Kellogg Banjo phone on Ebay...

AE40FAN · January 18, 2013, 06:09:00 PM

I won this black Kellogg Banjo phone off of Ebay last night. 39 views and 0 bids? Not sure why but, I'm glad to finally have one. I am a bit apprehensive on the clear plungers though....Hope it arrives safely!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-KELLOGG-BLACK-ROTARY-DIAL-TELEPHONE-1960S-/261153753767

kleenax · January 18, 2013, 06:41:52 PM

Quote from: AE40FAN on January 18, 2013, 06:09:00 PM
I won this black Kellogg Banjo phone off of Ebay last night. 39 views and 0 bids? Not sure why but, I'm glad to finally have one. I am a bit apprehensive on the clear plungers though....Hope it arrives safely!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-KELLOGG-BLACK-ROTARY-DIAL-TELEPHONE-1960S-/261153753767

Now I know what a "Banjo" phone is ;-)

Ironically, I moved 2 or 3 of these today to get to a box of parts they were sitting on.

AE40FAN · January 18, 2013, 07:58:34 PM

Kleenax,

Sounds like those phones are in your way! I'll gladly help you by taking them off your hands;-D

kleenax · January 18, 2013, 09:20:48 PM

Quote from: AE40FAN on January 18, 2013, 07:58:34 PM
Kleenax,

Sounds like those phones are in your way! I'll gladly help you by taking them off your hands;-D

I picked up an entire banana box full of them a couple of years ago with the intent of refurbing, but after 2 or 3, I went on to something else (can't remember what:).

Dennis Markham · January 18, 2013, 09:35:31 PM

I saw that phone too and wondered about the clear plungers. I don't think they made that style of housing very long so I'm surprised the plungers would have been changed. Maybe some came off the line that way. The Bakelite "gumdrop" handset looks to be in good shape.

Ray, my first one came from you. I think you may have seen pictures after I refurbished it.

Congrats on the phone AE40FAN.

AE40FAN · January 18, 2013, 10:56:37 PM

Dennis, yeah after I won the auction I checked out your gallery on the banjo refurb...amazing! I know these banjo phones in black are not that uncommon but, this is the first I've seen listed on ebay in the past year (not including the 250 dollar refurb). My main focus is collecting the rest of the various WE 500 colored sets however, this came along with no bidders and I couldn't pass it up! The clear plungers make me weary as I fear that there may be a possibility that the insides may have been altered.

kleenax · January 20, 2013, 07:04:29 PM

Quote from: Dennis Markham on January 18, 2013, 09:35:31 PM
I saw that phone too and wondered about the clear plungers. I don't think they made that style of housing very long so I'm surprised the plungers would have been changed. Maybe some came off the line that way. The Bakelite "gumdrop" handset looks to be in good shape.

Ray, my first one came from you. I think you may have seen pictures after I refurbished it.

Congrats on the phone AE40FAN.

Yea, I think that I will probably have some more of them at the April Michigan show too.

AE40FAN · January 22, 2013, 06:39:55 PM

Phone arrived today and I'm happy to find out it is completely original and in really good shape just dirty. Unfortunately, the jumbo black coiled cord has suffered from dry rot and cannot be salvaged. Also, no way this can be dated? Possibly by the dial card pictured below? Any ideas what the FR on the dial card stands for?

poplar1 · January 22, 2013, 07:31:38 PM

FR could be FRanklin. You dialed only the first two letters (FR=37) of the name, so in later years often only the two letters were printed on the number card and in the directory.

I'm not having any luck finding your c.o. code on the Telephone Exchange Name Project.

http://rcrowe.brinkster.net/tensearch.aspx

There was a FRanklin in Atlanta before the conversion from 6 to 7 numbers. Then the 37- combination was reused for Decatur as DRake.The number for Agnes Scott College was DRake 3-2571, or DR 3-2571, and later 373-2571. That number could also be written as FREAKS1. They had a WE 770 PBX.

Russ Kirk · January 22, 2013, 07:35:37 PM

Quote from: AE40FAN on January 22, 2013, 06:39:55 PM
Phone arrived today and I'm happy to find out it is completely original and in really good shape just dirty. Unfortunately, the jumbo black coiled cord has suffered from dry rot and cannot be salvaged. Also, no way this can be dated? Possibly by the dial card pictured below? Any ideas what the FR on the dial card stands for?

Here is a list of Bell exchange names. Looks like yours could be FRanklin or Frontier.
http://www.ourwebhome.com/TENP/MaBell.pdf

Take a look at this web page. they don't keep it current but it should help in determining where it could have been used.
http://rcrowe.brinkster.net/tensearch.aspx

Russ

AE40FAN · January 22, 2013, 09:00:36 PM

On the Bell Exchange names website FR= New York

AE40FAN · January 31, 2013, 06:23:12 PM

Banjo phone came out nice and wasn't a difficult refurb for a change!

Dennis Markham · January 31, 2013, 07:04:10 PM

Looks very nice. Nice job!

AE40FAN · January 31, 2013, 07:22:54 PM

Thanks Dennis,

I think I actually like the style of this phone more than the WE 500's!

Dan/Panther · February 01, 2013, 02:50:19 PM

Quote from: kleenax on January 18, 2013, 09:20:48 PM
Quote from: AE40FAN on January 18, 2013, 07:58:34 PM
Kleenax,

Sounds like those phones are in your way! I'll gladly help you by taking them off your hands;-D

I picked up an entire banana box full of them a couple of years ago with the intent of refurbing, but after 2 or 3, I went on to something else (can't remember what:).

Kleenax;
Are you sure they were Banjo phones, most people are fortunate to find one, let alone an entire box full. They do resemble the WE500, but are not. Just curious, you are sitting on a small fortune of phones, if for noting else parts. I could use a 1954 dated Kellogg dial, if you have one to sell.
D/P

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Kellogg Banjo phone on Ebay...