Amazing Original Paint 7/38 WE Metal 302

[Doug Rose]

I picked this up on eBay with a BIN of $43 on Saturday.  Seller shipped it for $12.35 Medium Priority. Paint is actually better than pictured, a few marks on the back cradle ears. It is dated 7/38 throughout, except the transmitter and the dial, both dated 2/40. July 1938...SEVENTY SIX years old!! My guess is it was upgraded from a manual set to a dial in 2/40. I love the dial card. The receiver cord is too far gone, otherwise it is in just wonderful condition. It was really nice to come home from work have this waiting on the front porch. I just love the metal 302s, man is it heavy! ...Doug

http://www.ebay.com/itm/171417052965

[WesternElectricBen]

Nice find Doug, your hunch about it being upgraded to dial service makes sense to me.

If the issue with the cord is just at the ends, (where the phone would be non-functional,) couldn't you just pull it more into the receiver and strip the ends?

Ben

[Doug Rose]

thanks Ben......the cord has some frays in the middle as well but still retains its deep brown color. I'll see what I can do. This was not used much at all in its seventy six years......Doug

[Doug Rose]

It cleaned up wonderfully. Paint is in outstanding condition. I had to replace the handset cord, wit a WE in really nice shape. The transmitter cap was very hard to remove and would not thread back on. Its a shame as the whole handset was dated. Transmitter was shot, but I had a 11/38.  Seventy six years old, what a beautiful phone.....Doug

[WesternElectricBen]

It looks great!

Ben

[JorgeAmely]

Hey Doug, is that an "odometer style" number card? Where you select the phone number by sliding strips of numbers until you get the number you want?

[Doug Rose]

Jorge,,,I didn't take it apart as I was nervous I wouldn't get it back ....bui it looked like that was the number on the WE card in back of it...Doug

[poplar1]

Jorge is referring to the "cellulose acetate number cards" which were "made up" using paper strips for the central office name, line number, etc.

"This card is for maintenance use and for other cases where the preparation of the number card on the job saves a special visit to place the number card."

C37.311 Issue 4, 1-2-35
http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/4640-c37-311-i4-jan35-station-number-cards-holders

[Doug Rose]

David...agreed...it didn't look like there was anything in back except a regular WE dial card. I did not want to take it apart as I was anxious I could not put it back together...Doug

[unbeldi]

This number card rather looks like the paper make-up type, Form 3026, that is shown in BSP C37.312 Issue 1 2-9-42, not the earlier cellulose acetate type.

[JohnInWI]

Here is a close up of the number card from the original Ebay listing.

[Doug Rose]

I tried but I cannot fit it in my phone room.  I will send to eBay next week. This is to good of a phone to sit in a box, I have never seen original paint so good!....Doug

[poplar1]

Some areas, such as upstate NY, continued to use the paper make-up number cards, such as this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221534589374

[unbeldi]

I have two 564 key sets with identical versions of these number cards, also from upstate NY. Both show the same number. This phone was made in 1960 and refurbished in 1964, and both of them were taken out of service just a few years ago by the business owner from whom I received them.