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Compubit / Jim's (Growing) Phone Collection

Started by compubit, March 18, 2015, 12:20:12 AM

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compubit

I'm still trying to decide how to "specialize" - if that's possible...  Right now, it's a mish-mash focused mostly on the Western Electric family...

First off is "Phone 0". Unfortunately, I no longer have "Phone 0". I was a black Stromberg Carlson 1543 "Cut Corner" desk set from my dad's parents after they downsized houses in the late 70s. That phone was taken apart and rebuilt so many times (and "redesigned" with new wooden cases). It was also the first phone where I learned that a ringing phone can give you a shock.

My oldest phone I still have is next. It's a Western Electric 2702BM Red Process model, bought back in 86/87 as AT&T was getting out of the phone business.
A phone phanatic since I was less than 2 (thanks to Fisher Price); collector since a teenager; now able to afford to play!
Favorite Phone: Western Electric Trimline - it just feels right holding it up to my face!

compubit

Next up is a yellow 2554 from a Mom's mom, when she moved from Suffern, NY (New York Telephone) to Johnstown, NY (GTE) in the mid 90s.  GTE had different jacks (the modular plug stuck out of the back about 3/4" and the mounting holes were slightly different and it wouldn't fit, so we bought her a new phone.  It now needs a good cleaning/polishing.

A phone phanatic since I was less than 2 (thanks to Fisher Price); collector since a teenager; now able to afford to play!
Favorite Phone: Western Electric Trimline - it just feels right holding it up to my face!

compubit

#2
Next up is the 1500 I just cleaned up (much more recent purchase) - and what got me started posting this topic. Basic old white 1500.  Currently has a NOS coiled cord - and I'm looking for a white wall cord to connect to a matching round 4-prong plug I have. I'm still working on the original white cord, and once it's white, I'll swap it out. (eBay purchase)
A phone phanatic since I was less than 2 (thanks to Fisher Price); collector since a teenager; now able to afford to play!
Favorite Phone: Western Electric Trimline - it just feels right holding it up to my face!

compubit

Finishing up the first made me want to get the other 1500s together...

All (except the white) have matching colored line cables and color-matched 4-prong jacks.

The green has yellowed into an Olive color and the pink has some yellowing toward Salmon.

Jim
A phone phanatic since I was less than 2 (thanks to Fisher Price); collector since a teenager; now able to afford to play!
Favorite Phone: Western Electric Trimline - it just feels right holding it up to my face!

compubit

Next up is my first soft plastic colored phone (I have a black, but it's in the queue to be cleaned up).

Red 500, mostly matching dates 2/57 base and handset elements. Beautifully restored with a matching line cord. Currently sits in the living room next to the couch on an antique table. (eBay purchase)
A phone phanatic since I was less than 2 (thanks to Fisher Price); collector since a teenager; now able to afford to play!
Favorite Phone: Western Electric Trimline - it just feels right holding it up to my face!

compubit

#5
On to my "354 on the wall".  This was the phone I saw that got me back active into the collecting community (and finding the forums).  Something about this classic says "I deserve to be used!" My spiral into collecting has been downhill from here...

This unit was delivered restored and polished (could use a little more), and looks amazing.  I added a 554 "add-on" modular back-plate (easily removable), use this phone nearly every day to make sure my Panasonic switch is working. The coiled cable is cloth covered, and not original, but still looks sharp.  Inside dates are all over the place; dial is a type 6.

My plan is to take one of the other 354s I have that's not in such good shape, clean it up and repaint it an alternate color (looking at Medium/Mediterranean Blue). (purchased from Goodwill)
A phone phanatic since I was less than 2 (thanks to Fisher Price); collector since a teenager; now able to afford to play!
Favorite Phone: Western Electric Trimline - it just feels right holding it up to my face!

WEBellSystemChristian

Great collection, Jim! I love the 1500 collection!

I think that red 500 was from member "Harry Smith". He had it in the Classifieds section until he finally decided to sell it on ebay.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=13664.0
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford

HarrySmith

Nice 1500 collection! Keep going for the rest of the colors.

Yes that was my Red 500.
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

compubit

It was from Harry.  Thanks, again!

Now further on into the collection...

Next up is another member purchase: Kenton's Ivory Soft Plastic 500 set. Beautiful shape and yet another soft 500 color. (Catching a pattern?)

Jim
A phone phanatic since I was less than 2 (thanks to Fisher Price); collector since a teenager; now able to afford to play!
Favorite Phone: Western Electric Trimline - it just feels right holding it up to my face!

compubit

And further down the Soft Plastic 500 - Pink! This one needs some cleaning and polishing, but fills that pink hole in the 500s.  Before I discovered this site, I wasn't aware of a WE 500 in pink - as far as I knew, sets came in the basic 8 colors, plus pink for the Princess and brown & rust for the Trimlines... (I was aware of gray, due to my internship in college with the Dept. of Defense - gray phones were secure; black were not secure - but not "out in the wild"). (eBay purchase)
A phone phanatic since I was less than 2 (thanks to Fisher Price); collector since a teenager; now able to afford to play!
Favorite Phone: Western Electric Trimline - it just feels right holding it up to my face!

WEBellSystemChristian

Quote from: compubit on March 18, 2015, 10:16:58 PM
It was from Harry.  Thanks, again!

Now further on into the collection...

Next up is another member purchase: Kenton's Ivory Soft Plastic 500 set. Beautiful shape and yet another soft 500 color. (Catching a pattern?)

Jim
I sent a PM to Ken the second I saw that ivory 500 for sale, but you got it before me! Very, very envious of that one!
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford

compubit

Light gray 2503 data set.  I actually have 2 of these: one is configured for normal phone operations (and data when the plunger is lifted), and the other the exact opposite (data on/off hook-lift plunger for voice). These have an RJ-45 plug in the back (mounted within the unit - not on like the RJ-11 of a normal 2500 set). (eBay purchases)
A phone phanatic since I was less than 2 (thanks to Fisher Price); collector since a teenager; now able to afford to play!
Favorite Phone: Western Electric Trimline - it just feels right holding it up to my face!

compubit

Two more recent additions. GTE/Automatic Electric Styleline desk phones: rotary in Sunny Yellow and touch calling in Tropic Green. The dial is very, very sluggish on the yellow phone - will have to figure out why, or worst case, find a donor phone...

(And yes, the colors are bright as the pictures indicate!)
A phone phanatic since I was less than 2 (thanks to Fisher Price); collector since a teenager; now able to afford to play!
Favorite Phone: Western Electric Trimline - it just feels right holding it up to my face!

compubit

Now for the white 2500 I use as a reference when chemically fixing faded phones. Refurbed in the early 90s with new AT&T plastics (no metal screw anchors in the cover). Had a bad Touch Tone dial when I received, so replaced it with a #72 NOS dial I had picked up. The short throw pad seems appropriate for the newer plastics. (eBay purchase)
A phone phanatic since I was less than 2 (thanks to Fisher Price); collector since a teenager; now able to afford to play!
Favorite Phone: Western Electric Trimline - it just feels right holding it up to my face!

patcorr

Great collection! I love the red 500. They seem to have a high valuation. My next purchases will be the 554 and a 1500/2500. The 554's can be found in Ireland but are quite rare. I will have to try source a 1500/2500 from the USA. The carriage will be a crippler though.