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AE 40, 47 & 50 Base Code Observations (2017!)

Started by RotoTech99, January 03, 2017, 12:13:37 PM

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RotoTech99

Dear Unbeldi and AE Collector:
Here is a code for an AE50 I saw on eBay: L 3102 BSLF PD4; The set looks to be Chinese Red, where do you think it "falls" in the color coding?

RotoTech99

unbeldi

Quote from: RotoTech99 on January 09, 2017, 01:04:08 PM
Dear Unbeldi and AE Collector:
Here is a code for an AE50 I saw on eBay: L 3102 BSLF PD4; The set looks to be Chinese Red, where do you think it "falls" in the color coding?

RotoTech99

I think that is actually L 5102, not 3102.

RotoTech99

I think you're right, I'll review the photo and make sure

AE_Collector

#198
Quote from: unbeldi on January 09, 2017, 10:53:27 AM
Here is an example of an early set that shows what I described earlier.

The S is well separated from the standard ordering number, which included the N.

This appears to be another set from 1939 or so, with a silver-ink patent stamp.

My suggestion is that the extra leading symbol is not part of the primary order number, but has some additional significance.

That seems to be the case. There are really (primarily) just L and N sets and some of them might have either a P or an S added before the L or the N. So far I don't see any obvious difference between the L and N sets but there must be something! We will figure it out somehow.

I took a look at the records of the 40's that I have in my collection including lots of "spares", the largest number of which were obtained here in BC Canada. I wondered if N could indicate a Phillips / AE Canada made set and L a US made set. This is a slight possibility of this. My collection has many more N and PN 40 sets in it than L sets but I do have a few L 40 sets that were not bought on eBay (eBay purchased sets would much more likely be from the USA) but were primarily obtained from retired BC Tel employees who weren't really phone collectors so any phones they had were inevitably acquired as takeouts at work here in Canada.

I know there were times in more recent years where we acquired equipment from AE in the USA and/or NE/NT in Canada for many different reasons. I recall an AE Canada strike and there may have been times where Phillips/AE Canada couldn't supply the need or maybe AE Canada brought supplies in from AE in the USA.

But, a greater possibility seems to be that a P in front of an L or N might indicate Phillips/AE Canada made sets. Back to my Base Code records which are only just a few of my phones, phones I've seen on eBay and input from others, mainly members of CRPF.
-Virtually all L40/L41 sets (21 total) are "Chicago 7" sets.
-Almost all N40/N41 sets (16 total) are Chicago 7 or Chicago sets but a couple are Canadian (maybe adding the P was missed or unreadable)
-All PL40/41 and PN40/41 sets (4 total) are "made in Canada" by either Phillips or AE Canada
-All SL40/41 and SN40/41 sets (8 total) are Chicago or Chicago 7 sets.

Looking at my AE50 base code records, as I mentioned earlier, there appear to be  no N, PN or SN 50/51's. Only L, PL and SL 50/51's. I have records of 25 50 sets so a reasonable sample size. It doesn't look as though N 50/51's were made or whatever N and L indicate, N is not relevant to a wall set.
-most L sets (12 total) likely US made but 3 likely early L5000 sets made in Canada. Adding a P not yet thought of early on??
-All PL sets (9 total) are made in Canada or unmarked but most likely Canadian based on the source of info.
-SL sets (3 total) one marked Chicago, 2 unmarked and likely US made based on source of info.

So to sumarize:
There are L and N versions of the AE 40 (40/41 versions)

There are only L versions of the AE 50 (50/51 versions)

A P to the left of an L or N appears to indicate it was Canadian made.

A S to the left of an L or N appears to be US made like L and N sets. So with the S = a different US Plant maybe? The few examples I have indicate Chicago or Chicago 7 BUT, that is just AE's "mailing address" not necessarily the location of the plant.

Terry

AE_Collector

#199
Quote from: RotoTech99 on January 09, 2017, 01:04:08 PM
Dear Unbeldi and AE Collector:
Here is a code for an AE50 I saw on eBay: L 3102 BSLF PD4; The set looks to be Chinese Red, where do you think it "falls" in the color coding?

RotoTech99

F is the Color code for Chinese Red. I have a friend with every color of AE 40 so will hopefully have more codes soon.

Do you have pictures of that red 40 or is it currently on eBay? What sort of dial (or dial blank?) does it have with the B code?

Here is the "known color code" chart again.

_ - Black
_ - Walnut
_ - Mahogany
F - Chinese Red
E - Old Ivory
D - Jade Green
J - Nile Green
G - Royal Blue
H - Orchid
_ - Maroon


I am starting to work on a summary for everything we know about the 40 coding at the moment.

Terry

RotoTech99

#200
Dear Unbeldi and AE Collector:

I went back and checked, it read L 5102 BSLF PD4 all right. the 5 looked like a badly stamped "3" to me.

It's  currently on EBay; its not mine, its one I ran across searching AE40's.

RotoTech99

stub

#201
Terry,
Here's one on a Chinese Red - AE 50  -  L5002  D6   stub
Kenneth Stubblefield

AE_Collector

Hi Stub:

3 "0"'s in the number or 2? L50002 or L5002. That is one that doesn't seem to have the color code and also uses a single digit for the ringer frequency. Unbeldi (I think) posted one with a 3 rather than 30 in the ringer frequency position. Like the "0" they sometimes used for SL there must be a list of single digits used to represent some of the common ringer frequencies. I think there must have been more than 10 possible different frequencies in total though so I don't know how they made that single digit code work.

Terry

stub

Terry,
          5002, sorry can't seem to think or type   ???  stub
Kenneth Stubblefield

RotoTech99

#204
Dear AE Collector:

Here are some more AE40 and AE50 codes for you from my EBay searches:

Walnut AE40 N4025 A2 TB1
Royal Blue AE40 L4125 ASLG GN7
Black AE50 L5000 B4  RY6

these took me awhile to locate as they were in sites with EBay links.

See what comes of these...

RotoTech99

AE_Collector

#205
Okay, you found the color code (G) for Royal Blue there. Unfortunately there isn't a color code with that Walnut phone you found. I added "G - Maroon" to the previous color chart at reply #199 and down below on this post as well.

Logically Maroon might turn out to be color "I" but then again they might skip I as it can easily be mistaken for a 1. I suspect that they may have reserved "A" for black even though it never seems to show up on the base of a black phone. I think that Walnut and Mahogany were the first "colors" AE produced being that they are derived from bakelite rather than being actual plastic like the other colors so logically they might have been assigned color codes B & C. We will have to keep searching to see if we can find any examples. I sent a PM to Jon Kolger (who is on here occasionally) to see what input he has. He has an amazing collection of colored AE sets.

I have an Old Ivory 40 with Chrome trim and an Old Ivory 40 with gold trim. Both have the "E" color code in position 4 of the second set of codes. I also have a Chinese Red 40 but there is no color code on it. It was a basket case when I got it (and still is) and I suspect it didn't have a base plate with it, just the red case with internals and a red handset so I added a base plate from a busted up black 40.

_ - Black
_ - Walnut
_ - Mahogany
F - Chinese Red
E - Old Ivory
D - Jade Green
J - Nile Green
G - Royal Blue
H - Orchid
_ - Maroon


Terry

RotoTech99

#206
Hmm, I'll have to keep looking, as long as that code was for it, you'd swear the color code for Walnut was there.

What say ye on the black AE50 # L5000 B4 RY6, Have I run across something there?
RotoTech99

AE_Collector

I don't know what L5000 is specifically but probably an early version at least with that very low number. There is the single digit for the ringer again, (4). I think that I have seen charts from AE of single letters to indicate ringer frequency but there must be a list of single digits as well. back to the catalogs.

Terry

RotoTech99

From what I recall, it had chrome dial, with Metro "QZ" plate handset looked to have painted brass bands.


unbeldi

L 4126  DSLD      SJ7,      Jade  with gold trim:  http://www.ebay.com/itm/201573402981



L5000 seems to be fairly common, btw, e.g.:
L 5000  B0       NO5
L 5000  A0       JS?

SL5000  A0      SX6 (upside down)    (Chicago)   http://www.ebay.com/itm/252707688639

Here is a Brockville PL5100 and a decal: