Is this a Western Electric model 653-A?

[skucera]

This is the first of the phones my stepdad restored.  The label inside with the circuit diagram has "653-A" in the bottom corner, so I Googled that and came up with a potential match for how this phone looks.  I figured I'd best confirm it here before I put it up for sale in the classifieds on this site.  Here are the pictures:

EDIT NOTE: The external image links to Flickr have been encoded (below), the Flickr pictures downloaded as jpg images and then each was attached to this post. The reason the forum does not allow external links to images has been discussed in detail in several topics and one of the better reasons why that is not allowed can be found in this topic:

     http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=11610.msg177523#msg177523

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[url=https://flic.kr/p/2e4uPj8][img width=1000 height=750]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4811/46640902311_ac4cb234bd_b.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2e4uPj8]IMG_0475[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/134214227@N03/]Scott Kucera[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Qic62n][img width=1000 height=750]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4830/31699668427_4ab54cc68a_b.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Qic62n]IMG_0478[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/134214227@N03/]Scott Kucera[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Qic6oe][img width=1000 height=750]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4810/31699669637_43a638033a_b.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Qic6oe]IMG_0477[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/134214227@N03/]Scott Kucera[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2cEFzRz][img width=712 height=950]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4884/45726367095_720a856d53_b.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2cEFzRz]IMG_0476[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/134214227@N03/]Scott Kucera[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2cEFzRz][img width=712 height=950]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4884/45726367095_720a856d53_b.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2cEFzRz]IMG_0476[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/134214227@N03/]Scott Kucera[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2cXtusQ][img width=1000 height=750]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4903/45916388044_8deabc0e88_b.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2cXtusQ]IMG_0480[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/134214227@N03/]Scott Kucera[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Qic4fg][img width=1000 height=750]https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7915/31699662447_195fba80d7_b.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Qic4fg]IMG_0482[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/134214227@N03/]Scott Kucera[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2cEFytp][img width=1000 height=750]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4873/45726362445_f3f210ce5c_b.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2cEFytp]IMG_0481[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/134214227@N03/]Scott Kucera[/url], on Flickr


Jack also liked to rewire most his phones with modular plugs so he could plug them all into different rooms in his house.  He was a little hard of hearing from his days in the Army, but there was never any question about when someone called, because phones all over the house rang, sometimes two or three in each room.  He also installed phones at our house with boyish enjoyment, and when we moved into a 150-year-old farmhouse he installed a classic looking wall phone in the kitchen, and ran extensions to other rooms.  I digress....

If you can confirm the model number, or correct my incorrect guess, I'm deeply appreciative.

Thanks,

Scott

[Babybearjs]

that would be the right model number. Its too bad WE didn't ID there phones better back in the day.

[skucera]

Thanks, John. 

Scott

[Babybearjs]

also, the TCI Library has a lot of info for you if you ever need further help. www.telephonecollectors.info

[skucera]

John,

TCI looks like an amazing resource.  Unfortunately, it doesn't have a visual library of phones.  It assumes I know what the model numbers are already, in which case it is organized to deliver tremendous depths of information.  Do you know of a visual catalog that I can browse through, like looking through an old Sears catalog by gazing at the pictures?

Scott

[Babybearjs]

yes, I agree... they didn't really plan on adding photos to the library in that way. plus, they are going on vintage paperwork... WE didn't really do photos like we do today!

[Jim Stettler]

John,

TCI looks like an amazing resource.  Unfortunately, it doesn't have a visual library of phones.  Do you know of a visual catalog that I can browse through,
Scott

Here you are Scott
http://www.paul-f.com/index.html

Paul F. has photos and descriptions as well as some BSP reference info.