cloth cord with rubber insulated conductors. Your phone undoubtedly only required 3 conductors. It is a 302E-3. E is for manual with 3-wire cord for grounded ringing. -3 is for black finish.
The phone is in outstanding condition internally, and the cords look great for their age. The brittleness of the rubber ends is unfortunate, but typical. I would stabilize them with some treatment to keep the tinsel together, or with clear shrink wrap.
The E1 handset is perfectly original with matching date of January 1937, so likely this was a January or February issue all around.
Have you removed the dial card ? The number card is a so-called paper make-up type. I believe though, that this type was not yet available in 1937, but was introduced in 1941 or 2, c.f. BSP C37.312 Issue 1 1942-02-09.
So perhaps there is another number card under this one. It happens all the time.
Is this what you'r asking about
Mark....what is the link to your auction for the '37 302....Doug
Quote from: mark9564 on January 09, 2015, 06:40:54 PM
Is this what you'r asking about
Yes, and now I see that your dial card is actually made of cellulose acetate, not paper. So that is the very first dial card on that phone. Manufacture of these acetate disks stopped probably by 1941. Very nice.
This is a Form E2163 number card, cf. C37.311 Issue 4 (January 1934), for example.
http://m.ebay.com/itm/261728492920?nav=SEARCH
Mark...wonderful phone.....my suggestion would to reassemble the phone as you found it. You can get an E1 easily, I can supply you with one. A first quarter 1937 302 is really a valuable phone. Dates Matter!! This phone should be reassembled and then decide what you want to do with it.
You will do much better selling this phone as you found it. It is also important to keep a SEVENTY EIGHT year old phone intact. This is an important phone in history. There will not be a shortage of collectors to buy this.
Please reconsider!....Doug
I second Doug. It's not every day you see an awesome condition 1937 302!
KK
Okay...I ended the auction and will put it back together. Doug I would be interested in buying an E1 from you. I will relist it as all original.
I agree. 1937 302s with F-1s aren't that rare. An all original 1937 302 with an E-1 is a very rare find and there is bound to be a bidding war over it, even without the dial. You can get an E-1 for $40, whereas putting the original E-1 back on that phone will increase the final value by $100 or more.
Clean up the outside of the housing a little bit and then give the paint a little polish. Black shoe polish, the kind in the flat metal can, not liquid, works wonders and then wipe it all off in the end. Make sure you don't get any of it onto the cords or the leather feet. This phone will look almost like it did back then.
All back together. Now who has a E1 I can buy??
Cleaned up nice :)
Lovely! I want it!
I have relisted, still would like to buy an E1.
Here is the listing
http://m.ebay.com/itm/261729811736?nav=SEARCH
thanks Mark, it sure is a beauty! You should do very well with it. I'll check to see if I have any working E1s.......Doug
Quote from: mark9564 on January 10, 2015, 06:52:24 AM
I have relisted, still would like to buy an E1.
Here is the listing
http://m.ebay.com/itm/261729811736
And the phone is up as an Auction Contest, #160:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=13433.msg140541#top
Quote from: Doug Rose on January 09, 2015, 09:27:31 PM
Mark...wonderful phone.....my suggestion would to reassemble the phone as you found it. You can get an E1 easily, I can supply you with one. A first quarter 1937 302 is really a valuable phone. Dates Matter!! This phone should be reassembled and then decide what you want to do with it.
You will do much better selling this phone as you found it. It is also important to keep a SEVENTY EIGHT year old phone intact. This is an important phone in history. There will not be a shortage of collectors to buy this.
Please reconsider!....Doug
Hey Mark....I bet you are very happy you put this phone back together!! $437 is much higher than I expected.....Congrats.....Doug
Very pleased and suprised ;D