Got a vintage Queen Mary First Class Cradle Telephone

[Doug Rose]

This came on eBay yesterday and I saw it pop on the New Listings!!  I was late. 

Even with the crack in the handset, this was a steal

I hope someone here got it....Doug
https://www.ebay.com/itm/295021825676?

[Doug Rose]

attachment

[Doug Rose]

sorry...trouble with attachments

[RDPipes]

Now I just learned something, the British General Electric Company made (G.E.C.) phones, didn't know that.
Of course I don't know anything about foreign made phones though. LOL!

[countryman]

Clean the crack and super glue it, no one will ever notice.
Unusual place for a crack, isn't it? Internal stress from production maybe?

[RDPipes]

I've seen a lot of violence over the years taken out on phones and with phones and I bet that crack was from someone hitting something with the receiving part which would be the way one would hold it to talk on it.

I myself got smacked in the mouth with a Western Electric 500's handset because I didn't get off the phone quick enough to suit my friends Dad. Won't ever forget it, had to have stitches.

[countryman]

OMG. And I wondered how this happened. Jack Ryan might have had the correct idea about it: http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=23477.msg235187#msg235187

[RDPipes]

OMG. And I wondered how this happened...

It certainly looks like someone kicked it there or hit it with something.
I remember seeing handsets ripped right off pay phones even having the armored cable, handsets snap in half, seen people throw phones across the room. etc. etc.
Living on the poor side of town you seen a lot of things, some you wish to forget.

[TelePlay]

And I wondered how this happened.

That looks like damage that happens when a phone is packed with the handset on the cradle, not wrapped separately with bubble wrap and kept apart from the separately wrapped housing.

I've seen 302s and 500s with similar damage all due to improper packaging for shipment.

If the external blow or drop is hard enough, the handset can also be damaged.

[SUnset2]

Based on the sticker on the bottom and the coiled vinyl cord, the Gecophone that sold on Ebay had been converted internally to Bell System standards.  So probably the internals are no longer original.  And it should have straight ivory cloth cords.
Still the "Queen Mary" telephones are probably the only ivory color Gecophones that turn up.  Since the "Queen Mary" was converted to a hotel in the U.S., these are more likely to turn up here rather than in the UK.

[MMikeJBenN27]

That is a shame, when a rare antique is ruined.  I wish people would learn how to pack CORRECTLY.  These phones are too rare to destroy.

Mike

[LarryInMichigan]

I would be interested in seeing how the transmitter and receiver elements were replaced with Bell System components.  I saw one of these Queen Mary phones at the local flea market about a year ago.  The seller always asks unreasonably high prices, so I didn't consider buying it.  He probably still has it though.  Perhaps it will appear again.

Larry

[Gary Z]

I did win the auction on the Queen Mary phone. I will post pictures of the insides after I receive it.

[Doug Rose]

I finally found my QM 1936.

This has been a long time coming.

Looks to be in really nice condition. Seller has only 2 feedbacks, so I am a bit concerned. I did stress packing and how fragile this is. Fingers crossed....Doug

[RDPipes]

Sweet!