50-AL vs. 51-AL dates

[poplar1]

I'm trying to determine  when WE changed from making 50-ALs to the simpler 51-ALs.

Also the dates that they changed the placement of the dates on #2 dials. On the newer dials, the dates were stamped on the back rather than on the outside rim.

On what I think are  originals, the 50ALs all or most have outside dates on the 2A dial. Most but not all of the 51ALs have the newer 2A dials with dates on the back of the dial.

[Contempra]

I'm trying to determine  when WE changed from making 50-ALs to the simpler 51-ALs.

Also the dates that they changed the placement of the dates on #2 dials. On the newer dials, the dates were stamped on the back rather than on the outside rim.

On what I think are  originals, the 50ALs all or most have outside dates on the 2A dial. Most but not all of the 51ALs have the newer 2A dials with dates on the back of the dial.

on this link: http://www.oldtimephones.com/candlestickphones.html you will have a good idea.. just scroll down....

[poplar1]

Thanks, Denis. That's a good tutorial; he says 1919 for 50-ALs and mid-1920s for 51-ALs. Hopefully, we can find an exact year for the 51-AL introduction.

He also includes the BSP reference that repairmen were told to remove any candlestick phones found still in service in 1957. (C38.903 NJBT, April 1957)

[tallguy58]

I have a couple of #2 dials with no date on them. When did they start to put dates on??

One has patent dates on the outside rim, the other has it on the back. Are those the dates you're talking about?

Did they ever put vermillion dates on #2 dials?

[poplar1]

Yes, I'm referring to the patent dates on the side:
AUG 13 12  AUG 24 15 DES MAY 7 18 SEP 13 21

The earliest 2-type dials don't have any patent dates.
Next they were marked PAT APP FOR on the side
Then the above dates on the side
Then the dates on the back

As for manufacture dates, apparently WE started stamping the date in vermilion in 1929 on both the dial backs and inside the phone bases (51-ALs and B1s). This was in a MYY format such as 130 for January, 1930.

Transmitters were stamped earlier. So far the earliest I have found is 1926.

[tallguy58]

Thanks for the clarification.

As always, a wealth of information.

[Contempra]

Thanks, Denis. That's a good tutorial; he says 1919 for 50-ALs and mid-1920s for 51-ALs. Hopefully, we can find an exact year for the 51-AL introduction.

He also includes the BSP reference that repairmen were told to remove any candlestick phones found still in service in 1957. (C38.903 NJBT, April 1957)

You're welcome David ...