A few of you have asked to see some phones from my personal collection so I'm starting with these two--a red 500 from '55 and a Mediterranean Blue 501 from '56.
I was lucky to find the red one a few weeks ago on eBay for $100. The blue one does have a gray line cord, but I removed it recently to more easily display it at an exhibit of mid-century architecture in Austin that featured five of my phones. It was so much fun and I felt honored to be asked to participate.
Next week I'll try to post some shots of my aqua '58 and pink '59 500s--both are soft plastic and were new in their original boxes. Enjoy!
(http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp40/finlover59/DSC07816.jpg)
(http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp40/finlover59/DSC07824.jpg)
(http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp40/finlover59/DSC07827.jpg)
(http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp40/finlover59/DSC07830.jpg)
(http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp40/finlover59/DSC07837.jpg)
(http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp40/finlover59/DSC07841.jpg)
(http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp40/finlover59/DSC07844.jpg)
(http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp40/finlover59/DSC07849.jpg)
(http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp40/finlover59/DSC07851.jpg)
(http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp40/finlover59/DSC07856.jpg)
(http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp40/finlover59/DSC07860.jpg)
(http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp40/finlover59/DSC07867.jpg)
(http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp40/finlover59/DSC07870.jpg)
Those are some fine looking phones. :) And while blue is my favorite color, that red one is very nice. Congratulations on being asked to participate in the exhibit. Yes, please post the photos of the other ones. You got them new in original boxes? You da man!
Fin:
You do awesome work!!! Those are so clean, you could eat off them, heaven forbid! Wow. I have to keep scrolling down through your pictures.
-Bill
Thank you, gents! ;D If I could keep only two phones (let's hope it never comes to that), they would be these.
Finlover:
Does the blue phone have a 426A tube inside?
Why yes it does, Señor Amely!
Most tubes inside 501 phones are not functional because long time ago they were disconnected. However, there is a method to connect them so they work in today's modern phone lines.
those are cool phones! I envy you ;D
Incredible phones! The shine almost blinds!
Very nice phones, Greg.
I'm curious on how you posted the photos. Do you put in some source code to post them? Great photography as always.
I have a red but naturally not as pristine as this, but that blue is a real head turner, such a vibrant colour, maybe I'll spray my black one (joking)!
Quote from: Dennis Markham on November 27, 2009, 11:56:24 AM
Very nice phones, Greg.
I'm curious on how you posted the photos. Do you put in some source code to post them? Great photography as always.
Thanks for the compliment, Dennis!! I uploaded the photos to my Photobucket account, then copied and pasted the links. If there hadn't been so many pictures, I would have just attached them to my post in the usual way.
Quote from: gpo706 on November 27, 2009, 05:41:52 PM
I have a red but naturally not as pristine as this, but that blue is a real head turner, such a vibrant colour, maybe I'll spray my black one (joking)!
Thanks, gpo! I used Krylon Ocean Blue...just kidding!
Those phones look brand spanking new! They are very, very nice. Wow! I don't know which one is my favorite.
Great pictures! Thanks for sharing them!
Quote from: ntophones on November 27, 2009, 09:20:31 PM
Those phones look brand spanking new! They are very, very nice. Wow! I don't know which one is my favorite.
Great pictures! Thanks for sharing them!
Thank you, Sir! I try to make them as new looking as possible. I'd hate to pick a favorite too. The blue one is definitely more valuable, as the color was in production for just three years ('54-'56), but that shade of red is pretty striking.
Both are georgous. I've seen a few Mediterranean blues before, but never one that pops quite how that one does. Just stunning, absolutely stunning.
They are both beautiful, but the blue being such a rare and unusual color is particularly so with its sparkling finish.
I didn't realize that the grey handset cords were so big and clunky. It appears the one on the blue set is a little more tightly coiled.
Two shining examples of the more luxurious options available to the discriminating 1950's subscriber of means.
Wow, both are beautiful, but the blue 500 is stunning! I've never even seen that color before, but it is definitely nice and in amazing condition. ;D ;D ;D
Thanks for all your kind words, everyone! The gray cords are pretty chunky! I don't know if they're really fatter than late '50s colored cords or if the flat gray just makes them appear so.
My impression is all these early coiled cords are the same size and even the early colored cords can be found with large diameter coils. But, I have noticed that all the gray spring cords & any color cord made before mid '57 is much stiffer than cords from late '57 on.