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Felt based 202

Started by Sargeguy, December 29, 2008, 10:27:59 PM

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BDM

Dan, I have D1 mounts with both coverings. Several I might add. All the B1 mounts and candlesticks I own, have the wool covering.

BTW, stop being difficult! :P ;D
--Brian--

St Clair Shores, MI

JimH

I have a 302 from 1947 with CLOTH or felt covered feet.  Is this unusual?
Jim H.

Dan

Mine has the same as yours Jim, even the same date too.
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

Dan/Panther

Dan and Jim;
Please post photos.
The photo below is of my n47 302, one (left) is a before photo, and the other (right) is an after photo. Cleaned with dish soap, the fluffed up with a small brass brush.
I Think the before, could be taken as Felt, but as seen in the second example after cleaning, it's actually suede.
D/P

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

Dan/Panther

BDM;
It's Bill's fault...I've banged my head so many times I'm dingy... ::) ;D
D/P

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

JimH

Wow, D/P, that looks great!   You're quite the fluffer. :o
Jim H.

Dennis Markham

I remembered that I had recently removed a set of pads from a 302 from the late 1930's.  I think it was 1938 or 1939.  The pads are wool covered.  Now, I don't know if wool means felt but these are wool/woven as opposed to suede.  Since we have seen a photo of the suede covered pads, you can clearly see the difference in these.  I hate to send them off to be recovered because they are original but also I can't use them the way they are now.  But here is a photo of the wool or woven whatever so the differences can be seen.

Of all of my older phones, the B1 and D1's, none of the bases are covered with anything but suede.  I'm sure they used both materials.  And I believe it was Bingster that said after the cradle phone came into being the phones slipped more with the cloth/wool/felt bottoms than with suede. 

Dan/Panther

Wow that looks like wool covering with a jute padding.

D/P

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

JimH

I believe the earliest candlesticks had bases where the covering didn't come up slightly on the sides, and they had trouble with telephones scratching up tables when they were pulled off by the cords.  That is when they changed the design to protect furniture.
Jim H.

Sargeguy

#24
Upon closer inspection (with reading glasses) the material is woven, so it isn't felt, which is pressed.  I also discovered when I cracked it open that the dial is a 5H, albeit a really loud and grindy one.  Here are a few pics:
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

bingster

It's woven wool that originally had a felted finish, just like wool overcoats have.  The felted finish is worn off most of your covering, but this is what people refer to as "felt" on the base of a phone.  It's all like this.

And the little box on the back of the dial is definitely the radio interference filter.

You got a nice example.  Good job!
= DARRIN =



Sargeguy

I have been refurbishing the 202, and I found something interesting.  The dated parts are all from the middle of 1949 except for the base, which is 1937.   The F1 handset is original to the phone, the E1 was some thing the owner tried to add later.  I appears the phone may have been put together in 1949 using older parts, like the wool base plate and the surplus 1937 housing.  I wonder if Ma Bell was still issuing these up until the time the 500's were phased in.
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

McHeath

That would not surprise me at all, that they were cobbling together 202 style phones in the late 40s from leftover parts.  Ma Bell was thrifty to the max.

benhutcherson

Just thought I'd add that I came across a 302 locally today with feet that were definitely wool covered. Or, at least, they were at one time-only two of the feet had anything at all on them.

This particular one had a plastic shell. I think the dial was a #6, although I'm not positive, as it was gummed up and so the sound was sort of different. All the cords were also cloth, but I didn't have a chance to note any dates or anything(I wasn't about to pop the shell in the store).

No, I didn't buy it, but only because it was priced at $75. I was told that this seller often runs sales of 50% off or greater, so I'll visit again soon and see if I can get it cheaper. I'd pay the reduced price, as the shell didn't have any cracks.

winkydink

Quote from: benhutcherson on January 07, 2009, 01:47:24 PM
Just thought I'd add that I came across a 302 locally today with feet that were definitely wool covered. Or, at least, they were at one time-only two of the feet had anything at all on them.

This particular one had a plastic shell. I think the dial was a #6, although I'm not positive, as it was gummed up and so the sound was sort of different. All the cords were also cloth, but I didn't have a chance to note any dates or anything(I wasn't about to pop the shell in the store).

No, I didn't buy it, but only because it was priced at $75. I was told that this seller often runs sales of 50% off or greater, so I'll visit again soon and see if I can get it cheaper. I'd pay the reduced price, as the shell didn't have any cracks.

I am curious, what type of stores are you visiting to find your phones, Good Will and Thrift stores or some type of indoor flea market?

I have looked around where I am, and I never see any 302's.  Occasionally a 500 but thats about it.