Display collection - with or without mounting cords

[Russ Kirk]

All,  I was rearranging my phones to provide more room for my recent additions.  I quickly realized the mounting cords are a pain.  They clutter up the display and make it awkward to  fit many phones in a tight space while at the same time make it pleasing to the eye.

I am mixed as to keep the phones original (with mounting cords) for display or remove the mounting cords.  It is quite easy to remove them, label and store.  But I would like to know what others do in thier collections.  

What would a museum do?

Please place a vote.  It will determine the future fate of my mounting cords.  Thanks!

[AE_Collector]

I agree with you Russ, the cords are a pain in a display. I think if you have a nice neat organised display (unlike my display) and can label them maybe even with color code info to help you or hoever put them back on, that would be a good way to go. The other possibility is that something happens to you and your collection is liquidated without anyone knowing that all the cords are stored elsewhere so the cords never get back together with their rightful phone.

A dilema for sure.

Terry

[Dan/Panther]

A good portion of my phones are functional so I leave the cord attached so I can rotate usage periodically. I like to use them at my desk.
D/P

[jsowers]

I leave all the mounting cords on my phones and don't display one without it because it's not complete or functional. Sometimes the mounting cord is the rarest part of the phone, especially with the 1950s 500 sets. I bundle them up as neatly as possible and tie with two small pieces of station wire or twist ties and I let the cords dangle behind the shelves if possible. You are correct--they don't look that neat.

Long handset cords are a pain. I try to keep them short. Running out of display space is a common problem, You can rotate the exhibits or just buy more shelves.

A run-of-the-mill museum would probably display it without a cord. They're more concerned with neatness than functionality. But I bet Dave on Prince Edward Island has cords on many of his phones because they're connected to his switchboard, according to one of his posts.

[teka-bb]

Some of my phones are 'on display' which means that they may not have mounting cords.

A lot of them do have mounting cords so they can be used.

[DavePEI]

Some of my phones are 'on display' which means that they may not have mounting cords.

A lot of them dohave mounting cords so they can be used.

Same answer here... When phones are in a museum display, you have to keep some hooked up for demo, but others make a neater display with cords removed. I normally only remove modular cords.

Dave

[Adam]

A good portion of my phones are functional so I leave the cord attached so I can rotate usage periodically. I like to use them at my desk.

What Dan said.

[Greg G.]

A good portion of my phones are functional so I leave the cord attached so I can rotate usage periodically. I like to use them at my desk.

What Dan said.

Ditto.  I have some display phones that are non-functional, and those I leave the cord off.

[Doug Rose]

The majority of the line cords I remove unless they have to stay on the phone. My Blue 302 had to keep the cord on! Same with all the matching color phones. If a phone is completely dated, I leave the cords as well. Otherwise they are removed....Doug

[Owain]

it used to amuse me as a child going through the 'Grattan' catalogue looking at all the telephones used as display pieces that didn't have a cord. Telephone tables were the worst culprits.

Of course, this was before you could buy your own telephone and plug it in (legally)

My phones in the display cabinet are on a shelf, the shelf has a gap at the back and the cords tuck down there. The shelf below has phone-related books which hide the cords behind them.

The only time I ever remove a cord is when I actually want to use the telephone and have to replace the spades-ended cord with a plug-ended one because I can't find a spades-plug adapter handy. Usually I can convert from the Block Terminal to a stub length of cord with a plug on it. The cord is (usually) part of the phone.

[canuckphoneguy]

I prefer to leave the cords in. That way I know the phone can work if I want to try it out or let someone try it.

[Doug Rose]

I prefer to leave the cords in. That way I know the phone can work if I want to try it out or let someone try it.

My guess is Russ will not let anyone use the red thermo 302, but it is only a guess....Doug

[HarrySmith]

Most of my phones have the mounting cords on them. If they are color or date matched I would definetly leave them on. Someone here once mentioned storing the cords inside the phones. If you are considering removing them, you obviously prefer to display, not use them so this is probably the best option.

[DavePEI]

I prefer to leave the cords in. That way I know the phone can work if I want to try it out or let someone try it.

As I mentioned above, I only will remove modular cords from phones on display, and then only those not in use. Some of the phones displayed in the museum are shown 20 to a shelf, and with all the mounting cords present it looks messy.

However, any of these cords can be replaced in seconds if needed, and all phones are operational.

I never remove wired cords. If not actually in use, I bundle them up behind the phone with wire ties.

Dave

[liteamorn]

I keep the cords on because the first thing people ask me is "do they all work?". I also rotate the phones on my desk between my '54 500, my Kellogg 1000 and my 202, with the E1 handset.