A Couple of Norths

[G-Man]

It looks as if they outsourced its manufacture to a company that does not know how to spell network but at least the part number is correct:

10. NETWORK
The telephone set contains a network Part No.
500,084, which includes the induction coil, talking
capacitor, a 45 mf ringing capacitor, equalizing
varistors, sidetone balance impedance, and a radio
interference suppression circuit across the dial
contacts.

The sets were offered in the following colors:

Black
Emperor Blue
Tawny Green
Executive Gray
Indian Ivory
Richland Red
Coral Sand
Chartreuse Yellow

[LarryInMichigan]

So there are six more colors that I need

Larry

[Doug Rose]

The sets were offered in the following colors:

Black
Emperor Blue
Tawny Green
Executive Gray
Indian Ivory
Richland Red
Coral Sand
Chartreuse Yellow



I have the green, but this is not listed. Its a deep mahogany brown....Doug

[kleenax]

I have the green, but this is not listed. Its a deep mahogany brown....Doug

Doug;

You're talking "apples n' oranges"; the phone pictured is North Model 7H6, not like Larry's model 541's. And I believe that this phone in the photo is not Mahogany Brown but rather Maroon. The Mahogany Brown in the 7H6 is a mottled Mahogany/Black color.
The 7H6 North came in Ivory, Maroon, Royal Blue, Beige, Green, Chinese Red, Mahogany and Black, in both wall and desk varieties.

Below is a scan of a SUPER-RARE Color brochure touting the colored Norths. I have honestly only ever seen just 1 copy of this brochure! The colors look "wacky" in the artist's renderings though  

This model also comes in a color (I have seen both wall and desk) that is NOT mentioned in this catalog; a REALLY ugly "Baby-poop Brown", but I think it's known as Beige, but I would never call it that color! Photo attached.

[Doug Rose]

Hey Ray...I never was very good with produce  . I never knew there was a difference with these sets. They looked exactly the same to me. The Ivory is much more ornate, now I know.

What are the differences between the 7H6 and the 541?

All through High School, yes Lincoln was President,  I worked in grocery, who knew!...thanks ....Doug

[G-Man]

Hey Ray...I never was very good with produce  . I never knew there was a difference with these sets. They looked exactly the same to me. The Ivory is much more ornate, now I know.

What are the differences between the 7H6 and the 541?

All through High School, yes Lincoln was President,  I worked in grocery, who knew!...thanks ....Doug

Hi Doug-
They were North's answer to Western Electric's 500-series. The manual with a photograph on the cover is in the TCI Library:

http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/1762-north-electric-541-series-tl

[kleenax]

Hey Ray...I never was very good with produce  . I never knew there was a difference with these sets. They looked exactly the same to me. The Ivory is much more ornate, now I know.

What are the differences between the 7H6 and the 541?

All through High School, yes Lincoln was President,  I worked in grocery, who knew!...thanks ....Doug

Aw, now you're just pulling my leg 

[DavePEI]

This model also comes in a color (I have seen both wall and desk) that is NOT mentioned in this catalog; a REALLY ugly "Baby-poop Brown", but I think it's known as Beige, but I would never call it that color! Photo attached.

I like the shitknuckle brown one :-)

Dave

[Doug Rose]

Ray....what is the differences between the two. G man says the 541 was North's answer to the 500 set. I have only seen a two of the Ivory sets and a damaged red one last year on eBay. If they were the answer to the 500 set, why are there so few of them? Looking at mine, I agree it is maroon. My "maroon" and green are bakelite as they accepted fine steel wool to get the years of grime off of them. What are the 541s made of? Thanks for your insight....Doug

[rdelius]

I missed out on an ivory 541 in an auction junk box for $5.00.Have an incomplete red one, seen a pink one and have a white handset shell.

[poplar1]

Ray....what is the differences between the two. G man says the 541 was North's answer to the 500 set. I have only seen a two of the Ivory sets and a damaged red one last year on eBay. If they were the answer to the 500 set, why are there so few of them? Looking at mine, I agree it is maroon. My "maroon" and green are bakelite as they accepted fine steel wool to get the years of grime off of them. What are the 541s made of? Thanks for your insight....Doug

7H6 is North's equivalent of a WE 302. In fact, it has a WE 101A induction coil, WE F1 transmitter and WE HA1 receiver. Some are equipped with WE 5-type dials.

541 is North's equivalent of a WE 500. It has the extended number plate like a 500.

[kleenax]

Ray....what is the differences between the two. Why are there so few of them? Looking at mine, I agree it is maroon. My "maroon" and green are bakelite as they accepted fine steel wool to get the years of grime off of them. What are the 541s made of? Thanks for your insight....Doug

Hey Doug;

I was fortunate enough to interview the former executive vice president of North Electric once. He was rather tall, elderly man, who simply strolled into the Cincinnati telephone show in 1999 or so. He actually brought in a Maroon 7H6 that Jim Engle and I "fought" over to buy from him ;-) (Jim won:)

He explained to me that they were made for independent phone co's only, and really didn't sell very well. I would guess that is why there are so few of them that survive.  They were also expensive to manufacture with their "quirky" little recessed dial and weirdly-cast number ring. 

As for what they are made of, the bodies are made of soft celluloid-based plastic, exactly like the soft plastic of early 500 sets; in fact it seems even softer (ie - easily damaged!).

More photos below of some North equipment for your "archives" 

[kleenax]

The last photo in this set (below) shows a painted Red phone with a REALLY weird dial blank. Well, that phone I bought on eBay for $23.67 (including shipping!), and when I got it 2 things about bowled me over by it; #1, it was actually GREEN under that paint, and #2, that weird dial blank was FACTORY ORIGINAL - notated right on the wiring diagram inside of the phone! It was wired with a rotary on/off switch for that headphone jack! Crazy......

[kleenax]

Sorry to steal Larry's thread, but I just LOVE Norths! 

Here are some photos of the Red painted North being stripped. I use alcohol to strip these because it doesn't damage anything like other chemicals that I have tried.

[WesternElectricBen]

Can we see it when it is finished/finished picture?