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Find of the Month - January 2013

Started by AE_Collector, January 01, 2013, 02:36:34 AM

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Find of the Month - January 2013

Nick in Manitou's "Haul" of 16 Phones for $90 from Jim S.
7 (18.9%)
Babybearjs' NIB Sand Beige AE 187 Keyset for $20.50 on ebaY
4 (10.8%)
Kleenax's Gold Plated Ericofon from an Antique Store for $35
7 (18.9%)
AE_Collector's Autelco (AE48?) Speakerphone for $25 on ebaY
8 (21.6%)
Zaphod01's WECo 500 11-1951 for $15.95 on ebaY
2 (5.4%)
unbeldi's "heemaf 1955" for $14.99 on ebaY
2 (5.4%)
PaulF's "almost Clear" & "Slightly Miniature" AE 34 for free!
21 (56.8%)
Gilas Oxford Gray WECo 500 for $19.95 BIN on ebaY
21 (56.8%)
Vern P's WE Yellow 554 matching dates 6-2-56 found at HIS PLACE!
4 (10.8%)
AdamAnt316's 5302 & June 1952 500T for $30
4 (10.8%)

Total Members Voted: 37

unbeldi

#15
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George Knighton

Quote from: unbeldi on January 28, 2013, 05:22:19 AM
Not bad at all... at this price or another.  it's a really cool design, very impressive on the shelf next to some contemporaries.

Interesting!  I like the basic design.  I like having the guts of the phone on the base, too.

The only thing I'd say is that the excellence of the basic shape is betrayed by the lack of visual cues.

They should've done something to lighten it up.

At least a white number face for the dial.  Maybe a couple of bits of brass.
Annoying new poster.

paul-f

Quote from: AE_Collector on January 28, 2013, 01:29:31 AM

Need some more "Finds of the Month" for January. Any other steals or deals from this month?


How about a clear AE34 for $0.00 ??

This was a present from a web site visitor as a "thank you" for some info he found particularly interesting.

(Gifts are always welcome!!  :D)

Now that I have your attention, it's only fair to point out that there are some minor condition issues.

It turns out he had stored it in his garage in Florida.  Compare the size of the housing with the size of the baseplate.  Need I say more?

At least I can say I own one of the rare clear AE34s.





Visit: paul-f.com         WE  500  Design_Line

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Dennis Markham

Wow!  Paul that is very cool.  It's amazing that the housing shrunk that much.  Have you ever seen another (clear one)??

Russ Kirk

That phone is really cool Paul!

Makes me wonder what conditions in Florida made the clear plastic shrink so much.   

That is certainly a keeper to show off to friends.  This a good example of what not to do and what could happen without good conservatorship on our collections.

You are very fortunate to have that set. 
- Russ Kirk
ATCA & TCI

Jim Stettler

#20
Pretty cool even tho it needs work.
AE34 were usually a "water-white" clear plastic  or "un-colored" bakelite. The uncolored bakelite usually have a green tint vs amber tint. The heat of storage may of made it turn amber?

AE 40's and 50's in clear are typically water-white plastic.
Just my observation,
Jim

AE made clear AE34  sets for the 1935 World's Fair. The world's fair sets were pobably the clear plastic sets
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Doug Rose

Paul....outstanding!! Certainly cannot beat the price! Do the holes where AE 40 plungers would be have more depth to them than a normal AE34. First thing I thought was, display it without the base. Second was, the stuff on the market that defogs your plastic light covers on your cars. Maybe try it ins a not so obvious location, although I do like the dark amber it it morphed into. Is the plunger frozen from shrinkage? Still this will look great when you are finished. That must have been top notch advice you gave him/her......Doug
Kidphone

AE40FAN

Wow, that AE34 is really cool.  I wonder if it could at least be made into a display piece?  Maybe, you can cut the base to fit the shrunken phone?  Even in its condition I see it having some value...

AE_Collector

Quote from: paul-f on January 28, 2013, 02:06:58 PM
[At least I can say I own one of the rare clear AE34s.

I was going to correct your mistake above until I looked again. Was going to say that you meant to say that "at least you can say that you own a Mahogany AE 34"!

Was the base attached by the two screws on the sides? If so you are lucky it isn't being mistook for a NE Uniphone! All said though, I'd take it! Most of my few colored AE's are "Basket Cases"!

Terry

paul-f

#24
I'll take some more photos when I get a chance.

The two screws still hold the housing to the base, but there is a gap of over 1/4 inch between the bottom of the housing and the bottom plate, due to the shrinkage.

The housing has deformed as it molded to the metal parts inside -- hookswitch assembly in the cradle and ringer and capacitor on the bottom plate.

I havn't tried loosening the screws yet to see what will happen.  All the parts may now be captive in the housing!   :'(

If the housing will come off, it might be fun to fabricate a smaller bottom plate and cut down a repro gasket.  of course that would loose the size reference to show how much the housing shrunk.

The small circles on the cradle look to be about the same as on other AE34s.

I was told the set was originally clear and that the color was due to the baking process.  The garage was not air conditioned and the set was stored on a high shelf -- too close to the roof, in the hot air layer caused by the direct summer sun.

I wish I had a before photo for comparison.
Visit: paul-f.com         WE  500  Design_Line

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kleenax

#25
Quote from: paul-f on January 28, 2013, 02:06:58 PM
How about a clear AE34 for $0.00 ??

This was a present from a web site visitor as a "thank you" for some info he found particularly interesting.

At least I can say I own one of the rare clear AE34s.

Wow!  I have never seen ANY AE phone shrunk that much!  I vote right now for you to win!   ;D
Ray Kotke
Recumbent Casting, LLC

Gilas

I am going to nominate my Oxford Grey 500 that I got for a BIN of 19.99 the other day.  It appears all original in the posts including the grey handset cord.  Still need to find the line cord but just happy as hell that I can add this hard to find to my growing 500 collection.

Mike

kleenax

Quote from: Gilas on January 29, 2013, 07:58:32 PM
I am going to nominate my Oxford Grey 500 that I got for a BIN of 19.99 the other day.  It appears all original in the posts including the grey handset cord.  Still need to find the line cord but just happy as hell that I can add this hard to find to my growing 500 collection.

Mike

That is one heckofa snag there Gilas! 
Ray Kotke
Recumbent Casting, LLC

Vern P

Looking thur stuff to sell, and found this in my own place.  It had been up for sale at the last show I was to.

WE Yellow 554 with all matching dates of 6-2-56.  This has the very early dull chrome hook. I have 4 others with this hook.

I was with Jim S. in '09, we were visting another colloctor near by, when this 554 was found, in the back room.

The odd part about this is, 6-2 is my Mother BD. She was 39 when this was made.

Vern

AdamAnt316

#29
Pretty hard to beat some of the finds this month (like that clear AE 34, wowzers!), but I'll throw my 500-type finds from earlier this month in anyway.


Western Electric 5302, GF handset, innards from a NE 302, #6 dial


Western Electric 500T, somewhat rare, all dates on or about June 1952

Paid $30 for the pair. The 500T is by far my earliest 500 set, and the first non-C/D type I've ever come across. The 5302 is my first of that series to sport something other than a F1 handset.
-Adam