Need Help Identifying a WE 329W

[Phonegal]

Hi everyone. I'm in a quandary about a phone I have an opportunity to purchase and need the opinions of those much more experienced than I am. The phone is (ostensibly) a WE 329W with a 5H dial, but many of the parts are throwing me as they have no markings. I've attached several pictures including the perch (no model markings), and the interior of the bottom of the phone which shows that it's made of brass although the bottom is probably zinc. The 329W plate below the mouthpiece appears to have one screw under the plating material but I'm not 100% sure of that- it could have none and is just glued on. There aren't any model or WE markings on the base except the patent dates right near the bottom. Is this a correct 329W base? The handset is clearly modern as it weighs 1/3 of an original and has the wrong electronics. The general question is, when does a 'restored' original phone stop being original because virtually all of the parts have been replaced by contemporary replacement parts? When is something simply a modern reproduction; and, is this phone a 329W as the plate suggests? Thanks in advance. 

[wds]

To me, it looks like everything on the candlestick is a reproduction part except for maybe the dial.  The picture is fuzzy, but even the "329w" tranmistter appears to be a reproduction.  Any price over about $20 and I would wait for a real phone. 

[Phonegal]

Hi Dave & thanks for answering. I tend to agree with you on this. Let me ask you something specific: In your opinion, is this phone suppose to resemble a 329W or might it be a 50AL with a plate that says 329W and a bunch of replacement parts? In other words, could this phone ever have been a 329W? Thanks, Ina

[rdelius]

329w was The model  of the transmitter not the telephone.W meant not Bell System .Fake  telephone

[wds]

The phone is probably a model 51al reproduction. 

[Sargeguy]

The perch looks real, I don't think there are reproduction solid perches.  Someone probably had a non-dial set that they brassed out and put a dial on, using a repro base and a baseplate.  Still not worth much.  I would save your money for an authentic dial candlestick.  How much are they asking?

[Phonegal]

Thanks for the reply. The perch on the phone in question does not have a model number and, I might add, not a mark or scratch on it- quite strange for something that would be close to 90 years old. Please allow me to pass on something: apparently there are replacement perches out there- oldphoneguy is selling them for $24.95 (+ $9.00 shipping) on Ebay. The asking price for the phone is $125 and I'm considering an offer between $30-35. I forgot to add that a warbler was added which makes it usable even if it isn't, by any stretch of the imagination, collectable. The owner though, refuses to believe that it isn't the real McCoy. I'm still a buyer for a genuine one... thanks again.

[NorthernElectric]

The owner though, refuses to believe that it isn't the real McCoy.

They seldom do.   

[Sargeguy]

The perch on the phone in question does not have a model number and, I might add, not a mark or scratch on it- quite strange for something that would be close to 90 years old.

The perch markings have been ground off and it has been polished.  These usually had multiple marks on them from years of service.  The seller in question  grinds them away. 

[poplar1]

  The seller in question  grinds them away. 

Who is the seller?

[Sargeguy]

The perch on the "51-AL" pictured above is a solid perch that has been polished and the marks removed, not a repro.  oldphoneguy sells repro drawn perches like the one pictured above.  He also has some solid perches that he sells on restored phones, sometimes with new nickel plating.  The solid ones often have the marks removed when they are re-nickeled.   I do not know of anyone making repro solid perches.

[rdelius]

There were some solid perches made years ago  .No markings,zinc castings plated brass or painted black

[Sargeguy]

Now that you mention it I think I have seen those on eBay before.  I still stand by my theory that this was a manual set that was converted rather than an entirely fake phone.

[wds]

Nah, repro.  Look at that huge plug coming out of the cord hole in the back.