1938 zinc 302 H1

[tallguy58]

I've said it before and I'll say it again

This place is an amazing treasure trove of fabulous info.

[suhoni56]

You were right Kenn, here is a pic of the dial face. MUCH younger than the phone.

Not in a hurry, but until I recondition the phone, I will be on the lookout for a dial face and fingerwheel to match the era.

[mentalstampede]

Depending on where the phone was originally in service, the dial plate may have been changed from a rural type with just numbers to the metropolitan style you've got now when the service changed. I have an 11/39 dated 302 with a dial plate from the early '50s as well, and two different original number cards. Both have the same number, but the older one bears no exchange letters, just 5 numerical digits. I suspect that's why mine received the switcheroo. And for what it's worth, it's also got an aluminum fingerwheel, but on a #4 dial.

It also may have been changed due to damage to the celluoid, since the 149 type plates are much more delicate than the enamel 150 type and later ones. I'm not sure what the exact date for changeover from 149s to 150s was, but Dave might know.

At any rate, if you want to actually use the phone regularly, the enameled plate you've already got is a much better choice to leave on the phone for durability reasons.

[poplar1]

As reported so far (none found dated II 38):


Number Plate:
149-type
II 34.........I 38*

150-type
         150A (numbers and "operator")
*IV 49........I 51

         150B (letters and numbers):
             Square D
*III 38.....II 40

             Rounded D, with Z
III 40..............II 53

             No Z
III 53......IV 53
         

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=11422.30