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1962 554, won for $10

Started by Netdewt, December 01, 2009, 06:24:19 PM

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Netdewt

I won this 554 on eBay and got it set up in the dining room last night. Looks great and works perfectly. I'm amazed that this thing is still ticking after 47 years. I've never had a cell phone last longer than 3!

I'd love to collect old rotaries! Next on my list is a 500, a 302, an Ericofon... I'll be cruising for more ideas!

gpo706

Nice.

Same as mine but mines is April 1961, could be off the same line!

I really fancy a colour one for the kitchen, not that anyone would use it though...
"now this should take five minutes, where's me screwdriver went now..?"

LarryInMichigan

Netdewt,

Welcome to the forum.  Your phone will likely be working just as well 47 years from now.  For a clean phone in such great shape, you got a great deal.  Usually, the ones that I see which already look good go for much more.  I usually buy the dirty, pathetic looking ones for $10 or so and then spend hours cleaning and polishing them.  Good luck finding an Ericofon for cheap!  I hate myself for throwing one out around 27 years ago.

Larry

bwanna

netdewt......nice phone for a good price. now....   RUN! RUN AWAY as fast as you can!!!!!   before you are sucked into the deep dark abyss of rotary phone addiction collecting ;D


ps  welcome :)
donna

Dennis Markham

Welcome Netdewt to the forum.  That is a nice model 554.  It looks like it has the thicker, or wider chrome hook--an indication of an older phone.  The handset looks like a G1.  Does it have Bakelite caps too?  How about the dates on the plastic?  Is it a soft plastic model.  Is that a plastic 172C backboard?  Did you get that with the phone?  Looks like you got a great deal.  Donna is right, you better turn and run now before you get "hooked"! 

Netdewt

Quote from: Dennis Markham on December 01, 2009, 07:05:53 PM
Welcome Netdewt to the forum.  That is a nice model 554.  It looks like it has the thicker, or wider chrome hook--an indication of an older phone.  The handset looks like a G1.  Does it have Bakelite caps too?  How about the dates on the plastic?  Is it a soft plastic model.  Is that a plastic 172C backboard?  Did you get that with the phone?  Looks like you got a great deal.  Donna is right, you better turn and run now before you get "hooked"! 

It has this stamped under the cover: "A/B 554 2-62".
The backplate says: "172C".
Inside the cover I see a big "8" and a circle with a "P" over a "60" in it.

The entire handset seems to be made of the same plastic material...
The biggest flaws are tiny scratches that I want to try to buff out with 3M stuff. The Handset is the worst because of a shoulder thing that was on it, but they are not deep. Also, it needs a new dial center thing.

LarryInMichigan

Netdewt,

The handset is made of bakelite.  It should have "G1" marked on the bottom of the handle.  You don't want to buff or sand it too much or you will rub the outer coating off of it, and it will look brown.

Larry

McHeath

Welcome netdewt.  Yeah it's pretty amazing when you can buy a 47 year old telephone and hook it up and it works fine.  My current cell phone is four and a half years old and ancient, it's got cracks, dirt under the display that shows through, the paint finish coming off all over, and the 1 button is going south, and I'm real easy on my stuff. 

This is how I got hooked on old phones, a black wall mount kitchen job that I strung up a couple of years ago and shazam, now they are all over the place. 

LarryInMichigan

There should be a law requiring that a Surgeon General's warning label be placed on all old telephones stating: "The purchase and use of old rotary telephones has been found to be addictive".  Perhaps we can sue the government for not preventing our addictions ;)

Dennis Markham

Netdewt, duh.......your topic title says that it's a 1962.  I guess I didn't read that closely.  Thanks for all the info.

gpo706

Mine is scabby as feck, and leaving it like that, half torn off area code sticker on the side, paint speckles and all.

Works fine.

If I want a pristine one will buy it.

Only new stuff on it is the Phoneco 12ft handset cord and the line in, she looks mighty fine to me.
"now this should take five minutes, where's me screwdriver went now..?"

JorgeAmely

Donna:

What addiction?  Buh huh ha ha ha haaaaa!  :o :o :o
Jorge

Netdewt

A. We hadn't had a land line in at least 5 years, but we got a landline for "security", I guess you could say, and I didn't own any phones. I already have a cell phone I lose all the time so cordless phones are out. Then, have you seen the corded phones they sell today? Blech! SO, old phone it is.

B. We just moved into a 1955 built house outside of Minneapolis this past spring, and I like the idea of keeping some of the things in the house period correct. Plus I just like old used stuff that I can monkey with. This phone was made 20 years before my birth, so it's not a nostalgia thing.

bellsystemproperty

Welcome to the forum. I'm new here too, kinda ;D I agree, cordless phones are junk. Whenever I go to a store, I purposefully pretend I'm looking for something in the electronics section. Then I see someone come up looking at the cordless phones. I then trash the cordless phone and get the person into the rotary phone obsession hobby. Some people actually agree with me, and they think I'm crazy but it's all good.  ;D

BTW, nice 554. You got a good deal.