Any idea what this cover fits

[Doug Rose]

It feels like bakelite, dated 11/23/53 MA is stamped on the front. It was send in a Browm Manilla envelope. With a bubble pack inside and foam taped around it. It arrived undamaged....Doug

[andre_janew]

My guess would be that it is a cover for some sort of ringer box.  My mother used to order stuff through the mail.  By the time it arrived, usually a month later, she'd forgotten what it was she ordered!  Is that what happened with you?

[unbeldi]

The date stamp is typical WECo, even in yellow which was the color of the time.

I think this is the cover for a 531 subscriber set.




But in 1953 it would have been made from thermoplastic material, Tenite probably.
I've had some 684 subscriber set covers made in the 50s and they were all Tenite.

I could only find one mentioning in the Forum. Follow link.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

I would assume it fits a 302 baseplate, since it was made in 1953 (around the time WE stopped making 302s), and it has the basic shape of the first 1 1/2 inches of a 302.

[Ktownphoneco]

Doug  ...   "unbeldi" is correct.      It is a thermoplastic cover for the Western 531 subscriber set.     It's in the W.E. Catalog No. 11 - 1950 (2 pages attached - I think ?)

[poplar1]

Here is a 531A that sold recently:

[Doug Rose]

Thanks guys....can you believe it survived in a manilla envelope? ...Doug

[twocvbloke]

Luck of the draw probably, considering other people have had things break that were seemingly well-packed... 

[Doug Rose]

Agreed....I was just so disappointed when I saw it and realized what was inside the envelope. First thing I did was shake the envelope expecting to hear rattling...Doug

[unbeldi]

I think these are actually quite durable. The plastic is pretty thick, yet not brittle and somewhat flexible. I would not expect them to break when dropped, unlike the earlier Bakelite version. The surfaces are large and can distribute impact.  The only problem with them may be that they have a tendency to warp the large front surface, unlike the Bakelite versions.

[Doug Rose]

Doug  ...   "unbeldi" is correct.      It is a thermoplastic cover for the Western 531 subscriber set.     It's in the W.E. Catalog No. 11 - 1950 (2 pages attached - I think ?)

Jeff.....I haven't seen you on the Forum for a while, great to have you back...Doug