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My new SC1543W-K

Started by LarryInMichigan, December 18, 2009, 03:55:59 PM

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LarryInMichigan

My latest SC1543 just arrived.  I won it on ebay for a pittance a few days ago http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280435872416.  The network is dated 1-63 and the ringer 5-65.  It is essentially identical to my 1961 SC1543 ('cut-corner'), except for the shell and handset.  Both phones are stamped 1543W-K on the bottom.  I am a bit surprised that Stromberg Carlson made phones with different style shells with the same model number.  The latest one has an SC G3 handset, which is the same as a WE handset, except that it is made with soft plastic.  The handset on the other 1543 is also soft plastic, but it is narrower, and the G3 handset will not fit into the cradle of the 'cut-corner' phone.

Larry

Dennis Markham

#1
Larry, I saw that phone and contemplated putting in a bid.  It has the same body style as the pink one I posted recently.  I wondered if that G3 was a Western or S.C.  Based upon what you said here I have my answer.  You certainly got a good price on it.  I don't think the seller made much profit on that phone, maybe a few extra bucks on the shipping.  I'll attach a photo of yours and the pink one.  Hmmm, I wonder how many colors of these were made?  

Dan

Paul's site comes through again....

SC colors
   1543-series
black

(like WE early 500-series colors)
101 Desert Beige (dark)
102 French Blue (dark)
103 Chestnut Brown (dark)
104 Dove Gray (dark)
105 Olive Green
106 Antique Ivory
107 Chinese Red
108 Canary Yellow

Note: 2-tone sets were available for several years in the mid-1950s with colored housings and black handsets and dials.

(like WE 1957 500-series colors)
pink, white, light beige, light grey, light blue
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

Dennis Markham

Thanks Dan.  I'm wondering if the 1543W is a different model?  As Larry stated the 1543 model had the cut corners as these W models do not.

JorgeAmely

Dennis:
Is the pink phone wider on the front (closer to the viewer) than the back, or is it an optical illusion?

Perhaps too much eggnog in my part. :-\
Jorge

Dennis Markham

Jorge,

Your egg nog consumption is fine.  The front is wider which is what makes them unusual.  I haven't been looking for them but since I got the pink one I've had my eye open for them.  It may be fun to collect them all! :)

AET

That's a fine looking phone.  Looks considerably wider in the front than a WE.  Very interesting.
- Tom

dsk

Really nice, and the pink one, It's hard to admit, but I really like it, even when thy have spelled rotarepo wrong ;D Compaired with this

The older pink has a nicer color.

dsk

JorgeAmely

The order of the letters in numeral 6 is also backwards. Funny.  ;D ;D ;D
Jorge

McHeath

I only recently learned about these 1543s from Paul F's site.  It's very interesting that the various phone makers were aping the Western Electric 500 as that's what people wanted. 

I suppose, on thinking about it, that modern cell phone makers do the same sort of thing such as with the iPhone, there are a lot of lookalikes out there now. 

LarryInMichigan

Dennis,

I thought of your pink one when I first saw the posting, and one of the motivations for bidding (aside from the cheap price) was the curiosity that your pink phone aroused.  I wanted to see for myself, side-by-side, what the differences were betwwn this and the 1543s I already had.  You posted information a while back (http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1004.0) about the meanings of the SC model codes.  The "W" apparently has nothing to do with the shell design.  Both my 'cut-corner' 1543 and this one have the same "1543W-K" code on the bottoms.  The handsets on both were made by SC (the ebay posting includes a picture of the handset labeling).

The seller only added a $1 markup to the shipping.  I opted for the cheapest shipping option, flat-rate priority mail, which is also the fastest.  They charged me $11.35, and it cost them $10.35.  I bid Tue evening, it was shipped Wed morning, and it arrived Fri afternoon.


Jorge,

The front on the phone is not actually wider than the back, but the shell tapers in the front from the bottom to the top (by the cradle).


BTW, there doesn't seem to be very much interest in 1543s.  I have seen several go without bids, and my other two, I won for $4.20 each fro the same seller.  Each had only one other bid.


Larry

LarryInMichigan

Here are some pictures of my SC1543 family.  The two in the front have similar dates and are identical, except for the shell, handset, and handset cord.  The one in back is a slightly older model with a bakelite handset, SC transmitter and receiver elements, a metal finger wheel and huge rubber feet.  The dial is also a different design.  The two others have WE-style transmitter and receiver elements, but they look a bit different than those manufactured by WE.

Larry






HobieSport

Thanks for posting the pictures, Larry. I like the cut-corner models, especially in metal, precisely because they are so obviously different from a WE500. (Not that I don't worship WE500s mind you)
-Matt

LarryInMichigan

I really like the cut-corner design, and especially with the ledge around the perimeter.  I should have mentioned that the shells of all three phones are soft (very soft) plastic, as are the handsets of the two 'newer' phones.  The oldest handset is bakelite.  I also have an SC1243 which is zinc.  Maybe I'll post some pictures of it eventually.  It was my first ebay phone, and a real bargain.

Larry