New forum members are very welcome and encouraged to take a guess. After all, there are no wrong guesses, just one lucky one. No one knows the winning bid on any auction until it ends. However, it is important to get your guess in before someone else grabs your guess.
Listed about 7 hours ago ( with a thanks to WEBellSystemChristian for the heads up ) in a 7 day auction with no reserve starting at $19.99 is a very nice early WE 500 prototype with side vents, dial blank, 2 mouse holes on the side (3 total) and what appears to be original cords. The seller provided a good array of internal and external photos. Within the first 7 hours of the listing, the phone attracted 2 buyers placing 2 bids driving the price up to $30.50. So, the question is how much will this prototype 500 sell for when the auction ends?
NOTE: we will use a $5 gap rule between guesses again to prevent crowding. As such, keep your guess at least $5 away from prior guesses for this contest.
The seller listed it as an "Vtg WESTERN ELECTRIC F-51674-R BELL LABS Prototype Telephone- VERY RARE!" with the item condition as "used" and "This is a very nice and rare WE BELL LABS Prototype Telephone! I was told that these were used in a specific area and that only 400-500 were made! The markinWhat you see is what you will get! There is use but in good condition. Used by the BELL SYSTEM and made by Western Electric. Please look at the pictures, as it is part of the description. NO BREAKS NO CRACKS What you see is what you will get!" and with the auction listing description saying "Up for auction/sale is for: 1) vintage, VERY RARE! WESTERN ELECTRIC F-51674-R, BELL LABS Trial Set! These are very rare to obtain, as you know, Bell Labs put these in a specific area for testing and claimed them all back to destroy them after the tests were conducted. There were about 400 to 500 of these made, to test the BELL SYSTEM's new switch system in a certain area. (If anyone know anymore information on this telephone please let me know and I will post it for all to see.) Note that there is no bell and no dial! Also, there is a special network inside and vented case on the right side! Also, there is and extra wire hole that was used for testings. The Bell System would collect these at the end of the test period and destroy them. There are only a few that escaped! One is in a museum and I have this one survivor #380 (Inside there is a few screws missing, which was probably done when they were in the process of destroying this one!). Luck has it, was rescued! WHAT YOU SEE IS THIS IS WHAT YOU WILL GET. See above description and photos. AS IS. It has been used but in good shape. This type of telephone is one of the very hard type to find! Marked on the back side is F-5167-R Property of BELL TEL LAB. TRIAL SET 380. NO ISSUES! NO CRACKS! NO BREAKS! Please examine the pictures, read the above description and ask all questions prior to placing a bid. If you are collecting a WE early prototype type telephones, then this is for you. It may need to be cleaned! These were made for the BELL SYSTEM and other independent telephone companies, by WESTERN ELECTRIC. This is being sold AS IS and as found. You will be buying this AS IS!"
http://www.ebay.com/itm/311734258020
It's another chance to move up a rung or to get onto the CRPF -> Contest Standings <- (http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=4198.0) list,
. . . for as twocvbloke said, ---> "You gotta be in it to win it !!!" ;D "
If you want to see the phones of past Auction Contests, click -> HERE <- (http://s1331.photobucket.com/user/CRPFACL/library/?sort=4&page=1)
S C O R E B O A R D
$ 440.00 - Dan/Panther ( 16 )
$ 450.00 - wds ( 14 )
$ 500.00 - compubit ( 1 )
$ 663.00 - WEBellSystemChristian ( 3 ) -> WINNER - Final Selling Price $617.99
$ 720.00 - TelePlay ( 15 )
$ 777.00 - Kenton K ( 10 )
$ 826.00 - podor ( 2 )
$ 875.00 - tallguy58 ( 7 )
$ 925.00 - Jim S. ( 4 )
$ 945.00 - Sargeguy ( 8 )
$ 975.00 - Autonut ( 6 )
$ 999.99 - Mr. Bones ( 5 )
$ 1,035.00 - Pourme ( 11 )
$ 1,010.00 - 19and41 ( 12 )
$ 1,065.00 - Partyline4 ( 13 )
$ 1,250.00 - Fabius ( 9 )
Early Morning Auction Status
11-04-16 Listed $ 19.99
11-05-16 5 bids $ 49.00 ( 3 Bidders )
11-06-16 5 bids $ 49.00
11-07-16 5 bids $ 49.00
11-08-16 6 bids $ 78.77 ( 4 Bidders ) ( 20 watchers - 19th )
11-09-16 6 bids $ 78.77
11-10-16 6 bids $ 78.77
11-11-16 7 bids $ 210.27 ( 5 Bidders ) ( 25 watchers - 14th )
11-11-16 6 bidders, 9 bids, $617.99 Ended at 08:28:26 PDT
Might as well grab it: $500!
$826
$663
$925.00 Since it missing the "ringer"
Jim S.
I think the ringer would look similar to the one in this post:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=12748.msg133906#msg133906
Quote from: Jim S. on November 04, 2016, 08:41:28 PM
I think the ringer would look similar to the one in this post:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=12748.msg133906#msg133906
Yes, it would.
Actually this is the very same set that was sold earlier this year in June.
The seller only added a number card ring.
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=16023.0
http://www.ebay.com/itm/371645501602
Quote from: unbeldi on November 04, 2016, 09:36:51 PM
Actually this is the very same set that was sold earlier this year in June.
Yes, it was. What a memory, or excellent file/retrieval system . . . ;)
Quote from: TelePlay on November 04, 2016, 09:54:26 PM
Yes, it was. What a memory, or excellent file/retrieval system . . . ;)
Both actually, lol.
The first for idea, the second to confirm.
$999 for me, please.
Best regards!
$975.00 for me.
$875
$945
$1250
$777!
$1035.00
$1010.00 Please.
I've enjoyed reading about this set, and the detective work that went into discovering that this is the same fellow trying to get his money back ;)
eBay will take about 13%, so he needs to make at least $1060....
Seems to be struggling to take off, unsurprisingly to the fact that the bidders probably know the true story behind it!
I'll say $1065
The last two replies to this contest have been split off and merged with the old and now new discussion of this phone in Auction Talk. Also, the Subject was changed to "Field Trial 500? F-51674-R Discussion" adding the details after the question mark. Those two replies seemed more appropriate to the discussion of the phone in that topic, since it already existed, that the contest topic.
$450
$720.00
$440.00
D/P
Can I just say "ditto" on this one?
Two in a row and in less than an hour, the winner of Auction Contest #237 is WEBellSystemChristian who with, once again, the 2nd entry into the contest offered the winning guess of $663.00 which gave him his 9th auction contest win right on the heals of winning #236. So, congratulations to WEBellSystemChristian for another win in the CRPF Auction Contests and for moving up one rung in the Contest Standings.
The phone was won by r***e ( 216 ) who placed a very high bid yesterday which was higher than one last second snipe placed nine seconds before the auction ended to take the phone home for $617.99. That last snipe increased the price from $210 to $617 but was not high enough to take the phone phone. The auction saw 6 bidders placing 9 bids.
Check out the updated Contest Standings (http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=4198.msg51445#msg51445) to see who's who through 237 contests and the latest additions to the CRPF Hall of Fame (http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=138.msg976#msg976)
Thanks again to all who played. As always, there is only one way to get on the winner's board or move up a rung - you have to play to win. Maybe the next contest will be a bit more interesting.
Someone's not going to be happy about THAT!