Early NE1 Uniphone Found at Consignment Store

[paul-f]

While dropping off some household stuff for consignment, we took a quick tour of the shop and found 2 phones.  One was a modern touchtone Coke novelty phone (still there) and the other was a black NE1 that looked quite sad sitting on the shelf with its peeling paint.

I could tell the plastic underneath wasn't black so quickly got it out the door!  

Below are some quick snapshots -- as found.

Base and NU handset dated 1941.  (Note the early bottom plate configuration.)  5H dial dated 51.  No chips or cracks found.

It may languish in my project pile for a while.  I'm sure it will look stunning when cleaned and polished.  If interested, make me an offer and save me some work.

[Stephen Furley]

That's a great find Paul.  It looks very clean inside, and from what I can see of the original plastic it should look really good when cleaned up.  It looks similar to many early plastic radio and television sets.  This model, along with the North Galion, the WE 5302 and the Leich 105 are the main desk sets that are still missing from my collection.  Please post some pictures when you've got it finished. What's a consignment store by the way?

[paul-f]

Thanks Stephen.

I won't get around to this any time soon, as there are many projects in line before it.

Consignment store:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consignment

When selling -- we drop off surplus stuff.  If they sell it they keep a cut and give us the rest.

When buying -- prices are usually at or just above thrift store prices at this shop.    Others are more upscale and prices rival antique shops.

[allineedislove]

Hey Paul, was a normal practice for NE to paint their phones?. I'm asking because I have an NE 1 that it is painted too, but unfortunately, no brown below the black paint.
Lucky you to find such a beauty. Regards

[Wallphone]

Nice find Paul. I was the only bidder on one a few years ago and got it for $20 on eBay. From the auction pics I was pretty sure that it was brown underneath. I didn't want to ask the seller and take the chance that he would post my question along with his answer. I used a couple of apps of Citristrip Gel and pic #2 shows it after the black paint was off. Pic #3 is after some buffing.
Doug Pav

[paul-f]

Nice job, Doug.

I've found that a nice layer of paint often helped preserve the surface beneath.

I haven't seen anything in writing either way to suggest that NE routinely painted phones.  There seem to be enough examples to demonstrate that someone painted them.

- - - - -
BTW, When considering the bottom plate configuration (mentioned above), it's helpful to look at the bottom side!

[GG]

That has got to be the best woodgrain plastic I've seen anywhere.  When buffed per Wallphone's picture, it looks darn close to the appearance of a good briar pipe with a natural smooth finish, that's been well taken care of over the years.  Whatever Northern Electric did to get that appearance, they did it right.   1970s "woodgrain finishes" don't even compare. 

OK, so I have to ask: what's the going price range for those?

[AE_Collector]

Of course these are bakelite not plastic although bakelite is frequently considered to be an early plastic. So these are similar to the early AE mahogany and Walnut bakelite phones. There seem to be a relatively high percentage of burled Walnut Uniphones out there as compared to AE phones though.

Terry