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Who won this beauty?

Started by JorgeAmely, March 11, 2010, 03:03:22 PM

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JorgeAmely

300403087581

A very rare ivory 554 with smooth cords  :o :o :o

Jorge

Craig T

I seen that gem a couple nights ago. I figured it would finish out of my range and... Yep $356 and shipping  :)

I am not a big wall phone fan at this point, but that 554 was a beauty!

Wallphone

Quote from: Craig T on March 11, 2010, 03:11:39 PM
I seen that gem a couple nights ago. I figured it would finish out of my range and... Yep $356 and shipping  :)

I am not a big wall phone fan at this point, but that 554 was a beauty!

Craig,
Bite your tongue.
Wallphone (Dougpav)

Dennis Markham

Take a good look at it.  I doubt we're going to see another like this, with matching straight handset cord, never installed again for a long time.  It even has the little string that they tied to the cord when it was born.  There a couple of us here that placed a bid.  I was first runner up....like dancing with one's sister.


Dennis Markham

DougPav, speaking of wall phones, Jonathan and I showed off some of ours in this thread.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1510.0

We'll get you hooked on this variety too.  These are all soft plastic versions.  That Ivory with the straight cord would have looked good in this group photo.

Dan

I have never seen a straight  handset cord on a coloured 554. Doe anyone out there have one (that isn't black?). That phone is truly a time machine. I would say it is a 1957, based on the satin finish hook.
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

Dan

Dennis after reading the old 554 thread, what do you mean about the "lower profile of the open center finger wheel?"on the soft plastic 554's ?
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

Dennis Markham

Dan, I mean lower profile vs the hard center wheel.  If you look at the wheels from a side view, the closed (hard) center wheel kind of has a dome shape.  The open center wheel is high in the center, (around the hub) but the area where the finger holes are seems to be lower, not angled.  Just kind of my personal view on the differences in the two.

Dan

 I'll look at mine from the side to see what you mean, thank you.
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

Dennis Markham

Dan, to illustrate what I mean, when many of the 500's were refurbished often finger wheels were changed, or perhaps a black phone with a metal finger wheel had a clear Lucite wheel added.  They were the later one piece finger wheel.  The finger stops had to be modified other wise they would rub on the one piece finger wheel.  There is a thread showing the different finger stop. Usually those modified dials have a finger stop that has a large X on the side of them.  The stop part is bent upward to allow for clearance.  Those would not be needed on the lower profile, open center wheel.

Here is that thread.  Scroll down for photos of the different stops.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=750.msg9046#msg9046

Dan

Thanks, I do like the "flat look" of the older pre-1965 open centered dials. I see why those original finger wheels are so expensive on ebay (since they are no longer made). It really is about making these sets original, even though a lot of dials have been refurbed along the way.
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

McHeath

I was following this 554, and knew that the final price would be impressive and it was.  Never seen the like before, and as Dennis notes it still has the string on the handset cord.  Wonder how many like it are left out there?  Can't be many.

AET

I like wall phones as well as desk phones and I think that wall phones have the major advantage of being easier to display, just hang it on the wall and it's good to go.
- Tom

Jim Stettler

Quote from: AtomicEraTom on March 12, 2010, 01:12:52 AM
I like wall phones as well as desk phones and I think that wall phones have the major advantage of being easier to display, just hang it on the wall and it's good to go.
AH, the Innocence of youth. I used to think that as well. The problem is when you get to many phones for display. That wall space can hold more shelfs of desk phones than wall sets.

I was clever with the wood wall  phones, I bought "compact" sets and mounted them 4-5 high. It works, but desk phones on shelfs work the best.
I only keep wall phones that I really like.


To get back to the phone in this thread, It was an exceptional phone, It sold high, but was cheap for the money.
JMO,
Jim

Tom, I hope you can experience the "problem" of too many phones.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

AET

Quote from: Jim S. on March 12, 2010, 01:37:23 AM


Tom, I hope you can experience the "problem" of too many phones.

I'm about there.  That's part of why I'm moving.
- Tom