This is the first I've ever seen a manual version of this set. I would doubt any ideas of it being a mock-up or aftermarket repaint; it sure looks pretty authentic.
Does anyone think it will sell?
www.ebay.com/itm/141910189465
Hmm, what does bother me is that the apparatus blank in the manual phone is technically the incorrect kind for a D1 mount. The correct kind is a No. 50 blank, which is a slight dome, and the one installed is an 82 from a 302. I find that an extremely unpleasing look on a D1, but I don't know whether a distribution center would have used those in 1955. Also, I think they would have not painted the number card frame in ivory.
It would be nice to know the dates on the cords and the dial to make further judgements.
PS: the subset was apparently painted without removing the cover from the base, the paint job seems very sloppy there, as if it was perhaps painted while still on the wall. I also find the paint job on the handset to be not as good as I have seen on other handsets, and the way that paint is chipping off seems uncharacteristic. Usually I have seen wear that is more consistent with friction when paint is gradually worn off, in particular where it rests on the cradle and the underside of the grip, and on the caps. Interestingly, these handset show very little of that, except that the cap ridges are chipped.
Western Electric's paint jobs on these was very good usually, I think.
What speaks in favor of the two sets belonging together is that both handsets are F4 types, with the 500-series transducers. Both transmitters seem to be missing one ring, but sometimes it seems they are indeed missing, and the transmitter is held in place pretty well by just one ring in the cap.
The dial blank is incorrect, but then again look at the inside where the dial or blank would secure. It looks new and the dial blank takes larger screws and this looks to accept the larger screws. I have seen smaller female on the blanks that take the dial screws, they are few and far between.
It should have an older dial blank for 202s like mine pictured below. Mine is not an imperial and was chromed before I found it. I am not sure that these are Imperials as it looks as if they could be brass plated as they look really good.
Do they belong together, hard to say but it looks more like a beige than an Ivory. I am more interested on the inside of the 202 that accepts the larger blank screws.
It is a reasonable price ....now....Doug
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=15214.msg158035#msg158035
I agree, these were probably used together at one time. I think they both started out as dial phones and someone needed a dial for their D1 so they removed one and only had this blank to replace it with.