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A bargain!

Started by bellsystemproperty, April 06, 2010, 10:46:35 PM

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bellsystemproperty

Only $1500!
http://tinyurl.com/yzqeajv

Really though, there's nothing special about this red 554. Maybe the $1500 BIN price is to attract attention?

baldopeacock

Quote from: bellsystemproperty on April 06, 2010, 10:46:35 PM
Only $1500!
http://tinyurl.com/yzqeajv

Really though, there's nothing special about this red 554. Maybe the $1500 BIN price is to attract attention?

I'll check with the bank tomorrow, see if I can get financing.   

Jim Stettler

It has the shoulder creases, The photographer didn't realize they were to set the handset on when you are taking photos.
The early 554's didn't have the shoulder creases until Dreyfuss added them.
Does anyone have a creasless 554.
I have only heard stories of them.
Jim
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Craig T

#3
Some kind of sale on fixed price auctions this week?   :-\

I just checked the three on my shelf Jim, creases on all of them  :)

AET

Ha, some people's kids.  I like the phone, if it were for sale locally, I'd buy it for the 30 bucks because of the Alphanumeric Dial Card, and the color. But I don't know why he thinks it's worth 1500. 
- Tom

foots

Quote from: AtomicEraTom on April 07, 2010, 02:18:51 AM
Ha, some people's kids.  I like the phone, if it were for sale locally, I'd buy it for the 30 bucks because of the Alphanumeric Dial Card, and the color. But I don't know why he thinks it's worth 1500. 

Because he is crazy, or has no concept of money and must be related to this guy  http://tinyurl.com/yd9fmcf
Keep in mind a really  nice one of these might bring $300 on a good day.
"Ain't Worryin' 'Bout Nothin"

jsowers

I've never seen a creaseless 554 either, even on the 6-55 one I have with the black switchhook. I think maybe the original design called for no creases and they were added at the last minute before production. But I would love to be proven wrong if one of those would show up. It might go as high as what the seller's wishing on this red one.

Did anyone see the ending price for this light beige soft plastic 554? I thought it was fairly high for that color. And with a replaced coil cord and some scratches from the seller removing a sticker too. Did someone on the forum get it?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320510259687
Jonathan

Dennis Markham

I put in a couple of weak bids, including the initial bid.  I didn't want to stay up long enough to snipe it at the end.  But I figured $35 was bidding a lot.  Guess I was wrong again.  I never dreamed it would end that high and was surprised this morning when I saw that.  I see Jester gave it a gallant effort.  I recognize his scrambled name.  The "rookie" bidder with two feedback was bidding in one dollar increments until he reached the mountain top a couple of times.  They're rarely around when the auction ends.  Is o***o someone from the Forum??

baldopeacock

#8
Quote from: Jim S. on April 06, 2010, 11:01:08 PM
It has the shoulder creases, The photographer didn't realize they were to set the handset on when you are taking photos.
The early 554's didn't have the shoulder creases until Dreyfuss added them.
Does anyone have a creasless 554.
I have only heard stories of them.
Jim

ETS has a '56 554 in red with matching dates, it has the shoulder creases.  He posted this pic in his "pictures" post elsewhere - when was the 554 released?  '56 has to be early, seems like the 354 was still in production in '55 if I recall.


Jester

Hi, all.  As Dennis mentioned, I threw a last second high bid at the thing, thinking this one would end no higher than $75.00.  I was shocked that someone else wanted it bad enough to go over my very inflated bid.  I hope it wasn't Vern-- he's been looking for one of these.
Stephen

McHeath

Wow, "only" 1500 bucks and it can be mine now!

Must...resist....temptation... ::)


LarryInMichigan

While you are checking out the latest bargains, don't miss item #360237062154 ;)

Jim Stettler

Quote from: LarryInMichigan on April 07, 2010, 09:46:33 PM
While you are checking out the latest bargains, don't miss item #360237062154 ;)

Vintage 1970's NY,NY
Jim
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Phonesrfun

Accprding to Ralph Meyer's "Old Time Telephones!", the very early 554's did not have the shoulder creases, but a young designer from Dreyfuss' organization by the name of Donald Genaro put them there. 

-Bill G

jsowers

Quote from: baldopeacock on April 07, 2010, 11:09:27 AM
ETS has a '56 554 in red with matching dates, it has the shoulder creases.  He posted this pic in his "pictures" post elsewhere - when was the 554 released?  '56 has to be early, seems like the 354 was still in production in '55 if I recall.

The oldest one I have is dated 6-55 throughout. It's black. There's an entire thread about old 554s here and I posted several pictures of it...

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1161.msg15312#msg15312

They produced the 354 and 554 concurrently for a while in 1955, just like they still produced the 302 when the 500 set first came out. I have two WE promotional booklets with both wall models pictured as available. The 554 in black, with a black switchhook, and the 354 in ivory. You can see a scan of that page in the above link too.

The red 554 in your picture must've had the switchhook replaced if it's all original to 1956. It would have had a thick switchhook in 1956, and likely satin chrome finish. There's an entire thread on just the switchhooks here.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1568.0

We've had lots of discussion about these unusual phones and I'm sure that's led to their increased popularity, but I had no idea a light beige one would go that high.

Here is a link to a pdf  file of a Singing Wires issue (the TCI Newsletter) where Donald Genaro is interviewed and they mention in passing the shoulder creases on the 554. It's very interesting to see what went into designing a telephone. I would love to see a picture of a "creaseless" 554.

http://www.telephonecollectors.org/singwire/samples/0410sw.pdf
Jonathan