AE 80 help please

[LoveOldPhones]

Since I went to visit my telephone friend last week.... I had a chance to see his collection of treasures and I have now got a serious interest in an early
AE 80 set. I had never actually seen one before.   i know NOTHING about these 500 style sets and I would like to have one of the soft plastic ones.

I tried to read as much as I could and I know about the ear piece with the missing center hole.... the metal plungers... but i don't know too much more than that.  Can anyone please point me to a thread on what to look for.  I would like to find an early set .... not black and not beige.... I love color.

I don't know where to look for them... except on eBay and other sites like that.
does anyone specialize in selling them ?

thanks for your help.

[AE_Collector]

The oldest style 80's will as you said be soft plastic and have chromed plungers. They also have the odd shaped feet (not round) and a potted network. They weigh something like 6 pounds. The black ones have black metal finger wheels and a solid Bakelite handset like the early black 500's have. They also could have a straight black rubber handset cord.

Earliest coloured 80's will have a coiled handset cord that could actually be a painted black rubber coil cord. The finger wheel will be thick clear plastic with a chrome ring to hold the number card that looks similar to the number card holder on 40/50's but it isn't actually interchangeable with them.

I don't specialize in selling anything but I definitely have two many duplicate 80's, 90's, Starlites, Stylelines etc around here that need to find new homes so they will get cleaned and restored. I could see what I have that may interest you but I am away from home for a few days.

Terry

[WEBellSystemChristian]

It definitely sounds like an early one!

Is it colored? Some of the rare ones include Colonial Blue (like a Dark Blue), Dawn Gray, and Garnet Red. Garnet Red isn't as rare in the later versions, but an early one would be pretty collectible.

The other colors, while not extremely rare, are still collectible. (except for Sand Beige, it's so common that nobody seems to want it)

[LoveOldPhones]

It definitely sounds like an early one!

Is it colored? Some of the rare ones include Colonial Blue (like a Dark Blue), Dawn Gray, and Garnet Red. Garnet Red isn't as rare in the later versions, but an early one would be pretty collectible.

The other colors, while not extremely rare, are still collectible. (except for Sand Beige, it's so common that nobody seems to want it)

I don't know if it was an early one or not.... I don't think so because the feet were round.... at least I think they were.
I don't pick up peoples phones for fear of dropping them by accident.

I was taken by the shape of the phone.... it looked good and I was surprised because I never liked them in pictures but when I saw it in the flesh.  I liked it alot.

[Greg G.]

I have now got a serious interest in an early AE 80 set.

I don't know where to look for them... except on eBay and other sites like that.
does anyone specialize in selling them ?

thanks for your help.

No "specialists", just keep looking on ebay and craigslist.  The latter is where I've found the vast majority of my collection.

[Kenton K]

Garnet red is a rare AE80 color? I've had one in a bin for the longest time.

[LoveOldPhones]

Garnet red is a rare AE80 color? I've had one in a bin for the longest time.

forgive me....  what do you mean one in a bin ?

thanks

[Kenton K]

Haha. Its lived most of its life with me sitting in a storage bin. Its one of the older soft plastic version. I don't specialize in AE, so I don't display it. I mainly collect WE stuff.

[Greg G.]

Haha. Its lived most of its life with me sitting in a storage bin.

You live in a storage bin?! 

[Kenton K]

Ha, that's one way to look at my home. 

[LoveOldPhones]

Haha. Its lived most of its life with me sitting in a storage bin. Its one of the older soft plastic version. I don't specialize in AE, so I don't display it. I mainly collect WE stuff.

OK I get it.  LOL  sorry to hear its in the bin.... you should bring it out so it can be appreciated.
my telephone friend  has 3 red phones side by side.... all different and they looked great together.
thats how come I got the bug to buy an AE80.  All I have is western electric.

but I want the early  AE80 soft plastic version.  I don't own a green phone so maybe an early green on would be nice.

anyway... thanks for clearing that up.  lol... never heard it called a bin.

[Jim Stettler]

Have you seen an AE90? It is the wall version of the 80. I think they have a cool look.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2687.msg36808#msg36808



JMO,
Jim S.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Well, the later Garnet Reds aren't rare, but the early Tenite Garnet Reds are pretty desirable. I'm still looking for one, but passed on several on eBay that were in horrible shape.

[LoveOldPhones]

I have seen the wall phones but I don't have any interest in them.  they are cool though....  just not something I want to own.

the red phones are nice.... I saw some of those on eBay...  they aren't in very good shape.