Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Telephone Talk => Collector's Corner => Topic started by: Doug Rose on September 11, 2018, 12:02:03 PM

Title: Western Electric 302 Dated S 3 2 46 Throughout
Post by: Doug Rose on September 11, 2018, 12:02:03 PM
I picked this up at Brimfield as I thought it might have a 5J dial in it. It did not just a 5J open face fingerwheel with adapters.  The phone was covered with something and it was tough to get off. Whatever it was pealed off like sheets of skin using a liquid brass polish. Nothing else moved it and took forever to remove.

It must have protected it as the phone is just amazing everything is dated S 3 2 46 or I46...even the dial plate and back of dial. Cloth cords are in amazing condition.

All I did was add a bras finger wheel, a NOS dial card and a jack on the line cord.

Untouched since March 2 1946.  Over Seventy Two years old. Really a lucky find as I probably would have passed it by if it wasn't for the open face fingerwheel!....Doug
Title: Re: Western Electric 302 Dated S 3 2 46 Throughout
Post by: HarrySmith on September 11, 2018, 12:31:12 PM
WOW! That cleaned up very nice. Looks awesome. Great find.
Title: Re: Western Electric 302 Dated S 3 2 46 Throughout
Post by: Doug Rose on September 11, 2018, 02:53:20 PM
 Harry...if I didn't do it myself.....I wouldn't have believed it. It looked worse than the before picture shows.

Now just  a few very minor marks, with a really great shine.  Everything is dated 3 2 46.  A great birthday phone for someone.

Anyone know what the "S" before the dates means? Looks familiar but memory is not my strong point ....Doug
Title: Re: Western Electric 302 Dated S 3 2 46 Throughout
Post by: HarrySmith on September 11, 2018, 03:24:24 PM
Looks brand new. IIRC there was a long discussion on the list about the "S". There was never a definitive answer, some said it meant Special and some said it meant St. Paul, which was the plant where production was restarted for civilian phones after the war in 1944. IIRC there was also talk about Shreveport?? I have seen it on a lot of aluminium bases so I thought maybe that was the special part but not all are aluminium, including this one. Maybe someone else can add more info?
Title: Re: Western Electric 302 Dated S 3 2 46 Throughout
Post by: poplar1 on September 11, 2018, 09:04:21 PM
Many aluminum 302 base pans have "-A" after the date, both on the ringer and the aluminum base.....because the ringers have to be adjusted differently at the factory to work with the aluminum base.

However, *some* aluminum bases have a flat steel adapter added between the ringer and the ringer mount. These do not require any special adjustment for the ringer. So these take a standard B1A ringer without the "-A" after the date on the ringer. (Can't recall if the base has -A after the date on these sets with the sheet metal adapter...but I'm guessing not since the date on the ringer and the date on the base usually match (done by the same person at the factory?).)
Title: Re: Western Electric 302 Dated S 3 2 46 Throughout
Post by: FABphones on September 12, 2018, 05:01:21 AM
Quote from: Doug Rose on September 11, 2018, 12:02:03 PM
....The phone was covered with something and it was tough to get off. Whatever it was pealed off like sheets of skin using a liquid brass polish. Nothing else moved it and took forever to remove...

It sounds like it had been coated in a lacquer. I've had similar in the past. Horrid stuff to remove, takes ages and it's grubby work too.

Lovely result. Very very VERY nice.  :)
Title: Re: Western Electric 302 Dated S 3 2 46 Throughout
Post by: Doug Rose on September 12, 2018, 07:21:53 AM
Quote from: FABphones on September 12, 2018, 05:01:21 AM
It sounds like it had been coated in a lacquer. I've had similar in the past. Horrid stuff to remove, takes ages and it's grubby work too.

Lovely result. Very very VERY nice.  :)
thanks CJ.....I did surprise myself....Doug