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Examples of Reproduction Wall Phones

Started by Sargeguy, November 19, 2012, 06:27:56 PM

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rdelius


poplar1

#16
fake 1317 "This telephone has no internal works"
--note the finger joints (not)

"Antique Western Electric Oak Wall Telephone Case Cathedral Top Note Desk"

http://www.ebay.com/itm/151020934609 ( dead link 03-09-21 )

"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

poplar1

#17
fake 51AL and  fake 150G---nothing Western Electric on either one
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

poplar1

fake 2-box---all new wood other than the top box---don't see anything Western Electric
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

rdelius

#4 looks like a GPO set,Next to  last posting is old wood but Bell Telephone Mfg belgium (backboard and battery compartment.Ebay needs to stop key word spamming example Kellogg telephone not Western Electric. I get enough bad hits to sift through anyway

wds

It's great that you're showing these examples of fake wood phones.  I know I've watched a couple of these phones on Ebay, not realizing that they were fakes.  After I've purchased and worked on a few more wood phones I'll be better able to tell the difference, but in the meantime it's scary to think that I might fall victim to one of these phones.  Thanks for the education!
Dave

Bill

#21
Here is a variant from our local Craigslist, at http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/atq/3722285597.html ( dead link 03-09-21 )

The ad is titled "wenstern antique telephone - $1"
The text of the ad describes it as
OLD VINTAGE ANTIQUE WENSTERN ELECTRIC WOOD WALL MOUNT UP TELEPHONE $ 150 obo

It is not old
It is not vintage.
It is not antique.
It is not "Wenstern Electric"
It is not "Western Electric"
It may be wood (most likely pressboard)
It is not $1

Other than that, a pretty nice item. Hurry! Send your money right away!

Bill


poplar1

#22
Actually, it *is* Western Electric or their later name AT&T Technologies. Model 2951. WE bought the oak boxes from a company in Indiana IIRC  and added WE parts. They sold for about $279.

I talked to the owner of that company one time; he had left over oak boxes and said he could sell me some that had not been cut for the dial opening.

http://paul-f.com/weDesignLine.html
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

Sargeguy

#23
Antique Western Electric Wooden Wall Phone .Cool Old Phone / Displays Great!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/4612331817 ( dead link 03-09-21 )

Displays Great if your display is "How to make a phone from PhoneCo replica parts"

There is a real Western Electric transmitter faceplate and the replica receiver is fairly valuable.  The box is not WE.  That lightning arrestor is a tip-off, as is the round thing on the side.  Also the lack of Western Electric markings and dates stamped into the side.  WE never used metal tags on three box telephones, they always have stamped logos.  If they used metal tags it was really late, and only on magneto or ringer boxes and those tags were very small.
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

poplar1

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300953049111
works better.

Here's a revealing shot of the inside: repro hookswitch and an air gap between the transmitter and the rest of the phone.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

Sargeguy

I didn't even get as far as the insides! 

The vast majority of WE two boxers did not use brackets to mount ringer bells
The magneto has been repainted and had a fake sticker added.
ALthough "pony" phones were made from three-boxers, they were removed from the backboard in the process.
WE Two boxers almost always used a #5 or #10 arm to mount the transmitter
WE battery boxes were not held on with latches in that manner
The lip on the writing shelf is created by gluing two parts of wood together.  They routered a groove into the shelf and glued the lip into it.  Real examples used multiple pieces but the lip is always carved from the lower part of the shelf, not glued on.
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

rdelius

Another BTM (Belgium) battery box and backboard

wds

I'll have to admit that I was attracted to this one.  I guess I was attracted to all the glitter - much like the women I dated.  Glad I didn't fall for this one!
Dave

wds

Someone made the mistake I almost made.  BIN for $325
Dave

Sargeguy

#29
$391 dollars!!! Yikes! I did not warn about this sooner because I thought it was an obvious piece of junk.  Someone got burned!  Here are some recent sales (last year or so) that are more indicative of the true value of a WE 2-boxer:

As removed-from-service 240 with 7-digit transmitter and OST receiver and it cost me $400.



http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=7824.0

I bought an intact version of what this is supposed to be for $305.



My New England Telephone 2-boxer with beveled transmitter was $500.  



http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=7925.0

THESE WERE ALL PURCHASED OFF OF EBAY!!!

There are bargains to be had or nice phones to be bought for top dollar.  Educate yourself and don't throw your money away on junk!
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409