Florida Finds! Factory Paint or Not?

[tell302man]

I found these three telephones on my recent vacation in Florida. I the price was 40 dollars for the 202. 10 dollars for the pink GTE and 5 dollars for a BRAND NEW Contempra still in the original box!!!! My biggest question is do you think the 202 is factory paint. It looks very good with a very light colored handset cord.

[tell302man]

The handset on the 202 has been dropped at some point. That is what you see in the picture a giant chip in the cap. I am almost positive this is a factory paint.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

I don't have any doubt that the paint is original. It looks like a Continental, one that was refurbed in the mid-fifties.

[Fabius]

Wasn't the handset on the factory painted 202s without the seem?

[poplar1]

Wasn't the handset on the factory painted 202s without the seem?

Continentals  were issued starting in 1955, made from old 202s and black F-type handsets; both parts were painted.

Brown grooveless handsets were used on painted phones until late 1954.

Either they found a way to paint grooved black handsets by 1955, or they wanted to use up the many surplus black F-type handsets, or both.

[tell302man]

Thanks for the replies!