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3/59 500 -- what color is this really?

Started by baldopeacock, September 01, 2010, 10:30:45 AM

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baldopeacock

Stayed up last night to make a last second bid on what should be a soft plastic 3/59 500... which I won.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250687533010

What I'm really curious to see, when it gets here:  what color is this thing really?   He's listed it as light blue.   Every picture on the listing looks like light gray, including areas that weren't exposed to light.  

I'm hoping the seller was colorblind and I scored a gray 500.    :)   Maybe the color balance in the photo is bad and it's really blue, but that's OK too.   It's a likely candidate for Retrobrite, I would think.  






JorgeAmely

Looks light gray from here and I think you scored a bonus card under the stick-on card.

Congrats!
Jorge

Kenny C

i bet it is gray because of the line cord from the inside it shouldnt have yellowed any
In memory of
  Marie B.
1926-2010

Dennis Markham

I concur with Dr's Amely and Kenny.  It looks like Light Gray to me.  The first photo looked Light Beige but the others all appear to be Light Gray.  Looks like some of the discoloration on the handset may be from cosmetics or hand oils.  The coiled cord at the base of the phone does look like it may be yellowed slightly.  But for $10 and some change, you got a nice phone if it is what we think it is.

Dan/Panther


The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Dan

Soft plastic light grey for what you paid is a steal!!I paid 70 for mine and thought I got a good deal.  ;)
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

baldopeacock

Quote from: Kennyc1955 on September 01, 2010, 11:47:21 AM
i bet it is gray because of the line cord from the inside it shouldnt have yellowed any

I thought the same thing, Kenny.   Between that and the edge of the dial bezel, I was betting on gray.   Guess I'll find out when I open the box.

Kenny C

In memory of
  Marie B.
1926-2010

bingster

I bid $7 on that one. ;D

It looked light gray to me, too.
= DARRIN =



McHeath

I vote grey as well.  Nice price, you scored a keeper no matter what the color. 

baldopeacock

#10
I really didn't expect to get it at this price, and my max bid wasn't much more.  Just figured if I got it, cool - if not, someone's happy someplace.   Whether it was the questionable color listing or just one that slipped under the radar, I was pretty surprised and happy to end up with it.  3/59 makes it my girlfriend's birthday phone, so she'll be surprised.   I think.   :)   Oops, I just revealed her age, I'm in deep water...

I asked the seller to wrap carefully with the handset isolated from the body of the phone, explaining that this old plastic is brittle and these things often arrive broken if not packed to prevent damage.  We'll see.

baldopeacock

We have a winner.   It's grey.

Just had time to pop the handset caps, and the elements are late Feb '59, the unit is dated 3/59.   It's in good shape.  Has neoprene feet, I haven't pulled the case off yet but so far, no reason not to think it's all date matching.   Looks to have the original cord set, spades and strain relief intact at the wall end.   Sounds like soft plastic when you tap on it.   Other than a couple of minor scratches typical of a 51 year old phone, it's in nice shape and should respond well to Retrobrite, some very minor sanding and a polishing.

KeithB

Congratulations on scoring an inexpensive keeper!

Dennis Markham

Does it smell "cheesy" too?  Sometimes you can smell the cheese when the box is opened.  Ahhhhhhhh

baldopeacock

Quote from: Dennis Markham on September 07, 2010, 09:54:59 PM
Does it smell "cheesy" too?  Sometimes you can smell the cheese when the box is opened.  Ahhhhhhhh

That, I didn't notice - more of a musty, been closed up for a long time kind of smell.   Thumping the side of the case, it has a duller kind of sound.   Guess I'll know more when I open it up.   I'm anxious to see the dates in it but I'm thinking it's probably all original.   The bottom of the phone is exceptionally nice - no trace of rust, no scratches or bruises, very clean.   No orange refurb date stamps either.

The seller did a very good job of packing this phone - both handset and body heavily padded with bubble wrap, and the handset off to the side in the box.    I need to thank him.   He's got other phones up for sale, good packing should be acknowledged, it seems to me.