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WE "Compact Wall" Prototype F-53397 (Princess Style Components)

Started by John S, September 26, 2009, 10:06:45 PM

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John S


I wanted to post some pics of a Western Electric phone that I found at a Estate sale.  I never seen a phone like this before, and wanted to see if anyone have seen one or own one in there collection.  I found some information on the net, it was a prototype, it was never produced in volume.  I thought you guys might be interested, to see the pics.  I showed Dennis, and told me to start a thread.  Just curious what people think about it.........

John


Dennis Markham

Paul Fassbender shows this phone on his web site here:

http://www.paul-f.com/weproto.html

I've never seen one of these but it looks like the prototype to me.  It may have more than normal value.

Jester

There was one of these on ebay about 6 months ago.  I recall it selling for just over $60.00.  I was surprised by that, knowing that it was a true prototype.  That is a nice find you have there.
Stephen

McHeath

Very cool phone, I've seen it on Paul's site and really like the early 1554 crossed with a princess crossed with a 554 look it has.  It's interesting that there is only 5 years between this and the 554, clearly style was evolving quickly in that time period.  Is that hookswitch all chrome?  Does it work?

John S


Yes, the phone does work.....The hook switch is plastic.  Once I clean it up..I will  post the new pics on here....

jsowers

Wow! What a nice phone! It looks like it's made to light up too. Is that the purpose of the hole on the front with a slot in it? I see what looks to be a light like a Princess would have. Be sure to post a picture of it lit, if that's the case. Prototypes are very valuable and usually bring big bucks at auction. Be very careful cleaning it up. Don't lose any of the markings.

This phone also resembles that phone SC (I think) made much later with the dial in a 1554/2554 body. But it's much more valuable. Too bad Western Electric never made this one. It may also be a leftover from a field trial. Sometimes they tested phones in selected cities that way.
Jonathan

Dan/Panther

I appears that these are more than just a few made. What qualifies as Prototype. I thought it meant one of a kind.
$60.00 for a prototype anything seems cheap.
John how much did it cost you ?
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

bwanna

john, very cool. thank you for sharing, will look forward to more pics. your phone reminds me of one of my kitchen gadgets called an ice-o-matic.
donna

John S



Here is a picture of the inside.....I picked up the phone at a estate sale..for 3 bucks...I am not sure, if I want to keep it, or sell it....more pics to come.....

McHeath


jsowers

Quote from: John S on September 30, 2009, 08:32:58 AM
Here is a picture of the inside.....I picked up the phone at a estate sale..for 3 bucks...I am not sure, if I want to keep it, or sell it....more pics to come.....

That phone was the bargain of the year. You should keep it. You will never find another one. Any serious collector of WE phones would give his or her eye teeth for a prototype phone. But if you should decide to sell it, put it on eBay and let the highest bidder get it and don't accept offers. Properly identified as to what it is, it should go very high.

I just looked at Paul Fassbender's prototype page from the link provided above by Dennis and it says this model was tested in field trials but not manufactured in volume. This isn't a one-off phone since there are others that have surfaced, but a prototype can be one in a series of designs, not just one item, so the company can refine the design and test market it. The fact that it never made widespread production makes it a prototype. There's a lot of valuable info on Paul's details page here...

http://www.paul-f.com/wecw.html
Jonathan

bwanna

donna

McHeath

I agree with jsowers, keep it.  You are only out a few measly bucks for what is a rare prototype WE phone.  How cool is that? 

Pretty cool.

What color is it?  If it's white you could try the bleach methods discussed on this forum to try to bring it back to originality.  I'm not sure I'd sand it, seeing as how it's rather unique, what say the rest of the folks on sanding a prototype?

Dan/Panther

I would try the bleach method first.
I'm confused on the prototype business. What qualifies as a prototype ? Under 100 made ?
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

bwanna

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proto%20type

i'm with d/p on this one, proto type means there is only one. 

more than one, & put into use, would be trial versions.

IMHO ;D
donna