We've got one of the rarest, and most sought after desk telephones for our contest this week. The "A-mount" Western Electric desk telephone immediately preceded the "B-mount," but was given the "A" designation by collectors. Constructed from a modified desk stand base, this was the Bell System's first handset mounting.
What do we think this rare bird will bring, gang? Get your guesses in before the auction's final day. Once again, the reserve makes no difference--we're guessing the highest bid amount.
> Western Electric "A1" Desk Telephone < (http://cgi.ebay.com/Working-Western-Electric-A1-Desk-Telephone-D76869-AA1_W0QQitemZ170299247188QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCorded_Phones?hash=item170299247188&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A4%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318)
S C O R E B O A R D$925 - bingster
$987 - Konrad
$1075.79 - Dan²
$1121 - Dennis Markham
$1200 - benhutcherson
$1250 - Steve
$1300 - sargeguy
$1400 - BDM
$1489.01 - winkydink
$1500 - HobieSport
$1550 - mienaichizu
$1600 - JimH
$1700 - Mark Stevens
Sold for $1,725.00$2000 - Dan/Panther
$2195 - Bill Cahill
$2401.97 - McHeath
$1400
$1,121
Given how perfect it looks, I strongly suspect that it's had some restoration and repainting work.
If I were in the market for one of these, as a collector, I'd very, very strongly prefer an all original "warts and all" copy. If I were going to restore it, I'd prefer to do it myself or at least have it done to my specifications.
I don't think I'm alone in this respect, so I suspect this may hold the price down some. Soccer moms looking for a fun old phone when they can a similar looking D1 mount for a lot less.
So, with all my rambling, I'm going to guess $1200 (made bold to help my contest entry stand out from all the other drivel in my post).
$987.00
$2000.00
D/P
Well, one without a dial went upto $950 this past week), sooooo my guess will be....
$1489.01
2195.00 Nice phone.
Bill Cahill
nice one
1550 for me
$1300
1075.79. I know nothing about the classics....
$1700
Wow that is one of the nicest original ones I've ever seen.
Put me down for $1600
Im clueless on phones this old. So I'm guessing high at $2401.97. It's very nice, and shiny, but what do I know?
Quote from: McHeath on February 04, 2009, 10:15:25 PM
Im clueless on phones this old. So I'm guessing high at $2401.97. It's very nice, and shiny, but what do I know?
Listen to you trying to be modest....
If you win I'm gonna send Dennis to your house to beat you up! :D
McHeath;
If you win...
We'll all come to your house, and teach you a lesson you won't soon forget....
D/P
Algebra?
Yes !
And why A, and B, don't add up.
We will make it so your fingers don't work on a keyboard for quite some time.
D/P
$1250.00
$1,500.
Well using the how to dial your phone movie as my only source. It looks like when the national roll out of direct dial got in to full swing the 302 and space saver were the current production phones. Is that correct? So the earlier dial phones were limited production for the few big cities that had DD?
Thanks,
Konrad
It's probably right that the biggest push was after WWII, but it was a 65 year process that didn't end until the last manual exchange was finally replaced in 1983.
This phone is up to a grand and has a little over an hour left on the auction. Gonna go high I think.
Mark wins. $1725
Congrats, Mark. ;D
Bill Cahill
With that win, Mark joins the "three" club. Good job, Mark!
Stay tuned for the next auction, to be posted shortly.