Ateaphone 1928 (aka Atea model 28)

[countryman]

I used to think I could live with a serious degree of patina. I'll always prefer an authentic used looking phone over an excessively restored one.
So I got myself this bargain Ateaphone which had been copperized, thinking I might polish it up a little (after untangling the cords  )
But how badly was this one done, compared to the "Belgian Kettle" Atea Model 56 I already have! These usually don't look too bad after a quick beauty treatment. (Like FABphone's from this thread). The copper plating is done in an acceptable quality and can be polished up nicely.
Not so on this earlier Atea model. Both the pressed steel shell and the alloy cradle just had a flimsy whiff of copper on them. Not sure who did this - a private person maybe instead of the usual semiprofessional refurbishing shops, preparing them for a second life on the antique market.
So I decided to restore this phone to it`s original black color. I really like the result. The handset seems to be the correct one, although the cords and elements are German replacements. After cleaning and adjusting the dial works fine. I even had the correct dial card holder (identical to North American AE models).
I'm unsure how the cords were originally installed on this model. The strain relief grommet from a German model 48 fits "almost" but  is not correct at all. So there's still some work to be done.

[countryman]

More pics. The model is Atea 28. The base plate is dated 1938, on the underside there are marks "RTT 1956", so it probably already was refurbished once by the Belgian state phone co.

[LarryInMichigan]

I think that it looks much better and much more original with the new paint job.  I like an item , even which looks and works as it did decades ago when people originally used it, even if some things, like paint, need to be replaced.  Nice job!

Larry

[FABphones]

Looks much nicer in black. 

What method did you follow for the respray. Did you bake the paint?

[tubaman]

That's come out looking very nice. I wonder if the dial was originally black too?

[HarrySmith]

That was a pretty poor job, looks much better now. The cords do not help with the looks. Definetly needs proper cords.

[countryman]

Matilo's Atea 28 (the only other one I found so far) has a black painted fingerwheel and a light brown cloth cord.
As I like the look of the brass fingerwheel I'll leave it this way. I have no good cloth cords available, there seems to be no real European source for them. I've used modern or vintage cloth covered power cords in a pinch, but this wouldn't be much improvement here.
What I have are a few very smooth extendable black cloth covered 3-strand audio cords, supposedly NOS surplus aircraft equipment. I'd need to do some "cord end whipping" for strain relief. I'll think it over.

[FABphones]

These are the only cloth cords I have, if you want to jazz it up with green that is.

Photos taken from my machine so no clear detail on them, second one has still got it's label on so nos.

If either look like they might be good for you I can take a closer look.
No charge, just pay delivery (EU).

[FABphones]

I forgot to update - they are on their way. 
Hope you can make use of them.
...and hope Christmas post doesn't slow delivery down too much.

[19and41]

It looks much nicer in black.  The worn copper made it look beat up.

[HarrySmith]

The green cords should look good with the copper fingerwheel.

[countryman]

I worked on the phone over the holidays and here it is with the nice green cords FABphones gave me. Thanks CJ!

Edited to add the wiring diagram for completion

[dsk]

Great Job!

dsk

[Doug Rose]

Beautiful phone....Doug

[19and41]

Had to go over the first pics again.  Quite an improvement!