Vacation Finds

[bwanna]

just returned from antiquing around northern indiana. pictured are my phone finds. good bargains all.

the "guts" of the dial-less 554 are dated 1958 (birthday year) the shell is 1965. so will be looking for a '58 cover  $21

the AE is also '58, if i am reading the date  code correctly, $16.50

the touch tone in the box is what is at the front door of the central offices. the hand set elements are dated 1972.  $15 at the classic car swap meet.

& the piece de  resistance is the wooden telephone alcove, circa 1930's(?)  $30

saw a couple leich convertible phones priced around $150 & an ericsson with a broken finger wheel for $45

i passed on (shouldn't have) what i think was a WE317 with a head set receiver for $165

please make no judgements on my living standards from the junky looking room in the background....it is a remodel in progress

[Russ Kirk]

Great finds.  I would have bought them all too!

I had one of those alcoves in my first apartment many, many years ago. 

Makes me think of adding one someday to my home. 


Russ....

[JorgeAmely]

Donna:

Junk? What junk?

Hopefully, the junk on top of the heater won't catch fire when it goes on. 

[bwanna]

jorge, no need for the heater here in michigan this week. temps around 90 degrees.

i am good at catching stuff on fire, tho. potholders on the stove, my hair near a bon fire, & my favorite...the seal on a splice case 25 feet in the air. 

[JorgeAmely]

Donna:

I like your treasure collection. The AE80 seems like a good find. Does it have a bakelite handset? I can smell the soft plastic from here.

[Dennis Markham]

Nice finds, Donna.  Your metal phone looks like a Model 525A.  You can see it here on Paul's site, although that model is the dial version:

http://www.paul-f.com/we500typ.htm

I refurbished a non-dial version for a guy not too long ago.  (Couple of shots attached)

I saw one like yours sell on eBay a few weeks back.  I want to say it was in the $40-50 price range.

I like the non-dial 554 too.  All from antique shops??

[Dan/Panther]

Donna;
Good hunting. I especially like the wooden alcove for a phone.
D/P

[Phonesrfun]

Those phone hutches were popular in the 1920's, and were made to hold a candlestick.  I once visited an apartment that had one built into the wall between the kitchen and living room.  There is room below to mount the subset.

[McHeath]

Good finds all.  A buddy has almost that exact same phone alcove in his early 20th century house, funny how that could be considering the geography.

I like the 554 a lot, has a great look with the dial blank.  And that all metal job that Dennis thinks is a WE 525A is very cool, well worth saving. 

And your temps are around 90??!  Here it is raining and 57 at the moment.  We've had a slow start to summer, it almost never rains past April here. 

[foots]

  Wow, you really racked up. I especially like the alcove, I wish I could find one around here.

[AET]

Our old house in Milwaukee had an alcove like that.  I would love to find one.  IT still had the candlestick with it too.

[bwanna]

dennis, thanks for the link to paul, i hadn't had a chance to look there yet. i found that set at a car swap meet of all places. the AE was at a antique/flea market kind of joint. the other two at antique shops.

bill, i wasn't sure on the era for the alcove. there was one in my son's 1st apartment & it was placed low enough that you could sit down to use the phone. but i think i have seen in old movies they were place high enough to use standing up. i will either place a candlestick or a b-model in it. the grate in the bottom just pulls out. the connector block with wiring attached is still in there. you handy guys should be able to build one of these.

mc heath, we have had a very warm spring here. the temps are supposed to cool off to 70's by the week-end.

jorge, i believe the handset is hard plastic.

thanks guys for admiring my treasures.

[gpo706]

Transatlantic cousin?

[Phonesrfun]

Transatlantic cousin?

Sure looks like it.

[paul-f]

I believe Dennis meant 526...

   http://www.paul-f.com/we500typ.htm#526