Auction 228: S.H. Couch Autophone Wall Telephone - Ended 09-18-16

[TelePlay]

New forum members are very welcome and encouraged to take a guess. After all, there are no wrong guesses, just one lucky one. No one knows the winning bid on any auction until it ends. However, it is important to get your guess in before someone else grabs your guess.

Listed about 1 day ago in a 5 day auction with no reserve starting at $10.00 ( with thanks to Fabius for the heads up on this auction ) is a recent "didn't sell because reserve not met" Couch Oak Wall phone. The seller provided a good array of photos. Since being listed, the phone attracted 3 buyers upping the starting bid to $56.88. The prior listing of this phone ended at $129.02 with 10 buyers placing 19 bids. That listing also had a BIN of $475. Lot of interest but the reserve was more than $129 so it didn't sell. Given that information, this will be a hard one to guess, or a luck guess will win the contest. It will increase but to what so, once again, the question is who best knows what this will sell for when the auction ends? At least this time the listing will go to a close, and sell.

NOTE: because of that recent auction, in order to allow members to enter a guess, we will use a $3 gap rule between guesses to prevent crowding. As such, keep your guess at least $3 away from prior guesses for this contest.

5 day auction - just less than 3 days from creation of this topic to guess

The seller listed it as an "S.H. Couch Autophone Oak Wall Telephone" with the item condition as "Used" and "Old original condition, as removed from service. While the Dial does move, it does not return properly. Definitely needs work . It would be used on a private S.H. Couch Autophone System." and with the auction listing description saying "Neat old original condition S.H. Couch Boston, Ma. 30 Station Autophone Oak Wall Telephone.  This is a proprietary model of phone that would have only worked on an Autophone System.  It cannot be used on regular telephone lines without extensive modifications, that would destroy it's antique value.
While the dial does turn,  it does need servicing.  However, since it would only work on a this particular system and then only with similarly configured telephones, it is a moot point.  It is being sold as an antique relic of the early days of Telephone development, not as a working phone.  It needs a good thorough cleaning. "

http://www.ebay.com/itm/252538931158

It's another chance to move up a rung or to get onto the CRPF -> Contest Standings <- list,

     . . . for as twocvbloke said,   ---> "You gotta be in it to win it !!!" "

If you want to see the phones of past Auction Contests, click -> HERE <-


S C O R E B O A R D

$   189.98 - TelePlay  ( 11 )
$   202.00 - andre_janew  ( 10 )
$   207.00 - wds  ( 3 )
$   253.00 - Russ Kirk  ( 9 )
$   265.00 - Sargeguy  ( 8 )
$   275.00 - Kenton K  ( 5 )  -> WINNER - Final Selling Price $280.00
$   285.00 - Fabius  ( 1 )  -> WINNER - Final Selling Price $280.00
$   310.00 - tallguy58  ( 4 )
$   325.00 - Pourme  ( 2 )
$   350.00 - compubit  ( 7 )
$   425.00 - Jim S.  ( 6 )


Early Morning Auction Status

09-13-16      Listed        $     10.00
09-14-16     3 bids         $     56.88    ( 3 bidders )
09-15-16     4 bids         $     59.00    ( 4 bidders )
09-16-16     7 bids         $     77.00    ( 5 bidders )
09-17-16     7 bids         $     77.00
09-18-16     7 bids         $     77.00
09-18-16   11 bidders, 16 bids $280.00  Ended at 17:57:42 PDT

[Fabius]

$285

[Pourme]

Why didn't they extend the arm just a little so the receiver would hang straight, without touching the dial? But I digress...

$325.00

[wds]

$207

[tallguy58]

$310

[Kenton K]

275 will do it.

[Jim Stettler]

$425

[compubit]

$350.

Jim

[Sargeguy]

265

[Russ Kirk]

$255

[andre_janew]

$202

[TelePlay]

189.98

[TelePlay]

How about that! It doesn't happen very often but it happened tonight in this contest. A DEAD HEAT TIE, WE HAVE TWO WINNERS!

And the winners of Auction Contest #228 are Fabius, who with the very first guess took $285 and Kenton K who with the 5th entry into the contest guessed $275.00. The phone sold for $280.00 so both get the win. This tie gives Fabius his 9th win and Kenton K his 5th win. We almost had a tie in #226 but Kenton K had the urge to go with $101.00 rather than $100 which had he not it would have been a tie in that contest as well. So, once again a big congratulations go out to Fabius and Kenton K for each claiming another win in the CRPF Auction Contests and for moving up another rung in the Contest Standings.

This phone started off at $10 and moved up to $77 in the first few days where it sat until the last day of the auction. With less than an hour to go, it jumped to $152 until 5 minutes to go when it popped up to $202, where it sat until the sniped came flying in. The ending saw 4 first time bidders jump in, 3 of which placed their bids within the last 10 seconds of the auction. When the dust settled, z***o ( 266 ) with his first and only bid placed with but 4 seconds left took the phone home $280.00. The phone was listed at $10.00 and over 5 days, it attracted 11 bidders placing 16 bids.

Check out the updated Contest Standings to see who's who through 228 contests and the latest additions to the CRPF Hall of Fame

Thanks again to all who played. As always, there is only one way to get on the winner's board or move up a rung - you have to play to win.

====================

The last tie was in Contest 149 back on 11/3/2014, a bit less than 2 months shy of 2 full years ago. Ties are indeed unusual.

[Kenton K]

oops...

[Pourme]

 Congratulations to Fabius, and Kenton K! First tie I have seen!