Original Bell installer's number card kit

[baldopeacock]

Anyone here get this?  I tried. 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370445732233&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

[bingster]

I'm sure that stamper does the job, but I have serious doubts about it being Bell System issue.  All the actual Bell System numbering machines I've seen have a brace at the bottom with several alignment marks to line up the number properly on the cards.  That one looks like a regular stamper from an office supply store.

So I wouldn't be too upset about losing out.  You can probably get an identical stamper from Staples or Office Depot for a lot less than $30.

[HarrySmith]

I agree, I remember that logo on office stamps

[Russ Kirk]

When I started with Pacific Telephone I remember using one of those old stamps.  But, if I recall correctly, the most installs came with pre-printed cards.  I did use one of these B Stenciling kits a lot.

If I saw this auction I may have bidded.  I'm getting so many "go withs" in my collection.  

Russ...

[AE_Collector]

Anyone here get this?   I tried.  

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370445732233

The ebaY Handles list doesn't know who got it. 9***0 is unknown.

Terry

[jsowers]

Below is a stamping kit I found in 2002 on eBay, from Kansas City, Kansas. At least that seems to be where all the exchanges and area code are from. It came complete with the stamper you see here, a Bell System stamp pad, and many strips of number cards, all contained in the small pouch. I never knew number cards were originally light gray until I saw these, since they faded to a much lighter color when exposed to light.

Most phones with original cards from the 1950s have stamped cards as opposed to the entire number being pre-printed. And many of the original cards weren't stamped with a machine. They're too uneven. They were stamped in the field by hand. How many, I don't know, but the stamping machine was probably better suited to being in the business office on a table rather than out in the field.

The Carter's stamp pad ink didn't come in the kit--that was mine. The yellow fingerwheel removal tool did come with the kit, and that's one of the most useful tools I have. The stamper only has four rows of numbers, so it didn't work with the area code cards very well. It was made to go with the cards that had pre-printed exchanges on them.

The numbers in the stamper have a very old look to them and look to be a serif font. Unfortunately the rubber is too dried and cracked to use any longer. I have another stamping kit that consists of metal sans serif numbers on little wooden sticks. There is also a letter kit like this. It came with a dried up bottle of Bell System ink and a stamp pad. I don't see as many cards stamped with a kit like this as opposed to the older serif numbers.

The exchanges on the older cards are ATlantic 9 and CYpress 9. The ones with two letters (the exchange isn't spelled out) are from 1960 or later. DR stands for DRexel, SU for SUnset and MA for MAyfair.

[Russ Kirk]

Boy,  you two have nice stenciling/stamping sets for your collections!

[paul-f]

Here are some auction photos from more robust stamps for 7-digit numbers.

[rdelius]

I have had a smaller version of the one with the stamp pad. Metal box with stamper with rubber numbers and a pocket with number cards and windows. I believe it came from Bell Canada. No Bell or KS markings.
Robby

[Just4Phones]

I saw this and I was going to bid but it looked a little fishy to me too.  Thanks for the heads up.  I would have been very disappointed if it was not a real number stamper.

Joel

[Dave F]

This one came from Pacific Telephone in about 1966.

[bingster]

The big ones are exactly the ones I've seen.  Knowing the Bell System as we do, I suppose anything is possible, but the big ones with the bottom alignment plates are the only ones I've seen in the BSPs.   

Jonathan, I've never seen the kit with the individual numbers before.  That would explain why the really old cards often have numbers that are so misaligned.

[DavePEI]

This one came from Pacific Telephone in about 1966.

The HOMS 187S is a great stamper. I have one of them too, but not the case or  template to guide stamping. One note: The HOMS manual tells people to use a wood or plastic spudger to move the stamps, as metal tools can damage the print wheel...

Great Stampers!

Dave

[ka1axy]

This one came from Pacific Telephone in about 1966.

Any chance you could get a high res scan of one of those 4-card strips? I'd like to try to duplicate the entire strip, with alignment marks in Word of LibreOffice. Bonus points if you could also scan the alignment jig (I think Bell calls it the "cover"). My HOMS 187S came without any of the accessories...

[HarrySmith]

What is this topic about?
The OP did not attach any pictures so the eBay link and the outside picture link are both now dead.