Too many 301As-Switched to 288s

[Sargeguy]

I had five 301As at one point, but I've whittled it down to two.  So I went out and bought this 288 to celebrate!

[Fabius]

The 288 is on my list to buy.

[Sargeguy]

I just crossed it off my list!  The main difference between the 288 and the 301A is the 5-bar magneto with unique spacers.  This one looks like it was brassed out and refinished at some point.  The transmitter is a bevelled edge 7-digit, so the price was right.

[Pourme]

That is a beautiful phone, Greg.

Congrats!

[Fabius]

The door is set in the phone differently.

[RB]

That is a piece of art.
Very nice wood working.

[Sargeguy]

The door is set in the phone differently.

I noticed that.  Something seems a little bit different about the backboard too.

[Sargeguy]

The  phone arrived today and I was able to examine and take a few pictures. I knew from the pictures that it had a previous restoration,  it look like it's the nickel parts were brassed out and the wood refinished.  Apparently the restorer could not figure out how to put the phone back together again. He tossed the spare parts in the battery compartment with the receiver.   The wiring is completely missing.  Also, the packaging job was in adequate and there is damage to the phone it looked as if it was dropped on one side and the writing shelf was pushed sideways. This caused a split one side and want to have the mounting brackets to be pulled away from the writing shelf.   Also, the packaging job was in adequate and there is damage to the phone it looked as if it was dropped on one side and the writing shelf was pushed sideways. This caused a split one side and want to have the mounting brackets to be pulled away from the running shelf. Luckily the shipper unscrewed the crank and removed the hook before shipping.   Maybe he should have marked it fragile?    The damage can be repaired fairly easily using clamps and some glue.  A larger problem is that the brass parts are actually played it with another metal. Rhodium? Whatever it is I am not sure if I should remove it or attempt to plate over it.  I can replace the bells and crank, etc. but the 7 digit transmitter and the weird switch hook will meed to be plated.

[HarrySmith]

Good luck with it. I am sure it will turn out  beautifully.

[Vern P]

There was some talk on the ATCA list, about these nickel parts been coated with something like varnish and how to remove it, sorry I don't recall what was used.  I have a ABT co. Face plate that looks the same.

I believe these pates were chemisleyed stripped, as they show no "buffing" marks.  The odd part is, all of these parts we are talking about, are early parts, not the later common ones.

The 288 is one I have been looking for too, CONGRATS on a great find.
Vern

[Sargeguy]

That was my post about the finish.  Boiling in vinegar removed the coating from the bells but I ended up having to sand the faceplate to remove it all so that I could re-plate it.

[Vern P]

Yes this was the post I was talking about. I would suggest try other thing before sanding, as you run the risk of removing details.  Try lactior thinner, this cleaned off a mess on some other parts I had.  Good luck restoring the telephone.

I have a WE 288 that has the back, box, shelf, switch and hook only, no door or guts. Has mother oil on part of it.  Not worth much, but looking for a new home.

Vern

[RotarDad]

I thought these wood phones were generally made with oak.  This one looks looks like walnut.  Was this a more expensive phone back in the day or?  I always considered walnut to be a very nice furniture wood.

[Sargeguy]

Walnut was the more commonly used material,  it was a lot more plentiful back then. Oak is also common,  Quartersawn oak was used on the top boxes while flat grain oak was used on the rest of the phone.  At the time, telephones were considered furniture