Hi all,
My collection started last week! I've always loved Bakelite and by gone days. I recently built a garage and needed an intercom......
I saw a couple of old phones in an antique shop and thought it would be cool to turn them into intercoms. I fell in love as soon as I picked the first phone up. As I was paying for the phone (100 canadian), I was told she had another 2 phones behind me on the shelf. Well... if it wasn't the little brother of the phone I just bought! ..and his friend :) 40 bucks each.
I went online to find out more about them, no longer wanting to make intercoms but to preserve these phones. I happily found this forum.
Can you please help me to assess these phones for year, etc.
Here's the first:
And number 2
The black tape on the dial card is hiding my number as I currently use this phone on my Shaw Digital phone line. (Yup, it rings and dials out.)
The handset's been painted on this one.
And finally, the third.
All from the same shop. Excuse the network cable line cord, but the original was missing.
I have replacements on order for all these phones from a well known Internet based Parts site...
Welcome, you first is an Automatic Electric 34, much coveted by many and very desirable. The second is an AE 40. A solid phone but not as valuable as the first. The third is a NE Galion, but I am not !00% certain about this third one.
Welcome to the forum! The second phone you posted is an Automatic Electric model 40. The AE40 is a fairly common phone, and was used mainly in the 1940s, up to the mid-1950s. The real prize though, is the first one. It's an Automatic Electric model 34, from the 1930s. If you can confirm that the phone is actually brown rather than black, then you've got a real prize there. In black, they're rare enough, but the colored versions are especially hard to come by. But whether it's black or brown, it's an excellent phone, and a brilliant start to a collection!
The third one is a Northern Electric Uniphone #1, made by the Bell System in Canada for Canadian non-Bell independent telephone companies.
As Bingster said, if the first one (AE 34 made from 1934 to 1939 by Automatic Electric) is actually brown bakelite rather than black, you've got a $1500 phone there. What is really annoying me is that you are in either BC or Alberta (I'm in Coquitlam BC) and you found it before I did!!! (Just kidding, thankfully someone found it!) There isn't much doubt that it is either a Mahogany or Walnut phone (AE made two slightly different color variations) as it also has the chrome trim on the handset.
Second is an AE 40 which is the phone that superceeded the AE 34. Made from 1939 to sometime in the late 1950's, also by Automatic Electric. These too were available with chrome trim like your 34 has. $50 - $100 without chrome trim.
And finally the Northern Electric Uniphone. Northern Electric was Bell Canada's manufacturing arm. I can't say much about the time frame that this phone was manufactured. Probably $50 - $100 as well but again I don't know that much about Northern Electric phones.
Dennis: I think we just found a new member for the forum!
Terry
Welcome to the Forum, Ritchie. Wow, what a beautiful AE34! Congratulations on that discovery!
Thanks guys, that AE34 is going to make a great bedside lamp! :o
JOKING!
I picked these up on Saturday, just had to have them all. I've had all of them on my phone line, I was surprised at the sound of them all, i was expecting crackles and pops but it was crystal clear. It took me a while to get them to ring as it's not green to green etc. Luckily the diagrams are inside the phones and I used the L1, L2 connections and didnt go with colours.
@ ae_collector: I'm actually in Winnipeg so don't feel so bad :)
I had no idea the phone was worth more than the 100 I paid, that's very nice to know. How can I tell what parts here are original?
Quote from: ritchie on November 02, 2010, 09:40:31 PM
Thanks guys, that AE34 is going to make a great bedside lamp! :o
@ ae_collector: I'm actually in Winnipeg so don't feel so bad :)
I had no idea the phone was worth more than the 100 I paid, that's very nice to know. How can I tell what parts here are original?
You must have been lurking here for awhile if you are joking that you just drilled the first hole to turn it into a lamp!
Nothing jumps out at me as not being original except maybe the piece of blue cat5 hooked to the Uniphone.
Okay, I guess I feel a bit better knowing that you found that 34 further away from me than I thought. Err, no I don't, my mistake.
Terry
ritchie,
That AE34 is making the rest of us drool. That is one MAJOR find. As Terry said, it is a $1500 phone.
The AE40 can be partially dated by looking at the name of the manufacturer. The Canadian AE phones were made by Phillips Electrical Works until 1954. If it says "Phillips Electrical Works", it was made no later than 1954.
Larry
Good point Larry. AE Canada built their own plant at Brockville Ontario and it opened in 1954. Until then Phillips Electrical Works also of Brockville Ontario had been building AE phones for use in Canada. It has cloth wiring inside so that must be another way to partially narrow down the time frame as later 40's had plastic wiring. One day I should try to figure out when this change took place. Anyone else got any guesses?
Taking another look at the pictures I see the "Phillips Electrical WOrks" oval on the back of the AE34 dial but the AECo diamond is on the back of the 40 dial. Of course dials did get changed around as well as being added to originally non dial phones when an area converted to automatic central offices.
Terry
It is a good thing that you waited until November to post the pictures!
Dennis: First "Find of the Month" for November 2010.
Terry
Quote from: ae_collector on November 02, 2010, 09:49:58 PM
You must have been lurking here for awhile if you are joking that you just drilled the first hole to turn it into a lamp!
Yup, since Sunday night trying to figure out what I bought. i went through this thrift find forum and saw the lamp phones..
The AE40 is a Phillips, and there's a service label dated '52 but I dont know if that was a service or manufacture inspection.
There's no marks or dates on the shell (exterior) or handset.
Quote from: ritchie on November 02, 2010, 09:40:31 PM
I picked these up on Saturday, just had to have them all.
Just goes to show that there are some excellent phones if you are in the right place at the right time.
Welcome to the forum
Russ....
I haven't seen a service tag like that before. I'm going to go with it being added into the phone after a trip through the refurb shops of one of the Provincially owned phone companies, AGT, Sask Tel or Manitoba Tel. Here in BC we had a similar tag but it was stuck to the bottom of the phone base plate. Many of you on here who have AE 40's or 50's have probably seen them "Canadian (BC) Telephones and Supplies Ltd". That was BC Telephones CO Installation company, shops and refurbishing company. Incidentally, "CT&S" did lots of CO work in Alberta & Saskatchewan as well as BC. I spent my first 15 years in the phone business working for CT&S and then transferred into BC Tel who is now Telus. That first day at CT&S was 35 years ago....tomorrow.
Terry
Congratulations!! Beautiful phones!!
Bushman
Holy Shocking Find Batman! A brown bakelite AE 34 for your first phone? And for only a C note? Impressive, most impressive.
Thanks! I was hesitant paying a C note for it considering my original intention (intercoms). But I see now it was a good investment.
Don't worry, even my intercom plan wouldnt have altered the phones at all, simply connecting them together in series with a battery and resistor.
The same place has another NE #1 that I'll pick up.
They also have a Strowger Potbelly CandleStick 11 Digit AutoDialer, but I've not got 3800 bucks....
Quote from: ritchie on November 02, 2010, 11:05:20 PM
They also have a Strowger Potbelly CandleStick 11 Digit AutoDialer, but I've not got 3800 bucks....
So they did their homework on the Strowger but slipped up on the AE34.
Terry
ritchie ,
Welcome to the forum!!! All I can say is W O W on a 1st find .
Look out Terry, here comes competition .
Great find !!!!!!!! stub
Quote from: ae_collector on November 02, 2010, 11:16:12 PM
So they did their homework on the Strowger but slipped up on the AE34.
Terry
yup, it's a nice phone but what a price tag!
Quote from: stub1953 on November 02, 2010, 11:28:59 PM
ritchie ,
Welcome to the forum!!! All I can say is W O W on a 1st find .
Look out Terry, here comes competition .
Great find !!!!!!!! stub
Yeah, Ritchie....you now have to tell us your address to be on this forum....new rule. Fill in the blanks..
Street Address_________________________
City___________________________________
Province______________________________
Hours when you usually aren't home__________
Terry
I guess you are hoping we don't say" Holy Crap....that Strowger has the ultra rare finger stop...it's worth $10 grand minimum!"
Terry
Quote from: ae_collector on November 02, 2010, 11:36:12 PM
Yeah, Richie....you now have to tell us your address to be on this forum....new rule. Fill in the blanks..
Street Address_________________________
City___________________________________
Province______________________________
Hours when you usually aren't home__________
LOL, I see I'm going to have to hide this AE34! :)
Terry,
And I think I still have your address, just let me know when you plan to visit ritchie !!! ::) ::) Sorry I forgot, the one I have is in the States. stub
Quote from: ritchie on November 02, 2010, 11:38:59 PM
LOL, I see I'm going to have to hide this AE34! :)
No No, you need to have them out on dispaly where you and others can enjoy them. Might I sugest your front porch....but not for a couple of days at least, depending on driving conditions.
Terry
Quote from: stub1953 on November 02, 2010, 11:41:05 PM
Terry,
And I think I still have your address, just let me know when you plan to visit ritchie !!! ::) ::) stub
Give me a minute, the weather reports on soon. Actually, what are you doing the next couple of days Ken, you're closer than me I'd say.
Terry
Terry,
I've been off for 31 yrs. I need to come visit Canada !!!!!!!!!!!!! stub
Quote from: stub1953 on November 02, 2010, 11:46:04 PM
Terry,
I've been off for 31 yrs. I need to come visit Canada !!!!!!!!!!!!! stub
Ken:
I'd say get in the car, head by Ritchie's place (front porch in a couple of days), turn left and come out here to Vancouver. Then get some of these 80E's and Stylelines out of here, we can talk 880's, look for 95 Panel phone inserts, Starlite current limiting plugs, etc etc.....
Then if Ritchie hasn't tracked us down by then you can turn around and head for home.
Don't forget to bring the 880....
Terry
Quote from: ae_collector on November 02, 2010, 09:22:30 PM
As Bingster said, if the first one (AE 34 made from 1934 to 1939 by Automatic Electric) is actually brown bakelite rather than black, you've got a $1500 phone there. What is really annoying me is that you are in either BC or Alberta (I'm in Coquitlam BC) and you found it before I did!!! (Just kidding, thankfully someone found it!) There isn't much doubt that it is either a Mahogany or Walnut phone (AE made two slightly different color variations) as it also has the chrome trim on the handset.
Second is an AE 40 which is the phone that superceeded the AE 34. Made from 1939 to sometime in the late 1950's, also by Automatic Electric. These too were available with chrome trim like your 34 has. $50 - $100 without chrome trim.
And finally the Northern Electric Uniphone. Northern Electric was Bell Canada's manufacturing arm. I can't say much about the time frame that this phone was manufactured. Probably $50 - $100 as well but again I don't know that much about Northern Electric phones.
Dennis: I think we just found a new member for the forum!
Terry
Terry:
It looks brown from here.
Quote from: stub1953 on November 02, 2010, 11:41:05 PM
Terry,
And I think I still have your address, just let me know when you plan to visit ritchie !!! ::) ::) Sorry I forgot, the one I have is in the States. stub
Stub:
On your way to Terry's, please stop by. You have my address.
;D ;D ;D ;D
Quote from: JorgeAmely on November 03, 2010, 12:00:53 AM
Terry:
It looks brown from here.
Oh yes, it's brown.
At first I thought it was a UV damaged black one but it's brown inside too, then I learned from this forum that some were made in brown.
Congratulations on joining the forum ... and for bagging a very elusive AE34 in brown bakelite.
Jorge,
Thanks for the invite ,but I think I'll just have to set around here in Tennessee.
ritchie - Great find !!!! Bragg all you want !!!!! WE would!!!!!!!!! stub
Quote from: JorgeAmely on November 03, 2010, 12:07:47 AM
Congratulations on joining the forum ... and for bagging a very elusive AE34 in brown bakelite.
Thanks, I'm going to carefully clean it now as it's got paint splatters on it from someone's decorating exploits in the distant past. Fortunately, there's lots of good info here on these forums.
how did i miss this thread
BTW ken. I almost rolled your yard 2 weeks ago
Quote from: JorgeAmely on November 03, 2010, 12:00:53 AM
Terry:
It looks brown from here.
Well that clinches it....under the bright California sun it looks brown to Jorge as well so that's a wrap! I guess we should try to figure out if it is Mahogany or Walnut. I've never really figured out which is which. I would assume that Walnut would be darker than Mahogany?
It's a beauty isn't it Jorge!
Terry
Quote from: Kennyc1955 on November 03, 2010, 12:23:59 AM
how did i miss this thread
BTW ken. I almost rolled your yard 2 weeks ago
Learning to drive Kenny??? ;D
Terry
Quote from: ritchie on November 03, 2010, 12:11:33 AM
Thanks, I'm going to carefully clean it now as it's got paint splatters on it from someone's decorating exploits in the distant past. Fortunately, there's lots of good info here on these forums.
Oven cleaner is one way to remove paint speckles from bakelite. However, I used it on a mahogany NE Uniphone once and it seemed to take the shine off of the bakelite.
What does everyone else have to say about removing paint on this phone?
Terry
I was with friends and they knew where Ken lives and i didn't but we decided not too. We knew you would be too tired getting back from the mountains.
Quote from: ae_collector on November 03, 2010, 12:41:56 AM
Quote from: Kennyc1955 on November 03, 2010, 12:23:59 AM
how did i miss this thread
BTW Ken. I almost rolled your yard 2 weeks ago
Learning to drive Kenny??? ;D
Terry
We got a Chevy a few months ago and I haven't drove it yet its longer than our Chrysler its a traverse
It is just like this one
I'm going to wait till I get more experience with Bakelite before I tackle it. I'm not in a hurry, the paint has been there a long time, I guess it wont hurt being on a little longer.
I can take a pic of the phone in natural light without a flash If that helps the Mahogany/Walnut question.
Kenny,
I don't think you've met my two dogs!!!!!
ritchie - By all means take your time and read thru the info here.
I would use a soft cloth and Novus # 2. A lot of times the paint specks can be remove with your fingernail.... Later. stub
hi there, welcome to the forum
your phones are nice especially the AE34, a real eye catcher
Quote from: ritchie on November 03, 2010, 12:49:49 AM
I'm going to wait till I get more experience with Bakelite before I tackle it. I'm not in a hurry, the paint has been there a long time, I guess it wont hurt being on a little longer.
That's very sensible and caution should rule the day with cleaning. Harsh cleaners will damage bakelite, and once the shine is gone, it's nearly impossible to get it back. I find most paint specks can be removed by simply soaking the area with warm water to soften the paint, and gently scraping it away with a fingernail.
Ritchie....use some car wax, apply it lightly like you would on your car, try to avoid any area the wax will get caught in. Rub the wax on the paint like you are trying to get something stuck on your car and the paint should come right off. Bakelite is very resilient. Wax this up and make it shine.If your wife as any AvonSkin so Soft around, apply some after you finish waxing it. This baby will shine!! Nice hit on your first try, in black bakelite this is a beauty. In brown you have a winner....Welcome to the Forum....Doug
Quote from: ritchie on November 03, 2010, 12:49:49 AM
I'm going to wait till I get more experience with Bakelite before I tackle it. I'm not in a hurry, the paint has been there a long time, I guess it wont hurt being on a little longer.
I can take a pic of the phone in natural light without a flash If that helps the Mahogany/Walnut question.
A lot of times you can remove paint speckes with a 409 type cleaner. Your fingernails ,acloth and a bit of elbow grease. The paint speckels are typically old house paint and is lead based so wash well before eating finger foods.
Jim
Quote from: NorthernMan on November 04, 2010, 12:06:53 AM
That phone of yours is from the St. Vital area of Winnipeg (Alpine exchange)
For some reason there was quite a few of these in Manitoba .... must have been a sale on at the time. :D
If you want to sell it for a nice profit let me know. The last few have sold in the $800-$1100 range.
Hi NorthernMan and welcome to the forum. Are you in Manitoba as well? Thanks for all the info on Ritchies phone. When I first saw the "ALpine" Exchange dial tag I thought it might have been from here in Vancouver but the tag is different looking than any that BC Tel used. We have an "ALpine" Exchange just east of downtown Vancouver.
So how bad is the damage to yours? Did you get all the pieces and get it somewhat back together? We need pictures!!
Terry (in Vancouver)
Hello AE collector. Well the damage is on a back corner ... and i never thought you could repair it but after reading these forums i may follow some of the repair advice. The phone has not been taken apart since i got it . For one thing the screws won't come out and secondly i am afraid more pieces will break off. But tomorrow i may just man up and rip it apart and post some pics.
BTW ... did anybody see that mohogany brown AE handpiece on a black relay box of some kind. It sold for $67 on Ebay.
Quote from: NorthernMan on November 04, 2010, 01:14:25 AM
BTW ... did anybody see that mohogany brown AE handpiece on a black relay box of some kind. It sold for $67 on Ebay.
I think I was watching that....the auction completed this afternoon/evening. Was $30 something but got sniped to $67 or $69 in the last seconds. Only thing is, I didn't notice that it was a mahogany handset, just thought it was black bakelite with chrome bands. I've got to start paying more attention!!
Terry
Quote from: NorthernMan on November 04, 2010, 12:06:53 AM
Nice find ... that is a beautiful phone. I have one just like it except it has black bands . My phone has an unfortunate history, in 1975 i removed it from a subscribers house ... it already had a crack right around the handpiece. I knew this was a special phone because of its colour plus the fact i had never seen an AE34 before . And so on carrying everything out to the truck just at the last moment i felt it slipping from my grasp ..... I heard a sickening breaking sound ... yup the whole corner was smashed . And so everytime i walk by that phone (i have it on display) i cringe and relive that moment. :(
That phone of yours is from the St. Vital area of Winnipeg (Alpine exchange)
The tag on the inside has the initials H.T. If i remember correctly his first name was Harry . He was a shop person at the Manitoba Telephone System ..... former monopoly and crown corporation of Manitoba. The other persons name on the work order i believe is the homeowners name .... although not %100 positive on that.
For some reason there was quite a few of these in Manitoba .... must have been a sale on at the time. :D
If you want to sell it for a nice profit let me know. The last few have sold in the $800-$1100 range.
Hi NorthernMan,
Thanks for the info, it's nice to have a phone with a bit of known history.
That phone still is in the St.Vital area of Winnipeg :) It hasn't gone too far. And it's still connected to the Line.
Makes the cat's jump and my niece had never heard a real phone rrrrrrriiiiinnnggg before.
Sorry About your phone and I really hope the info on this forum can help you repair it.
AE collector here are a couple of pics of my own brown AE34 ........ even though i dropped it 35 years ago i still blame AE for not designing this thing for easy carrying like the AE40 . FYI : My motto is to always deny responsibility for my own actions. ;) LOL
P.S. I don't think that roadmap is fixable.
OUCH! I see what you mean. If it was black you could epoxy and paint. But it being brown and walnut patterned, nothing could repair the "swirls"
Well, it could have been worse. I'm glad you didn't toss it away after it got busted. I wonder if some clear glue or something could be carefully worked into the cracks to make them a bit less noticible. It still looks real nice in my opinion.
I only have two colored 40's, a red one and an ivory one. Both have issues and are far from perfect but they were both real bargains. Barring finds like Ritchie's $100 AE34, I am content to give the unloved ones a good home.
So if your AE34 had the built in handhold that the one in the following thread has, you wouldn't have dropped it?
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=3667.0
Terry
OUCH OUCH!! sad to see those crack on your brown AE34
this is my first time to see a brown AE34
Quote from: ae_collector on November 05, 2010, 11:30:51 PM
... I only have two colored 40's, a red one and an ivory one...
You have a red AE40? Ummmm .... Did you need someone to fix your Dawn Gray AE80? ;)
Quote from: JorgeAmely on November 09, 2010, 11:59:21 AM
Quote from: ae_collector on November 05, 2010, 11:30:51 PM
... I only have two colored 40's, a red one and an ivory one...
You have a red AE40? Ummmm .... Did you need someone to fix your Dawn Gray AE80? ;)
Jorge:
I need someone to fix my red 40 TOO! I can send the red 40 and the gray 80 to you so you can restore them for me, take pictures of them out on your garden wall and then mail them back to me! May as well send the ivory 40 as well, it needs some work too....
Terry
I was thinking more along the lines of making your AE80 look like in the attached photo in exchange for a red AE40. ;D ;D ;D
PS: (ducking from phone thrown at me!)
Quote from: JorgeAmely on November 09, 2010, 04:20:05 PM
I was thinking more along the lines of making your AE80 look like in the attached photo in exchange for a red AE40. ;D ;D ;D
PS: (ducking from phone thrown at me!)
I know you were! Hey, that looks like my Dawn Gray AE80....
Terry
IT IS !!!