My AE40 collection - AE40FAN

[AE40FAN]

A collection of AE40's I own.   I am happy to say that the first 2 are completely original and in fantastic condition!   To complete my collection I dream of an AE34, as well as, a cherry red 702B Princess Phone...

[kleenax]

A collection of AE40's I own.   I am happy to say that the first 2 are completely original and in fantastic condition!   To complete my collection I dream of an AE34, as well as, a cherry red 702B Princess Phone...

Very nice!

[stub]

 AE40FAN,
               Nice set of 40's there!!!  You do know now you have to have more and more and       stub

[AE_Collector]

And a 50 and a 43 and a 35 to go with the 34 and a 1A and a 2 and and and ....

Terry

[AE40FAN]

Terry,
Not unless I come across them at a yard sale being sold dirt cheap by some elderly woman....My money is being saved for a restored AE34 and Red Princess rotary. I'd love to also include any color variation of the pre 50's AE's, as well as a Blue or Grey Mushroom phone but, I don't see that ever happening! One day I will have to post photos of my RCA 75X series radios as well because I worked really hard on making those displayable...lots of brass polishing and wet sanding!

[AE_Collector]

I'd love to also include any color variation of the pre 50's AE's

So you are saying "an original colored version of an AE 1, 2, 34, 35, 40, 47 or 50"....correct?

Terry

[AE40FAN]

I was being sarcastic as coming across a colored model at an affordable price (not on ebay) would be like finding a unicorn! Definately not interested in a painted phone. Irony is I have this collection of rotary phones and I don't have a landline. 

[AE_Collector]

One never knows what they may stumble upon. Lots of proof of that right here on the CRP Forum!

I don't collect much other than AE but of course have a few examples from other manufacturers. I have had an Ivory 354 for years and finally found it an Ivory 302 mate at the North West Telephone show last weekend. ($50)

Terry

[AE40FAN]

Nice Terry!  I will have to research more on these telephone collectors shows...especially for bargains such as yours.

[HowardPgh]

Well!
You got your red Princess!! Now you need the 34, 80, 1A tall and short models and a 47 with the buttons.
Nice looking 40s, they are on my list of favorites. 
One problem with me all the phones are favorites.
Phones are like "Lay's" potato chips-You can't have just one!
Howard

[AE40FAN]

Yes, adding to that list is a Mediterranean blue Mushroom phone!  Such a great color.  I have to start going to flea markets/yard sales/thrift shops to see what I can find. 

[dsk]

I have to admit, the designs of American telephones is most impressing. Nothing wrong with other stiles, The UK pyramid phone is a good example on excellent design.  Back to the AE 40's
Why are there so many variants, all black, chromed dial , chromed rings on the handset, brass...
Was it different years, or models from lo- to high- cost versions?

dsk

[AE_Collector]

Hi d_s_k:

Brass would have never been an offering from AE other than the fact that most of the metal is brass underneath even if it is painted black. Therefore people like to strip the paint off to expose the brass but that really isn't correct for an AE phone or likely almost any phone.

AE offered phones such as the 40 and 50 in all black or in a delux version with chromed handset bands, fingerwheel and carry bar/plunger buttons (later on the 40 deak at least). Gold matte trim was also available on black bakelite 40's and 50's as well but of course it is much more rare to find than the chrome trim.

The colored AE sets only came with chrome or gold matte trim, there was no option for no trim like there was on the black 40's and 50's.

There are other slight variations as well such as the very early 40 and 50 handsets (type 41) that had the brass bands painted black on the basic phones and then they eliminated the un-neccesary brass by going to plain bakelite caps on the handsets but still grooved the bakelite to look like the brass bands. Very soon after that they further reduced costs by making the caps smooth on the edges rather than grooved.

As for sets with some chrome but not all chrome items, to the best of my knowledge they weren't offered that way though AE seems to have been willing to supply hatever a Telco would buy. I suspect the mixtures came from being refurbished repeatedly and parts being moved around. That said, chromed FW's do show up on some earlier colored plastic sets possibly in place of early clear plastic FW's.

Terry

[Greg G.]

It's funny that a futuristic movie like "The Matrix" would feature a vintage phone like the AE40 in one of its scenes, but I can't remember if it was an all black one or the chromed version.

[dsk]

  It came yesterday  

How could I date it?
Its working with a great sound quality, and an impressing anti sidetone function. I just have to get some time for cleaning, and shining it up, and maybe changing the cords.
I have posted the pictures etc in this thread:  http://tinyurl.com/9cjhfjq

dsk

PS the diagram may be read in different ways:

DS