And Now For My Princess's & Trimlines

[Jim Stettler]

I've seen gold ones with ivory handset and cords.  I think one of of our members has one, actually.  

I've seen the gold with ivory Princess on eBay, it was advertised as an Imperial version of the Princess.   Were those offered to customers or were they more likely retirement gift sets for Bell employees?

This one's handset is plated also.  I'm wondering if it's Bell-issue or if a creative owner had the plastic plated.

They were Bell offered on the Imperials, I don't know about the gold handset versions, See my last post regarding 1-1,000,000

Jim

[Jim Stettler]

I've seen a digital clock made out of a metallic gold TT Trimline. I bought it in an auction and gave it to a phone collecting buddy who collects Trimlines. It's very unusual and I know how some feel about phones made into clocks or lamps, but this one looked like someone from the phone company did it.

It sat on a wood base that one time had a plaque on it, but that was gone. It had a 6-volt 2012A transformer hooked to a standard modular cord hooked to the Trimline base. There was a brown coil cord that attached the handset to the base and the handset was glued down on top of the base facing sideways with an LED digital clock display where the buttons would go. You set part of it with the recall button and part of it with the switchhook, which were still operable. I don't have a picture of it to post, unfortunately. It worked great and kept good time. I've never seen another one.

I think the Imperial-type Princess was available to the public. I've seen many of them, and there is a black handset and cords model with a metallic gold housing in addition to the white one. I've also seen copper and silver ones.

The trimline clock was a retirement gift, the coper princess I thiunk was a retirement set (very scarce) I have seen/owned gold Imperials princess sets, I have heard of Silver Imperial princesses, I think those are really HTF I have seen 6 of the gold/ none of the silver.
Jim

[gpo706]

Some screencaps for McHeath:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/tomorrowsworld/8018.shtml

TX date: 13th September 1979

(Your host is the avuncular Michael Rodd)

[gpo706]

grabs 2:

[Jim Stettler]

Early cordless trimlines, gotta love it. The button is reminenscent of the early (1966) hospital trimline sets. More on the subject later.
Thanks for posting the photos.
Jim

[gpo706]

Thanks you Jim took ages, had grab the screen and dump them to Photoshop, I was delighted when I got my ivory Trimline, almost exactly like what Michael Rodd had in his pocket, but without the big CB transmitter on the end, looks like a BNC plug at the end of the handset?

Someone can surely retrofit mine!

[Jim Stettler]

Thanks you Jim took ages, had grab the screen and dump them to Photoshop, I was delighted when I got my ivory Trimline, almost exactly like what Michael Rodd had in his pocket, but without the big CB transmitter on the end, looks like a BNC plug at the end of the handset?

Someone can surely retrofit mine!

I have seen photos of early cordless trimlines and 2500's. I can dig up the brand of the 2500's later.

I am assumeing you want to make your trimline style as a modern Bluetooth phone.
Jim

BTW John LaRue of the JKL musuemn has a neat Green Princess Phone that is a cellular phone that he keeps in his vehicle. I suspect remco took a photo of it.
Jim

[gpo706]

Jim, I'd love a bluetoothed trimline, but my technical knowledge probably extends just as far as almost working a voltmeter!

[Jim Stettler]

Jim, I'd love a bluetoothed trimline, but my technical knowledge probably extends just as far as almost working a voltmeter!

Have you seen the bluetooth ericfone? The guy that developed it is is on this forum. He was working with Richard Rose, to make a retro-fit kit. I think the kit might be av liable on Richard's Erickson site. You could contact Richard and see if the kit could be tweaked for a trimline.
Jim

[gpo706]

Yes i watched all the video, a kit for that would be a superb project.

[baldopeacock]

I have two of Gold plated Princess phones... (one has)  paint loss or whatever they used to make it look Gold...

In the auto resto world there are several vendors who can re-do metal plated plastic trim, one is here in my town.   I would think they could replate a plastic phone case.   

With the gold or silver plated plastic Princess cases or handsets --  would having the plating redone on an original Imperial Princess that show wear as you mention hurt its value from a collector's point of view?   Not to suggest making an Imperial clone, just restoring an original gold or silver finish to new condition.

[stopthemachine]

The TT trimlines were being field tested in Chicago in Jan. 1966.

Here is a good article about trimlines from "Bell Laboratories Record" magazine.
https://download.yousendit.com/S1VDRm8zTWNKV04zZUE9PQ

It is a yousendit link and is only good for a week.
I believe "Doc Remco" has a copy on his site.

Jim

I was going to say--Yes, my 10-digit Trimline is dated mid-1967, if I recall correctly.  TV trivia: Which TV couple had a 10-digit Trimline in their appartment?