News:

"The phone is a remarkably complex, simple device,
and very rarely ever needs repairs, once you fix them." - Dan/Panther

Main Menu

Finally, an xmas preasent to myself

Started by AL_as_needed, December 27, 2016, 09:52:59 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

AL_as_needed

Just won this 500 off goodwill, and what do ya know, its only a few minutes down the road from the extended family's place (where we spent the holiday). Cannot tell for sure but looks like a light blue but could be faded. Also looks like someone made a go at making it a mobile phone as it comes with a huge ball of wire.
TWinbrook7

unbeldi

Quote from: AL_as_needed on December 27, 2016, 09:52:59 AM
Just won this 500 off goodwill, and what do ya know, its only a few minutes down the road from the in laws (where we spent the holiday). Cannot tell for sure but looks like a light blue but could be faded. Also looks like someone made a go at making it a mobile phone as it comes with a huge ball of wire.

Buffalo NY ?

early 1960s.

andre_janew

The early mobile phones had a limited range with the range being limited by the length of the cord!

david@london

#3
true, although there were exceptions - link to forum topic "eve's wireless".......

unbeldi- is your deduction of an early sixties date for AL's phone due to the dial card?

unbeldi

#4
Quote from: david@london on December 27, 2016, 12:23:07 PM
true, although there were exceptions - link to forum topic "eve's wireless".......

unbeldi- is your decuction of an early sixties date for AL's phone due to the dial card?

Yes, it doesn't have an exchange name anymore, but still represents the first two digits of the office code by letters, here TT.  This was the first iteration, particularly in New York Telephone Co. areas, AFAIK, for transitioning to an all-number calling (ANC) numbering plan.  This permitted the use of digit combination in the first two places that previously were not available with pronounceable names, yet kept people happy for a while who wanted to keep their beloved office name alive at least by two letters.

But also by the style of finger wheel and the cord looks like the H4CJ cords of that time on the colored sets.

AL_as_needed

Quote from: unbeldi on December 27, 2016, 10:39:23 AM
Buffalo NY ?

early 1960s.

Yes it is with the TT3 exchange number, which was added as an expansion exchange with no actual name like the older exchanges, but just letters as a designation. There were several in Buffalo (ny) that were added at that time of this type. An interesting segment in dial card/number history.

Quote from: andre_janew on December 27, 2016, 12:11:19 PM
The early mobile phones had a limited range with the range being limited by the length of the cord!

I will take a picture of the cord after i pick it up, the literal ball of wire is about the size of the phone from what i saw, someone really wanted to have some mobility on this baby.
TWinbrook7

AL_as_needed

#6
Brought home the baby blue today and its all 4-62 matching, right down to the elements amazingly. It is faded some and was very greasy but it will clean up very well over the next few rainy days.

One thing that stood out was the finger wheel. The center where the number card is located is raised and open all the way through. the number card itself and a seperate acetate are held in by a simple ring with tabs that fit into slots in the reverse side. Outside of that the wheel mounts like a regular plastic wheel on the older style dial.

I have not seen this style before, is this an aftermarket piece or some odd step made for ease of production that was short lived?

TWinbrook7

RotarDad

#7
That is the original "open center" finger wheel used on all color 500s until the #9 dial was introduced in '65.  The #9 had the one-piece finger wheel, and this later wheel was often retrofitted on older #7 dials.  The open center wheel had more parts, and was more expensive, I'm sure.  500 collectors prefer the earlier wheel on pre-65 phones.  They often got broken by people who didn't know how to remove the dial card properly.  A nice one, cleaned and polished, looks great on an early color 500, or black mushroom 500.

You '62 is very nice.  Be sure to post some pics after it's all cleaned up!
Paul

AL_as_needed

RotarDad,
Thanks for the info! I have read about "open finger wheels" but never knew what they looked like. I have a red 500, a 70 something that has the solid wheel on the newer dial, which is what i have been used to on colored sets, but thats what i get for assuming  ::)

Will definitely post pictures after its all wet sanded and buffed.
TWinbrook7

19and41

 With cordage like that, it might have been a table phone in a restaurant.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

Jim Stettler

Quote from: 19and41 on December 30, 2016, 04:51:31 PM
With cordage like that, it might have been a table phone in a restaurant.
With cordage like that, I suspect it was an "illegal" extension. That was what the line cord looked like on my first (illegal) install. It wouldn't surprise me if the bell is disconnected as well.

JMO,
Jim S
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

andre_janew

Some illegal extensions had the ringer completely removed.   

19and41

My illegal install was a short cord to the wall termination.   I didn't know then that the ringer was the "tell".
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

Jim Stettler

Quote from: andre_janew on December 30, 2016, 06:29:42 PM
Some illegal extensions had the ringer completely removed.   
I did remove the ringer  on that first install.
Jim S.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

AL_as_needed

Quote from: Jim S. on December 30, 2016, 06:21:09 PM
With cordage like that, I suspect it was an "illegal" extension. That was what the line cord looked like on my first (illegal) install. It wouldn't surprise me if the bell is disconnected as well.

I was considering this as a possibility and I think you might be on to something. The cord itself was not something that would be used as a line cord, its the rigid solid filiment type that would have been used in or on the walls, and the ends were poorly done (no spades). It is period correct wire though as its the same as i have seen/removed in renovations i have done on houses of the same era.

Lastly the bell was set to allow it to be muted, which isnt something most would do if they only had a single set. How common was phone theft? Other than these things its a whole, unmolested date matching phone.
TWinbrook7