Super rare Silver Imperial

[MMikeJBenN27]

There is a rare Western Electric SILVER Imperial on E-Bay.  The gold ones are pretty common, but the nickel ones are pretty rare, even rarer than the Silver Continentals.

[Jack Ryan]

There is a rare Western Electric SILVER Imperial on E-Bay.  The gold ones are pretty common, but the nickel ones are pretty rare, even rarer than the Silver Continentals.

Whereabouts?

Jack

[tubaman]

Is it this one https://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Beige-Chrome-Imperial-WESTERN-ELECTRIC-202-D1-Model-Desk-Telephone-Dial/264944000075 ?
( dead link 06-05-21 )

[FABphones]

Listing screenshots:

[Pourme]

~

That one was "rode hard" in it's lifetime. Probably in better shape than mine, I had to have one and you are right, they are rare. You don't often see them on EBAY.

[tubaman]

~

That one was "rode hard" in it's lifetime. Probably in better shape than mine, I had to have one and you are right, they are rare. You don't often see them on EBAY.

Made me chuckle - it's not an expression I'd use to describe a phone.

[Jim Stettler]

The finish on  typical silver Imperials seem to  flake like the gold sets. The cradle is the tell.
This seems to be more like a chrome plate version.
If factory, I  wonder if it was a special order or retirement set vs a typical Imperial. It doesn't make me think of aftermarket plating.
Just an observation,
Jim

[Pourme]

~

I'll double check, Jim, but I've always thought them to share the heading "Imperial", just Gold's less popular brother, Silver....

[Jim Stettler]

My first Imperial was silver, I bought it from a local phone guy, He was the on-site phone guy for a local military base, he had some cool things.

The finish (cradle ears)on it  peeled  and  flaked like  they will sometimes do on an Imperial finish.

This finish seems to be better and more like chrome, However, It could be because of the base metal of the plated set.
WE used aluminum, steel and various pot metal combinations  for D1's. The base metal probably makes a difference.
Just my opinion,
Jim

[MMikeJBenN27]

It does indeed.  It is easy to plate steel and pot metal, but not so with aluminum.  The plating easily peels off.

Mike

[tubaman]

It's sold - did anyone here get it?