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New to me Telephone Booth

Started by ....., January 27, 2015, 05:23:27 PM

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I picked up what I believe is a 1950's telephone booth today. It had been sitting in a barn for a number of years. Before that it had been used in a restaurant in Peterborough Ontario.
The pay phone didn't come with it. It is one from my collection. I'm going to do a total restore on it.

HarrySmith

Very Cool looming booth. Can't wait to see you restore it! That is not a style I am familiar with. Does it have a name or numbers anywhere?
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

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Quote from: HarrySmith on January 27, 2015, 05:39:51 PM
Very Cool looming booth. Can't wait to see you restore it! That is not a style I am familiar with. Does it have a name or numbers anywhere?

It does have a plate on the door, but it has been painted over and can't be read. I haven't seen anything else. I'll try and clean up the plate when I start the restore.


HarrySmith

OK. Keep us updated. Lots of pictures please!
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

.....

Quote from: HarrySmith on January 27, 2015, 05:39:51 PM
Very Cool looming booth. Can't wait to see you restore it! That is not a style I am familiar with. Does it have a name or numbers anywhere?

I did find some information on the phone booth on TCI Library site. It is a "type 9A" From The early 1950's. It's a start.

http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/4780-c44-201-i2-may53-telephone-booths-no-9-type

G-Man

I assume you mean that it was used outside of a restaurant and not inside. In any event, you may be interested in this article from the Pacific Telephone Magazine regarding these booths:
http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/4672-53sep-ptm-those-amazingly-popular-outdoor-payphones-1953

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#6
Quote from: G-Man on January 30, 2015, 06:46:14 AM
I assume you mean that it was used outside of a restaurant and not inside. In any event, you may be interested in this article from the Pacific Telephone Magazine regarding these booths:
http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/4672-53sep-ptm-those-amazingly-popular-outdoor-payphones-1953

Thanks for the link. Very interesting article indeed. The booth was inside a restaurant / Pub / Bar in the 80's along with other props from the 50's and 60's. Before that time is anyone's guess. The bar closed or remodeled and it was stored in a barn along with the other stuff that came from the Pub. It had been there for a number of years. That is the only information that was given to me when I bought the booth. One of the things that is missing, is the pin that holds the door in the slider. Like the one in the picture.

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I pulled the aluminium door plate for cleaning to get some information off it. It was nailed to the top of the door with 3/4" spiral ardox round headed nails. The nails where very hard to remove without doing any damage to the plate. I tried removing the paint with a heat gun. All that did was cause the paint to flake and bubble taking the printed information with it. Some of the old printing did bleed though, but is not readable. I didn't want to use paint stripper for fear of a chemical reaction on the aluminium. I wish it had of been a stamped plate, but that would have made it too easy. I have no idea what to do now.

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#8
I started to work on the booth this week. I dismantled and pressure washed it. Did some sanding then put the first coat of paint on the door and painted the light fixture white with red trim.