Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Telephone Talk => Auction Talk => Topic started by: John S on December 04, 2013, 05:10:22 PM

Title: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: John S on December 04, 2013, 05:10:22 PM
I am kind of surprised I won this phone.  Its a red soft plastic phone dated 1956.  All the dates match. Its a nice phone that will need some TLC.  I really thought it would have jumped up that last min. I put a bid on it, thinking I was not going to win.   I won it for 34.33 and 13.90 shipping.  The cord looks more black, but it does have a greyish look to it.  The cord is also dated 1956.  I am not sure if I will keep it or resell it. I have it in a bag because it smells like smoke..... Here is a link to it, not sure if it will work.

http://tinyurl.com/kfn83d2

John
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: John S on December 04, 2013, 05:11:17 PM
More Pics....
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: JimH on December 04, 2013, 05:12:30 PM
Nice catch, John!  I saw this one too, but I'm a bit overloaded with projects.  Is that a black handset cord, or is it gray?

Jim
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: John S on December 04, 2013, 05:27:35 PM
Jim,

Its looks more black...but has greyish tint to it.  The metal cord restraint is dated 56.  Did they ever use black on a soft plastic?  The cord is thick and coil are larger than usual.  Kind of odd. 

John
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: LarryInMichigan on December 04, 2013, 05:53:13 PM
That was a great catch!

Larry
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: Jim Stettler on December 04, 2013, 06:29:54 PM
Quote from: John S on December 04, 2013, 05:27:35 PM
Jim,

Its looks more black...but has greyish tint to it.  The metal cord restraint is dated 56.  Did they ever use black on a soft plastic?  The cord is thick and coil are larger than usual.  Kind of odd. 

John
I have a straight handset cord that is probably the same color. Too black to be  called gray, but gray enough that it isn't black. Mine  is a long straight cord, probably not for  a 500 but maybe a 554.

ISTR that Vern P. said the info didn't jive with the known cord options offered on soft sets.
Jim



Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: tallguy58 on December 04, 2013, 07:00:45 PM
How can you guys tell the difference between soft and hard plastic??
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: Jim Stettler on December 04, 2013, 07:16:16 PM
Quote from: tallguy58 on December 04, 2013, 07:00:45 PM
How can you guys tell the difference between soft and hard plastic??
TST

The Smell Tells.
If it smells like vomit ( or expensive cheese) it is soft plastic and desirable by collectors (but not their spouses).
Jim
There is also a click test. If you click it with you fingernail hard plastic "sound" hard.
There is no Known BS documentation (as yet) but Soft plastics can be found on 300 type sets (black and color) and princess sets as well.
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: John S on December 04, 2013, 07:24:55 PM
Yes, this smells like foot cheese all the way............

John
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: Contempra on December 04, 2013, 07:35:19 PM
John you can wash the housing, handset with a little bit dish-soap and warm water. this will remove the odor. ;)
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: tallguy58 on December 04, 2013, 07:36:57 PM
Uh......thanks for that.

Unfortunately, my internet provider doesn't yet have a smell capability.

Any other way of telling visually? Or is it just certain sets are made of vomitene?

;D
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: WesternElectricBen on December 04, 2013, 07:40:36 PM
Well, if you look on the inside of the case and see a date like that (shown in his pic) than is's soft plastic, but if it is in a circle its hard plastic.

You could also do a tap test, is you have a newer phone that is 100% hard plastic, usually soft plastic has a lower tone than hard plastic. 

Ben
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: Contempra on December 04, 2013, 07:45:54 PM
good trick Ben ;)
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: Dennis Markham on December 04, 2013, 08:07:15 PM
Nice buy John.  As far as knowing if it's soft plastic or not....the date tells the story.  One often needs more information than what is posted in the listing.  The housings are often changed on a phone with an early chassis date.  You can see in the photo of this one if you look closely at the inside edge of the housing that a date is stamped there.  It's always good to confirm that date with the seller to make sure.  There are other clues that it's an early phone...like the straight volume control lever and the 6 holes in the ear cap and the thicker/wider receiver hook.  Not to mention the dates that are shown.

That was a great price for this phone even if you have to replace the handset cord.
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: John S on December 04, 2013, 08:13:26 PM
Thanks Dennis......

I have it in the basement.  The phone came from a smoker.  I have it in a bag trying to get the smoke out.  Once the smoke fades away, I will take it all apart.  The smoke smell really was intense.  Overall happy with the purchase...

John
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: unbeldi on December 04, 2013, 08:18:45 PM
Quote from: John S on December 04, 2013, 08:13:26 PM
Thanks Dennis......

I have it in the basement.  The phone came from a smoker.  I have it in a bag trying to get the smoke out.  Once the smoke fades away, I will take it all apart.  The smoke smell really was intense.  Overall happy with the purchase...

John
How do you expect to get the smoke out when it's locked up in a bag?
First step is to wash it thoroughly with a fairly aggressive cleaning agent. I use Fantastik most of the time, it also cleans organic residues, in this case nicotine. Letting it soak in a solution for some time will help getting as much off the surfaces as possible, but in the end it may need some light abrasion.
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: AE40FAN on December 04, 2013, 08:22:10 PM
I saw this phone.   I can't believe it went for so low...congratulations!
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: WesternElectricBen on December 04, 2013, 08:36:18 PM
Great deal you got, if forgot to mention.

I agree, but what I do, is open up the case, take it off, and set it outside for an afternoon and the smell is usually gone. Make sure you take apart the handset and remove the little cotton ball because that can capture a lot of smell.

Ben
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: Sargeguy on December 04, 2013, 08:58:30 PM
That's a shame about the smoke.  I have an un-attached garage that I leave smoky items in.  The fresh air helps
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: John S on December 04, 2013, 09:07:33 PM
I really thought the phone would have spiked high towards the end.  I was surprised when he sent me a invoice...

I have the phone in a bag with some "odor be gone" with a dryer sheet.  I was going to leave it outside, but it suppose to get in the teens.....I will clean it more tomorrow.  I never seen it this bad.  The smell gave me a headache.  Thanks for the tips!!!!!!!!!!!

John
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: Contempra on December 04, 2013, 09:19:53 PM
you're welcome John but remove the phone of his bag because the odor will stay Inside the phone. remove the housing too...my 1953 WE had this odor and I washed all the plastic and all is okay ;)
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: jsowers on December 04, 2013, 09:54:03 PM
The black coil cord was probably installed when this phone was new if the customer wanted a long handset cord, which was an option, but long cords were discouraged in the early years for whatever reason. Maybe the only long cord the installer had in the truck was black and so that's what they got. Cords didn't always match in all colors anyway during those years, but red did match by 1956.

Color 554s only came with coiled handset cords, according to the BSPs. Only black 554s had straight black cords early on, but by 1957 they all came with coil cords standard.

This phone looks original to 1956 all over. You got a great deal. A good wash will get the smoky smell out.
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: WEBellSystemChristian on December 04, 2013, 11:36:45 PM
I haven't had a bad smoke odor problem...yet, but if I do, my dad has an ozone machine laying around. That would kill the smell... ;D
Title: Re: 1956 Red Soft Plastic Rotary Wall Phone eBay.....
Post by: jfrutschy on December 07, 2013, 03:00:49 PM
Soaked one dawn for a couple day that smelled like smoke me out nice then used Novus plastic polish to enhance her beauty.   Nice find.  Can't wait to see her done

John