With 11 bids already, I figured it was OK to bring more attention to this one:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/263328514408
The shocking part to me is that the seller knows the phone is "rare", but he proudly states:
"Most importantly I have personally converted this set to a modular unit along with new handset and mounting cords, a brand new factory transformer with enough wire to enable the light to work, a new dial, and 2 types of modular jacks for the application needed to install. As a former telephone employee I am the one who has done all the work and personally tested this phone to work."
One can only hope the phone was just a base, or badly damaged when he found it...... :)
That just makes me sick.
The seller obviously doesn't realize that the bulk of his life's work has caused so much frustration to the collector community for decades. Now, he prides himself on making an 'update' on a phone he knows full well is extremely collectible.
It appears that the housing is the same age as the modular parts. It has the ovaled logo, so the original housing was replaced.
So, that leaves the base, mushroom cap, and bayonet mounting ring (presumably) as the only original parts. I wouldn't pay over $100 for those.
Unreal. Update?? More like destroying a fine collectible phone!
Isn't then his item condition qualifier statement "RED Mint Condition Manufactured in 1958 Looks Brand New" a lie and would qualify for a return under eBay policies of item not as described?
Quote from: TelePlay on November 19, 2017, 01:51:03 PM
Isn't then his item condition qualifier statement "RED Mint Condition Manufactured in 1958 Looks Brand New" a lie and would qualify for a return under eBay policies of item not as described?
I could see how us collectors would see this as being untruthful, but I doubt eBay would see it that way. Saying "looks brand new" could mean anything. EBay could take that as meaning that he used later parts to make it look brand new.
There is 'clearly' a 1958 date stamp on the base, proving to anyone not in the collector world that the phone was built in 1958, although us collectors know that most of it isn't.
I wonder if it was originally a Red Mushroom at all? I asked about the dial markings, we will see.
Nevermind, I just reread the ad and he states he replaced the dial. He also states "There could be a way to adapt this to dial out but can't be sure". As a former teleophone man I would think he would know how to adapt a phone to dial out!
Quote from: HarrySmith on November 19, 2017, 02:34:54 PM
I woner if it was originally a Red Mushroom at all? I asked about the dial markings, we will see.
Nevermind, I just reread the ad and he states he replaced the dial. He also states "There could be a way to adapt this to dial out but can't be sure". As a former teleophone man I would think he would know how to adapt a phone to dial out!
I definitely think this was an original Red Mushroom.
Actually, the way he did it seems to be exactly according to Bell's refurb procedures for a Mushroom after the P/U was discontinued.
Jon Sower's (jsowers) black modular Mushroom seemed to be refurbished in the same way this was--replace original handset, cords, and housing with new versions, transfer the bayonet mount and light hood to the new housing, and drill a hole for the light switch (if applicable). 'Jester' and I also seem to have Mushrooms that were refurbed this way, albeit much earlier, without the modular notching. Note the thinner handset cords on the last two White Mushrooms.
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1424.msg46950#msg46950
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1424.msg46950#msg46950
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=18345
Here's the gold standard for a '58 red mushroom:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1217.msg15413#msg15413
Jorge always does such a very nice job on all of his phones
(http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1217.0;attach=5451;image)
Quote from: WEBellSystemChristian on November 19, 2017, 04:14:24 PM
Jon Sowers' (jsowers) black modular Mushroom seemed to be refurbished in the same way this was--replace original handset, cords, and housing with new versions, transfer the bayonet mount and light hood to the new housing, and drill a hole for the light switch (if applicable).
Christian, what a memory you have! Yes, this is the same travesty as befell the black one I own. Mine was a relative bargain about 10-12 years ago, about $20. You could tell someone was really proud of their work too, and it came with new mounting and handset cords and looked like nobody had ever used it. They did transfer the ring from the old housing and the cap and base were the only original pieces left. The dial was replaced too. If there were more of these out there, I'd say we had a 500U serial killer on the loose. Thankfully that's not happening.
A friend of mine asked the red modular U seller about the new plastics and they're WE plastics from 1983. I don't want to know what happened to the old red plastics and cords. Red is a particularly rare color for a 500U too. Such a shame!
I agree with you, Christian, you are buying a base and a red cap, plus maybe a metal insert that locks the cap. Perhaps the best approach would be to ask the seller if he still has those "old, smelly, '58 hard-wired junk parts" he removed. If so, there might be more value here.
If the seller had the original parts he threw out, I'd pay more for those than I would what he has left for sale. I already have a late fifties mushroom chassis with all the correct components, the correct bayonet mount, and can order a repro cap, plus the correct paint. The modularized housing notches can be patched using Acetone and mouseholes from a scrap soft plastic red shell.
Point is, there's more you can use to build an authentic Mushroom from what he threw away than what he has left.
Quote from: TelePlay on November 19, 2017, 04:45:03 PM
Here's the gold standard for a '58 red mushroom:
Yes, always easy to recognize Jorge's RETAINING WALL!
Terry
Most of the techs I have met who do not collect telephones know literally nothing about them. I had a NET old timer with a friend who is a collector looking at my collection and asked where did you get the European phones? He was looking at an AE. He was used to WE only.
I think this guy thought he was doing a good thing. We didn't see pics of it before, so there is a lot of conjecture. Yes, we all would have like it to remain as it was, he just thought he would get more money upgrading it.
I think we will be surprised how higher it goes, sitting at $151 now.
At least it's not a lamp!...Doug
Quote from: Doug Rose on November 20, 2017, 10:56:01 AM
Most of the techs I have met who do not collect telephones know literally nothing about them.
Agreed. Any time I read listings claiming it was checked over and repaired by a telco employee I think to myself that in most cases that means nothing! Just like there are many phone collectors who never had anything to do with the telephone company, there are many telco employees who just did their job having no interest in other aspects of the telephone business. And many who were telephone repairmen are lost if a different brand/model lands in front if them.
Quote from: Doug Rose on November 20, 2017, 10:56:01 AM
At least it's not a lamp!...Doug
Yes it is, it is just a little more sophisticated than others we have seen here. :)
Terry
Wow - up to $354 with over 9 hours to go! I'm very surprised that this one is going that high.... Doug called it earlier. Hey Christian, maybe you and I need to track down a vintage pair of modular snips to update all our phones....... ;D
Quote from: RotarDad on November 26, 2017, 12:34:54 PM
Wow - up to $354 with over 9 hours to go! I'm very surprised that this one is going that high.... Doug called it earlier. Hey Christian, maybe you and I need to track down a vintage pair of modular snips to update all our phones....... ;D
Having run up that much over the 7 day auction, I doubt there is much left on the upside. Probably no snipes. What is surprising is that a heavy eBay buyer (over 3000 feedback) is the high bidder. Wonder what he wants in that phone? Still, a premium for that phone, which usually sell for below $100 even when red.
Quote from: TelePlay on November 26, 2017, 12:38:42 PM
Having run up that much over the 7 day auction, I doubt there is much left on the upside. Probably no snipes. What is surprising is that a heavy eBay buyer (over 3000 feedback) is the high bidder. Wonder what he wants in that phone? Still, a premium for that phone, which usually sell for below $100 even when red.
Shaking my head on this auction. Not one but two last second snipes by first time bidders bumped the $354 to $438.
Must have been the premium color - red - that caused several buyers to pay a lot for this phone.
I just don't get it. That would have been pretty much on-par with what I would expect a typical dates-matching Red Mushroom to sell for retail. This one has every piece of plastic--other than the hood--replaced with parts completely incompatible with the correct ones.
I hope whoever bought this one knows how little of the original phone is left.
It is very surprising, but it is a "U" and we know that shiny sells......
I contacted the seller, He assured me when he did the modification ( 1983 ) he was not aware that it would detract from it's value, and vowed not to do any more modifications.
D/P
What would it have brought if it hadn't been modified?
Quote from: andre_janew on November 27, 2017, 05:35:35 PM
What would it have brought if it hadn't been modified?
I'm not even close to the best at guessing auction contests but....Double?
Quote from: Pourme on November 27, 2017, 05:39:03 PM
I'm not even close to the best at guessing auction contests but....Double?
Easily into double digits, if the seller included the dates of every component.
If someone offered this phone to me, I'd pay maybe $50. I guess you could use a soft Red 500 with a destroyed base and drill holes into the housing. Even then, they wouldn't be original parts.
I already have a spare P/U base with the correct internal parts--throw a light hood into the mix, and I already have as many genuine parts at the buyer paid $450 for.
Quote from: TelePlay on November 19, 2017, 04:45:03 PM
Here's the gold standard for a '58 red mushroom:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1217.msg15413#msg15413
Jorge always does such a very nice job on all of his phones
(http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1217.0;attach=5451;image)
Thanks, I appreciate your comments
^ That is a real beauty, Jorge! Is your shine from a Machine, or Hand Buffed?
Both. The polisher cannot get into every tight corner, so those were done by hand.
Jorge;
Beautiful work as usual.
D/P
Quote from: JorgeAmely on November 30, 2017, 10:24:54 AM
Both. The polisher cannot get into every tight corner, so those were done by hand.
What chemicals do you use for that shine? Just Novus or something else?
At least he didn't turn it into a lamp!