I just bought this brown AT&T Technologies (WE) 2500MMG dated 1985. Hopefully, it's not painted.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/181735105343
Wow, very nice! Doesn't look painted, congrats!
I'm assuming that brown was still a non-standard color for WE 500s, 554s, 2500s, 2554s, etc. past 1983?
Brown may have been a standard color for Wisconsin Telephone Co./Wisconsin Bell.
It could use some cleaning. This may be why you got it for $5. It might get lighter in color when you clean it. Just how much will depend on how dirty it is. (I'm kidding!)
I wonder if the body plastic is the same as the later AT&T 2500s with the offset 12 button TT pad with the additional switches and buttons (16 holes in the faceplate - and uses the K1 series handset)?
If so, one could "frankenphone" a "classic" 2500 in brown (with the same faceplate used for beige - which this phone appears to have...)
Jim
This phones plastic is post Divestiture AT&T marked plastic. After the breakup all bet's were off with colors.
I've never seen a ABS WE that color in 500/2500. They did make a dark brown trimlines. They also made soft plastic in a very dark brown. 500 type and maybe others.