All forum members are welcome and encouraged to guess.There are no wrong guesses, just one lucky guess. No one knows the winning guess on any auction until it ends.
Date Listed: 11 Nov 2018
Auction Duration: 7 Days
List Price: $49.95
Current Bidders: 6
Current Price: $170.00
Watchers: 47
Date Re-Listed: 19 Nov 2018
Auction Duration: 7 Days
List Price: $49.95
Current Bidders: 2
Current Price: $51.00
Watchers: 20
eBay Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/202499445685
Re-listed eBay Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/202508593708
GAP RULE: At least $5 between guesses to prevent crowding.
Seller Listing Title: "Gray 34-A10 Pay Phone "
Condition: "Used"
Condition Qualifier: "The Pay Phone is 'Near New' "
Listing Description: "For your consideration is a completely unrestored-original 34-A10 Gray Pay Phone. Before the Pay Phone Police are at my door. : ) -- I'll explain 'Near New'....I have no definitive way to establish the history of this Gray, but based on my years of working with old phones, my gut says this phone has seen little to no revenue service. I welcome differing opinions. -- My opinion is based on the following...I see no signs of a refurb. There's no wear and or real marks inside the coin return. The coin gauge shows no signs of scratching from customer 'missing' the coin slot. There's no appreciable wear or markings on the switch hook and it's an original based on what I tell . It has not been repainted. -- The entire body appears to have the original the Japan Lacquer showing no wear, scratches or dings. No gouges, scrapes or other marking typically seen when a phone has been in revenue service. Yes there are 'age spots' from sitting somewhere. The surface spots, stains will polish out nicely as I'm sure those who've worked with pay phones know. -- The number plate, when viewed closely shows almost no wear. The receiver cord is the original, I've provided a close up. -- From what little I can see inside the innards are all there, clean and neat. Lastly, the back plate shows no outward signs of ever being attached to a vertical service....I do not have keys and will not force 'pry' the top for fear of damage. but from what I can see this phone appears completely original."
Ref: http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=16030.msg165962#msg165962
Another chance to move up or to get onto the CRPF Contest Standings List (http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=4198.msg51445#msg51445)
Past Contest Phones: http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=17437.msg180238#msg180238
Guess Deadline: All guesses and a single allowed revised guess, if needed,
MUST be submitted at least 24 hours BEFORE the auction ENDS.
S C O R E B O A R D ( Starting with Contest 328, this contest's topic will be locked with 24 hours left to go ) Players: 18
$ 500.00 - Butch Harlow ( 12 )
$ 640.00 - Partyline4 ( 1 )
$ 750.00 - tallguy58 ( 2 )
$ 755.00 - Fabius ( 16 )
$ 820.00 - tubaman ( 18 )
$ 850.00 - compubit ( 17 )
$ 900.00 - wds ( 15 )
$ 950.00 - Gary Millam ( 4 )
$ 975.00 - Pourme ( 8 )
$ 1,000.00 - Sargeguy ( 13 )
$ 1,050.00 - FABphones ( 10 )
$ 1,100.00 - Scott ( 9 )
$ 1,180.00 - 19and41 ( 11 )
$ 1,204.00 - skyrider ( 7 )
$ 1,240.00 - Roody ( 3 )
$ 1,469.50 - TelePlay ( 14 )
$ 1,699.00 - Duffy ( 6 )
$ 1,775.00 - Jim Stettler ( 5 )
Early Morning Auction Status
11-11-18 Listed $ 49.95
11-12-18 2 bids $ 66.00 ( 2 )
11-13-18 9 bids $ 170.00 ( 6 bidders & 47 - #2 )
11-14-18 19 bids $ 255.00 ( 9 bidders & 57 - #3 )
11-15-18 20 bids $ 285.00 ( 10 bidders & 66 - #2 )
11-16-18 25 bids $ 395.00 ( 11 bidders & 71 - #2 )
11-17-18 25 bids $ 395.00 ( 11 bidders & 76 - #2 )
Auction ended by seller as explained in this forum post:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=21379.msg218221#msg218221
This contest will be reset if and when the pay station is relisted on eBay.
===============================================================================
===============================================================================
The pay station been relisted. Additional internal photos can be found in this reply:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=21379.msg218315#msg218315
The Auction Contest is hereby restarted and the following will be the Scoreboard of guesses for the new listing and the daily Early Morning Auction Status. All prior guesses have been "erased" so all members are again allowed their one guess and one revised guess if desired.
S C O R E B O A R D - for the relist ( Starting with Contest 328, this contest's topic will be locked with 24 hours left to go ) Players: 14
$ 1,050.00 - FABphones ( 15 )
$ 1,100.00 - Scott ( 5 )
$ 1,212.00 - skyrider ( 9 )
$ 1,350.00 - tallguy58 ( 11 ) -> WINNER - Final Selling Price $1,289.64
$ 1,500.00 - compubit ( 12 )
$ 1,656.00 - Pourme ( 7 )
$ 1,600.00 - andre_janew ( 3 )
$ 1,650.00 - Duffy ( 2 )
$ 1,775.00 - Jim Stettler ( 1 )
$ 1,850.00 - 19and41 ( 10 )
$ 1,935.00 - HarrySmith ( 4 )
$ 2,104.00 - Fabius ( 6 )
$ 4,400.00 - stromberg 50 ( 8 )
$ 6,500.00 - wds ( 13 )
$ 9,666.00 - TelePlay ( 14 )
Early Morning Auction Status - for the relist
11-19-18 Listed $ 49.95
11-20-18 2 bids $ 51.00 ( 2 bidders & 20 - #28 )
11-21-18 19 bids $ 860.00 ( 10 bidders & 51 - #1 )
11-22-18 24 bids $ 1,025.00 ( 10 bidders & 54 - #1 )
11-23-18 24 bids $ 1,025.00 ( 10 bidders & 53 - #1 )
11-24-18 24 bids $ 1,025.00 ( 10 bidders & 54 - #1 )
11-25-18 24 bids $ 1,025.00 ( 10 bidders & 58 - #2 )
11-26-18 14 bids $ 810.00 ( 8 bidders & 61 - #1 )
11-26-18 13 bidders, 24 bids Ended at 8:05:33 PM PST
Additional (internal) photos - click here (http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=21379.msg218315#msg218315)
640 Please
$750
1240.00
Gary Z
$950.00
Gary Millam
$1,775.00
$1,699.00
$1204.00. Thanks
$975.00
You guys are way better at this then me pricing it without seeing the inside.
$1100.00
Scott K.
$1050
1180.00 Please.
No keys, no pics of the inside. Too much risk. 500.00
$1000
$1,469.50
$900
$755
With no pictures of the inside it will be buying the proverbial pig in a poke.
$850
$820 please
Hello,
I'm the eBay Seller of the Gray 34-10 Pay Phone. I have very temporarily pulled the auction for my phone. Monday 11/19 I may have a key ( a 21B ) that will open the top...Here's the story. I've tried a known good 29A, 29S and a 10G with no success. None will fit in the keyway. It was suggested I try a 21B, which I will Monday and hopefully I'll have photos of the inside of my Gray 34-A10. I want to as completely open and honest about the phone.
Thanks for your understanding,
John
Quote from: kka2446 on November 17, 2018, 04:57:06 PM
I'm the eBay Seller of the Gray 34-10 Pay Phone. I have very temporarily pulled the auction for my phone.
Thanks for the honest notice.
I will set this auction contest aside and restart it when the phone is relisted.
Please send me a PM with the eBay auction link as soon as it is re-listed so I can then reset the contest.
OK then, I guess we'll all reconvene here on Tuesday providing the key works
I believe many of the early locks have a more narrow keyway. I had a couple older 10G locks, one marked "Long Security Lock Company" that wouln't accept a standard reproduction 10G key. Often the reproduction keys need to be thinned slightly to fit. Of course that additionally weakens an already weak brass key, so proceed carefully. I'm not familiar with 29-S lock to comment there.
Notice the coin return as shown in the Gray catalog for a 34 A 10 paystation.
Received an email with this copy of the catalog listing.
Pulling an auction like that is a good way to make previous bidders gun shy....Hope it doesn't hurt the value too much....Might want to wait a little while before putting it back on. Just some advice......
Quote from: Fabius on November 17, 2018, 10:05:57 PM
Notice the coin return as shown in the Gray catalog for a 34 A 10 paystation.
Received an email with this copy of the catalog listing.
I would be interested in seeing that catalog. Is it online? Do you know where it came from or who?
Possibly the catalog is in the TCI library? Where you able to open the link to the copy of the catalog page showing what a 34 A 10 looks like? The page copy was sent to me by a forum member.
Yes, I checked out the link, that's what got me interested, lots of good info. Does someone here have this catalog?
I have all the Gray catalogs when I have time I will post pictures of both 34A10 and 34A8. If memory sereves me correctly the 34A10 is a post pay set with a post pay relay. That means it cannot collect coins by way of the relay. They only fall directly in the box on deposit. All the relay does is detect the coin passing threw the hopper. This phone was used at first on a Strowger switch that is why it has a stand up coin return and the Strowger branding. The only reason a coin ever returned on this phone is if the chute
was jammed.
It has been relisted
Canadian eBay link:
https://www.ebay.ca/i/202508593708
US eBay Listing link:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Gray-34-A10-Pay-Phone/202508593708
34A8 is two piece model with open coin return.
34A9 is handset model with open coin return.
Both these phones are prepay phones which means they required a coin to call and also had the ability to collect and return coins.
34A10 was a post pay two piece model with a stand up coin return.
34A11 was the same phone in handset model.
Both these phones had a relay that only had a trigger to detect the coin deposit and open transmitter.
The Strowger 750 was also a post pay set like the two above.
The phone on eBay is a 34A8 with a post pay relay which is wrong and a 34A10 code plate. However it is a very rare piece. A 34A10 code plate is impossible to find. Any black two coil bent magnet relay is very rare. The relay is a postpay. It is a very rare phone and I would not hesitate fo one minute to spend 1500.00 for this phone.
Relay is correct on this phone coin return is what's wrong.
34A8
Gray 75-C
34A10
750
After looking at this longer I have noticed something more that causes me to change my opinion,I would say that this is a true 34A10 but as it would have looked like in the 1950's not 1935. What caused me to change my mind is the Gray bottom with the Hartford Conn. on it. This bottom came out much later. There is also a tag in the phone dated in the 1950's. When looking at payphones it is important to always try and determine the timeline of the phone. What that means is a 150G 1942 for instance was not the same parts wise as a 150g in 1951. Many things were upgraded. So in the case of this 34A10 the bottom was the open bottom because the Strowger roll out coin return was elimated as they were problematic. The phone was also probably sold to a independent which would also result in the open coin return. This is a really rare really interesting piece. All of these things consider is what make payphone collecting so interesting. The longer you look and study the more you see.
Look at those guts!
$1775.00
1650.00
That looks like a really nice book, an interesting read. Lovely condition too. :)
Just out of curiosity, does anyone know what the bidding reached before the auction was ended early by the seller?
Am also a bit confused by the key situation, maybe I read too fast - how did it get opened? Did any key eventually fit?
Quote from: FABphones on November 20, 2018, 11:14:51 AM
Just out of curiosity, does anyone know what the bidding reached before the auction was ended early by the seller?
It's still in the first post of the auction contest, and copied here
==============================================
Early Morning Auction Status11-11-18 Listed $ 49.95
11-12-18 2 bids $ 66.00 ( 2 )
11-13-18 9 bids $ 170.00 ( 6 bidders & 47 - #2 )
11-14-18 19 bids $ 255.00 ( 9 bidders & 57 - #3 )
11-15-18 20 bids $ 285.00 ( 10 bidders & 66 - #2 )
11-16-18 25 bids $ 395.00 ( 11 bidders & 71 - #2 )
11-17-18 25 bids $ 395.00 ( 11 bidders & 76 - #2 )
Auction ended by seller 1 day before it would have normally ended.
$1600
$1,935.00
Hello Again,
This is John, the Seller of the Gray 34-A10 with an update on the eBay Auction re-list. I apologize for taking down the
auction. At the time I expected the 21B Key I'd ordered to open the top, no luck. The issue is/was I have 4 different keys, 29S, 29A, 10G and a 21B..none of them fit into the keyway of the Gray lock. The lock appears original.
Yes I can grind the keys down with the hopes a 29S will fit, but I'd have a thinner key, if it would even fit. Solution...I've ordered a replacement 29S lock and key that will arrive this Sat 11/24.
How did I get inside ? After much key trail and error, I removed the 4 screws securing the coin box/phone plus the 3 screws securing the coin box to the backplate in order to access the inside of the phone.
The top left and lower right 'phone screws' are threaded ( installed ) from inside so I had to carefully slot them for removal. The top right and lower left screws I removed from the back side along with the three additional coin box screws.
Lastly, I'm not a pay phone 'Guy' ..Paul Vaverchak reminded me of that in his kind and 'gentle' way when I'd ask pay phone questions. : ) I miss him, but after looking at the inside of the phone plus my observations as stated in the auction, I'm guessing this phone is NOS ?...Thanks for the interest. John
I will stay at $1100.00. Thank you.
Scott K.
$2104
$1,565.00
GLOBAL MODERATOR POST (http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=20151.msg206412#msg206412)
Upon request, all of the contest phone discussion posts that were split off and moved to a topic under the Gray Pay Station child board have been merged back into this Auction Contest topic and all reference to the now deleted discussion topic have been removed.
The merge has placed all of the information pertinent to this contest phone back with the phone, everything is all in one place.
$4,400.00
$1212.00. Thanks
$1850.00 Please.
$1350
$1500
Jim
Quote from: kka2446 on November 20, 2018, 07:01:38 PM
Hello Again,
This is John, the Seller of the Gray 34-A10 with an update on the eBay Auction re-list. I apologize for taking down the
auction. At the time I expected the 21B Key I'd ordered to open the top, no luck. The issue is/was I have 4 different keys, 29S, 29A, 10G and a 21B..none of them fit into the keyway of the Gray lock. The lock appears original.
Yes I can grind the keys down with the hopes a 29S will fit, but I'd have a thinner key, if it would even fit. Solution...I've ordered a replacement 29S lock and key that will arrive this Sat 11/24.
How did I get inside ? After much key trail and error, I removed the 4 screws securing the coin box/phone plus the 3 screws securing the coin box to the backplate in order to access the inside of the phone.
The top left and lower right 'phone screws' are threaded ( installed ) from inside so I had to carefully slot them for removal. The top right and lower left screws I removed from the back side along with the three additional coin box screws.
Lastly, I'm not a pay phone 'Guy' ..Paul Vaverchak reminded me of that in his kind and 'gentle' way when I'd ask pay phone questions. : ) I miss him, but after looking at the inside of the phone plus my observations as stated in the auction, I'm guessing this phone is NOS ?...Thanks for the interest. John
John ....I watch your auctions all the time. You always have wonderful phones. Glad to see you on the Forum.....Doug
Handled the relist very well. Honest and with the right info. The buyers understood...Well done.
Hello,
John here, owner of the Gray 34-A10 2 Piece Paystation. As mentioned in my prior post, the replacement 29S lock key/combo I ordered 11/21 arrived today, Sat 11/24.
I installed the 29S lock in the Gray and it works perfectly. This replacement is 'vintage' original (not new) not a repro. It is the exact same lock that came with the phone except this lock does not have the slightly narrower keyway, which was the problem I was dealing with all along. Problem solved....
A point of reference. I believe the 29S upper lock in the phone was factory original, but for some odd reason the keyway was just narrow enough to not accept any key, but the key that came with the lock.
Thanks,
John
$6500
$1050
John here again,
A quick bidding note on the Gray Paystation to keep everyone informed. A bidder, ( trieff1955_8 ) retracted their bid this Sun. 8:09AM after 4 days..."Entered wrong amount"
Can't see how $1500 could have been entered any other way?
I hate it when people do that - it undermines the value......
Hope it doesn't have too much effect on the results...
Party
Contest Winner: tallguy58
Guessed Price: $1,350.00
Total Wins: 13
Auction Winner: y***7 ( 1083 )
Winning Price: $1,289.64
Bidders: 13
Bids: 24
Contest Standings: http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=4198.msg51445#msg51445
CRPF Hall of Fame: http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=138.msg976#msg976]
Thanks to all who played along in this contest.
Quote from: kka2446 on November 24, 2018, 05:25:44 PM
Hello,
John here, owner of the Gray 34-A10 2 Piece Paystation. As mentioned in my prior post, the replacement 29S lock key/combo I ordered 11/21 arrived today, Sat 11/24.
I installed the 29S lock in the Gray and it works perfectly. This replacement is 'vintage' original (not new) not a repro. It is the exact same lock that came with the phone except this lock does not have the slightly narrower keyway, which was the problem I was dealing with all along. Problem solved....
A point of reference. I believe the 29S upper lock in the phone was factory original, but for some odd reason the keyway was just narrow enough to not accept any key, but the key that came with the lock.
Thanks,
John
Hey John;
I think the narrow keyway in the early 29S locks was the same as in the earlier 10G top locks; some of those early 10G's won't take even an original (later) 10G key because of the super-narrow keyway.
By the way, GREAT phone! I didn't search, but did you tell us how you came upon it? It certainly looks 100% original, but Paul Vaverchak was adamant that AE never EVER used that transmitter mount on a 2-piece payphone; guess he was wrong!
Quote from: kleenax on November 27, 2018, 11:12:42 PM
It certainly looks 100% original, but Paul Vaverchak was adamant that AE never EVER used that transmitter mount on a 2-piece payphone; guess he was wrong!
Yes, when I set up the contest, first researched Gray payphones on the forum and found and included a reference link to a topic created by Payphone Installer in 2016 about these phones.
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=16030.msg165962#msg165962
I did so because one of the images he posted shows a similar payphone with an AE dial and the same transmitter (the phone on the far left of the bottom photo in that topic post) as seen on the contest subject phone.
(http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=16030.0;attach=140073;image)
I guess I did it to show members that the contest phone was not pieced together but could be an "as built" two piece Gray payphone and since the information was already on the forum, it was easy to reference.
Jim provided a lot more information within the contest topic. Someone got a very nice payphone.
I only wish I'd had the 1289 to buy it. That is a nice phone.
Hi All,
I hope everyone had fun with the Gray 34-A10 contest and perhaps learned a bit. I sure did. Where did I get the phone ? ...At a CT country auction about about 2 years ago.
Just an FYI. I left the phone ( body etc ) as I received it because the phone appeared to have seen little to no service as mentioned prior. After working closely with the it, removing the backplate to get access, replacing the lock etc, I'm as certain as I can be, with no records the phone was NOS. I had mixed feelings about selling it because I live 10 miles as the crow flies from where it was made, but it was time for someone else to enjoy it.
The person that bought the phone lives in CA. Outside of complimenting me on my packing I haven't heard a word from him. I would have loved if one the members of the Forum won the auction, perhaps the winner was, but I'm guessing not.
John