AECo 80E & Phones built on the 80E Platform

[AE_Collector]

Okay, I know that not too many of you would trade your nicest phones for a smart looking collection of Automatic Electric 80E Telephones. That said, there are a few interesting 80E's out there.

Most of these pictures have been harvested off of ebaY so the resolution isn't very high. One day I will get around to taking more pictures of the phones in my collection.

First off, here is an example of a standard Rotary Dial 80E in Sand Beige:

[AE_Collector]

Since for the life of me I can't figure out how you guys put text between each picture when you post a bunch at once, I'll have to do individual posts.

So why was it called a Fashion Plate? Here's why:

[JorgeAmely]

Terry:

Wow!  I like the variety of colors AE provided beyond your basic black set.

[AE_Collector]

The picture imediately above looks to be Touch Call (AE's moniker for Touch Tone) but it is actually a "UDK". That is a Universal Dial Keypad. Looks like Touch Call but puts out Dial Pulses. Note the blank keys where the * & # buttons should be.

Since all but the earliest 80E's had a paper mat under a clear hard plastic faceplate, one could put dialing instructions under there for PABX or Hotel use. Here is an example of an otherwise conventional 80E TC with custom PABX instructions under the faceplate.

[AE_Collector]

Here's a nice looking "Gardenia White" 80E TC which as we all know, isn't easy to find. The original 80E's had a one piece hard plastic faceplate with ridges molded into he back. They painted them twice on the back making the ridges stand out. This set appears to have that type of faceplate. The later paper facemats emulated that look, but not as nice as the originals!

[JorgeAmely]

Nice! A true touch tone or does it emit pulses?

[AE_Collector]

Nice! A true touch tone or does it emit pulses?

The "Touch Calls" sets are DTMF where as the "UDK's" are touchpads that ONLY put out dial pulses.

Terry

[JorgeAmely]

What does the UDK model do when you press # or *?

[AE_Collector]

Okay, I don't know what the story is but several different companies used 80E's to produce dialers and even a clock/calculator. "WHAT?" you say ....no regular everyday WECo set can do that!

Here is one that I have an example of in my collection. It is an "Access-1" It can be programmed with 10 frequently called numbers.

[AE_Collector]

What does the UDK model do when you press # or *?

The UDK doesn't "actually" have a star or pound! It looks as though the button can be pushed though. I don't actually have one in my collection.

Here is its picture again:

[AE_Collector]

Here's another customized 80E, the "Royce Freedom Dialer".

[JorgeAmely]

Okay, I don't know what the story is but several different companies used 80E's to produce dialers and even a clock/calculator. "WHAT?" you say ....no regular everyday WECo set can do that!

Clock and Calculator!!??? And to think that in the last phone show someone said that AE meant "almost electric". That will show him.  

[AE_Collector]

Then there is the "Figure Phone". It doesn't appear to be a dialer but quite obviously it can add...and tell the time. Note the AM & PM indicator led's on each side of the display.

[JorgeAmely]

AE was truly slightly ahead of its time.

Do you have this one in your collection?

[AE_Collector]

They made 80E's in lots of colors although maybe not as many as back in the old days (the 60's).

Here are a couple of other color variations.

This picture of the "Ebony Black" 80E TC has the old type of ribbed back one piece faceplate.