Gray Telephone Photos

[baldopeacock]

Nice Pair

Guess they should be displayed together on a rack or something.   har.

The light gray's got more yellowing than the Oxford and the cords are dirty, but I think it's going to clean up well.   There was a bonus card under the later dot-matrix printed card (same number but seven digits rather than FEderal 6 - xxxx (example, not what was there).   However, the later adhesive card was glued to the original and wouldn't come off the old card cleanly.   The old card was just too soft with age.   Results visible in photo.   Maybe if I had more experience with this I'd have known a way to separate the two without losing the surface of the original.

[baldopeacock]

BDP:

The long lost brother of your phone (11/55) is here. What's interesting is that they are only a month apart, yet the older phone has a more modern cord. Interesting phone trivia  ...

Yes, it is.   Thanks for sharing that pic, Jorge.  I guess there was a transition from straight cord to coil cord that must have had some overlap?   Maybe depended on where they were produced?   There is a 5  5 on either side of the split in the cord retainers, both handset and line cord, so if I am interpreting that correctly it must be 1955.   Other components are all '55 with less than a one-month date spread, as I recall.   I've slept since I opened it up to check.

[finlover]

You guys are killing me with the Oxford Gray 500s--I want one BAD!!
I've had good luck with peroxide gel on both Light and Oxford Gray.  It even works on cords.  As for sanding, you can't do too much harm with 1000 grit, followed by 2000, Novus 1 and 2, then a buffing wheel if you have one.

[Kenny C]

I AM GETTING A LIGHT GRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[baldopeacock]

You found one, Kenny?   

[jsowers]

BDP:

The long lost brother of your phone (11/55) is here. What's interesting is that they are only a month apart, yet the older phone has a more modern cord. Interesting phone trivia  ...

Yes, it is.   Thanks for sharing that pic, Jorge.  I guess there was a transition from straight cord to coil cord that must have had some overlap?   Maybe depended on where they were produced?   There is a 5  5 on either side of the split in the cord retainers, both handset and line cord, so if I am interpreting that correctly it must be 1955.   Other components are all '55 with less than a one-month date spread, as I recall.   I've slept since I opened it up to check.

More phone trivia...

Straight handset cords were standard from the inception of the 500 set. The coil cord was an option in the beginning, and a very popular one. Coil cords are not newer than straight cords and there was no transition from one to the other exactly. They were made at the same time. Somewhere around August or September, 1956, coil cords became standard.

There are color phones from summer, 1956 with matching color straight handset cords. But none after that, so that had to have been the time coil cords were made standard. You rarely, if ever, see a black straight handset cord phone from 1957 or later. I've seen one, but it had a replaced cord that wasn't from WE, and it was much smaller diameter.

All the 500 sets were produced in Indianapolis, Indiana at that time. But often the cords were installed off the installer's truck, since the coil cord was an option. The popularity of the coil cord makes the straight handset cord much rarer. So BOP, you lucked up! I'd venture to say that could be a $300-$400 phone you got, were it to go to auction.

[baldopeacock]

There was (still is) a paper tag tied to the handset cord by the seller at the antique place where I found the Oxford.  He identified it as Moss Green on the tag.   I didn't argue but did get a spiel from the seller's wife, at the counter, about how much the guy knew about old telephones.   Kinda put two & two together.... he didn't know as much as he thought or he'd have known this was Oxford Gray and worth more than he thought.   Sometimes it pays to be the dummy.

[Doug Rose]

I agree, I always play the dummy (sometimes it's not playing). Janet always tells me to correct them, she usually knows more than they do. As my father used to say, "Play Mickey the Dunce." I listen to their spiel and they talk down to me like I am a fool. Bottom line is I get the phone at the price I want to pay. Great find!....Doug

[JorgeAmely]

You guys are killing me with the Oxford Gray 500s--I want one BAD!! ...

Sorry fin, didn't mean to "kill" you with gray pictures. This is the last one, I promise. 

[Dave F]

Sorry fin, didn't mean to "kill" you with gray pictures. This is the last one, I promise. 

Hi Jorge,  I still don't have an Oxford Gray, and this beauty of yours gives me new inspiration to look harder.  What a gem!  You sure know how to make them shine!

Dave

[baldopeacock]

You guys are killing me with the Oxford Gray 500s--I want one BAD!! ...

Sorry fin, didn't mean to "kill" you with gray pictures. This is the last one, I promise. 

What's the story with this one, Jorge?   Black dial, metal fingerwheel, was this a very early one?   Seems like I've read that the first color 500s were assembled with black dials.

[JorgeAmely]

You guys are killing me with the Oxford Gray 500s--I want one BAD!! ...

Sorry fin, didn't mean to "kill" you with gray pictures. This is the last one, I promise. 

What's the story with this one, Jorge?   Black dial, metal fingerwheel, was this a very early one?   Seems like I've read that the first color 500s were assembled with black dials.

It was built in 1954, late October, early November. With the straight handset cord, it feels light like a feather. I have an album here, but I just remembered that I haven't commented any of the pictures yet.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Amelyenator/1954WesternElectricOxfordGrayTelephoneInATwoToneCombination# ( dead link 03-11-21 )

One of my favorites sets.

[Kenny C]

You found one, Kenny?   

I got a light gray trade

[finlover]

Sorry fin, didn't mean to "kill" you with gray pictures. This is the last one, I promise. 

That was the coup de grâce...ooohhh, the pain!!  Goodbye cruel world!  You guys, split my collection amongst yourselves--my wife will be glad to get the space back!

[JorgeAmely]

Sorry fin, didn't mean to "kill" you with gray pictures. This is the last one, I promise. 

That was the coup de grâce...ooohhh, the pain!!  Goodbye cruel world!  You guys, split my collection amongst yourselves--my wife will be glad to get the space back!

Can I have the odd looking red and blue phones with gray cords? As a small token of my appreciation for you and to remember the good old times, I could take the red 202 with red cloth cord (if you don't mind ... would you? .... please! ..... before you quietly slip away ......)