302 with E1 Handset ?

[Dan/Panther]

Did 302's come with E1 handsets ?
D/P

[Dennis Markham]

Dan, early 302's did have E1's.  Usually they were on metal housings but not always.  I recently did that refurb job with the broken cradle ears.  That phone had an E1 and the owner said it was original the way they got it from the phone company years before.

[Dan/Panther]

The one you refurbed was plastic housing right, so that says they went even farther into production with the E1.
D/P

[Dennis Markham]

Yes, that one was truly a mutt.   I think the woman remembered it having an E1 when her parents got the phone but I think it had been refurbished a couple of times.  Check out this link to Paul F's site.  There is a time-line with photos showing some of the early 302's with E1's.

http://www.paul-f.com/weproto.html#302proto

EDIT:

Here's another pretty good site showing an early 302 with a time-line

http://vintagephone.com/HB302.htm

And from the same web site, a view of early cradle phones:

http://vintagephone.com/HBcradle.htm

[BDM]

Ok, here's how I remember it from other collectors. Not debating what Dennis has, just the way I understand it. The first run 302 sets used E1 handsets, as the F1 wasn't ready quite yet. The very early 302s had short wider spread cradle ears. Also, just under the carry handle of the main housing, there should be vents. These seem to be fairly rare. I've only seen one once. I do know someone bought one of these examples with an F1 handset about 8 years ago off Ebag, for very little money. They didn't know what they had, and posted their findings to the list server. To their delight, they had a first run.

Now, where later run sets installed with E1 handsets? Personally, I don't believe so. The E1 was phased out except for repair by 41. I find it hard to believe, though not impossible, that Ma Bell would have stuck on an E1 handset from the factory on a thermoplastic set. I could be wrong, but I need to see solid proof.

EDIT: I was told at the 97 Cincinnati TCI show that W.E. mothballed the molds by the time the F1 was in full production. I remember that well. In fact, I seem to remember seeing a Bell memo instructing their field techs to replace E1 sets with F1 sets after the war. That makes complete sense to me as far as Ma Bell practices.

Wish I could back that info up, as it's going by memory from my TCI/ATCA club days.

[BDM]

Ok, last thing. I've said this before, and I'll repeat it. Many of Ma Bell's products were purchased by independents TelCo's. They're notorious for replacing parts with earlier parts that W.E. would have never done. So that has to be taking into consideration. Not all of Ma Bells' phones were marked when sold to independents.

Also, #4 dials were installed on early sets as the #5 wasn't ready either. So we see #4 dials from time to time pop up in early, and even later sets. Those may have survived an in home refurb, like the main body or chassis being replaced.