The rarest colored desk phones

Payphone installer · February 15, 2017, 07:56:23 AM

It is always interesting to me that the rarest of the rare desk telephones are often not pursued by collectors. The W/E phones are some of the most common. Back when I was collecting colored desk phones I started with the w/E but found my way over to Kellogg and North finding the Kellogg desk 500 sets in soft plastic in color is almost impossible. The wall phones are beyond impossible. The Dk 500 are even harder to find. In the north series the 500 series with the recessed dial is also impossible in color. These sets I have seen with lighted dials. Did you know they made the A/E 80 E with a lighted dial. I had all these models years ago and sold them to start my business. I almost never see them anymore. All these sets came in wall phones in colors. And yes years ago I even passed on a clear 5302.

AE_Collector · February 15, 2017, 10:16:41 AM

AE 80E with illuminated dial...or just 80 with illuminated dial? I have an 80 with the electro-luminescent dial presumably made to compete with the 500 mushroom but it was VERY short lived as AE then moved the illuminated dial over to the new Starlite phone.

I have an ivory 80 with illumination bought on eBay for $20 or $30.

Terry

jsowers · February 15, 2017, 11:16:53 AM

I think the reason most collectors don't pursue these phones is because they haven't seen them. So do either of you guys have pictures of those phones to show what you're talking about? I'd love to see them.

I've tried to collect those Kellogg wall and desk models but they are not to be found. They were used by independent telcos who were often very close with their equipment, meaning it was often returned to the phone company and not left in the home, sold or given away. Plus color equipment wasn't as widely promoted by those telcos in the first place. Almost nobody had a color telephone in the 1950s and 60s where I lived in rural NC. Only the well-heeled spent money on things like that. So all that makes the color phones quite rare.

Here are pics of the two Kellogg 500s I've found. Both are DK591s in different shades of turquoise. I wish I could find the othe colors.

jsowers · February 15, 2017, 11:27:45 AM

I also found this nice brochure scan showing some of the colors. I can't imagine who would have ordered a pink keyset.

skyrider · February 15, 2017, 05:27:12 PM

Who would have ordered a pink key set? The Boss Lady of course.

TelePlay · February 15, 2017, 05:31:30 PM

Quote from: skyrider on February 15, 2017, 05:27:12 PM
Who would have ordered a pink key set? The Boss Lady of course.

. . . or Mary Kay, by the truck load.

andre_janew · February 15, 2017, 05:35:48 PM

I find it odd that nobody mentioned sea foam green!

Jim Stettler · February 15, 2017, 05:53:38 PM

I am still trying for a clear 5302. I have heard of a couple of them. I do have some of the soft Kellogg 500 sets in the HTF WE colors, My Kelloggs came from Mark Scola (Meaning, they are very pretty). I also chase SC 1543's in colors. I never find colored Kellogg Banjo's, Kellogg colored Clear bars or the colored North sets.

A lot of my collection is clear, swirled, or shiny, I suppose you could classify my phone interest as "Special Finishes".

JMO,
Jim S.

AE_Collector · February 15, 2017, 06:02:12 PM

Quote from: TelePlay on February 15, 2017, 05:31:30 PM
. . . or Mary Kay, by the ~~truck~~ Pink Cadillac load

Jim Stettler · February 15, 2017, 07:28:26 PM

Arthur P. (Pinkie) Bloom collects pink phones, Mainly WE specialty sets.
Jim S.

BTW I think he did get a Pink "Hello Kitty" butt set from Japan for his collection.

AE_Collector · February 16, 2017, 10:28:06 PM

Not a rare color but a fairly rare version of the AE80, an 82. Predecessor to the 182 Starlite.

Terry

LoveOldPhones · February 26, 2017, 02:00:48 AM

Quote from: Jim S. on February 15, 2017, 05:53:38 PM
I am still trying for a clear 5302. I have heard of a couple of them. I do have some of the soft Kellogg 500 sets in the HTF WE colors, My Kelloggs came from Mark Scola (Meaning, they are very pretty). I also chase SC 1543's in colors. I never find colored Kellogg Banjo's, Kellogg colored Clear bars or the colored North sets.

A lot of my collection is clear, swirled, or shiny, I suppose you could classify my phone interest as "Special Finishes".

JMO,
Jim S.

Hey Jim... do you have any pics of your soft Kellogg 500 sets in the HTF WE colors ?

Jim Stettler · February 26, 2017, 07:57:35 AM

They are currently packed away and I don't have any photos, however the boxes they are packed in are marked K500 (vs telephones). I am currently try to get my phone room set up. Once it is set-up, I will probably cycle thru my phones and get some photos of the fun stuff. At that time I will also be offering up some phones for sale.
This may take a few more months,
Jim S.

paul-f · February 26, 2017, 11:47:54 AM

Quote from: LoveOldPhones on February 26, 2017, 02:00:48 AM
Hey Jim... do you have any pics of your soft Kellogg 500 sets in the HTF WE colors ?

Jim Stettler · February 26, 2017, 12:15:37 PM

Paul,
The colored Kellogg banjo sets are very cool, I have never found any of those, I think I have 2 black banjos, I have never found any of the North sets, I have never even seen any of the Norths in person.

My Kellogg's are the standard "500" look, A long time ago I decided I would likely keep them and sell off the WE sets, I did take a lot of my early WE 500 sets to the Kansas Show. I still have most of them.

Jim S.

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The rarest colored desk phones