Look what I found for $3

[persido]

Stopped at a yard sale this morning, saw a 500 telephone at first I thought it was green, but after picking it up and looking at it I knew it was something special, its a 2 tone 1954 grey 500,  the women having the yard sale said she wanted $5 for the phone, I said gee it sure is dirty, so she said $3, I think I got a good buy, I opened it up, the entire phone is dated 1954. The grey handset cord is in great condition, only thing missing was the wall cord can't wait to see how it cleans up.

Scot

[paul-f]

That looks like Find of the Month material.  Congratulations!

Since your phone has a gray handset, it was considered "full color" gray in the early days of color.  The two-tone sets had black handsets.

Note the black dials on the gray, red, yellow and blue "full color" sets in C30.011 issue 6, page 5.  It's in the TCI Library or here:

  http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1886.msg26921#msg26921

  http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1886.0;attach=9622

[Dennis Markham]

Wow Scot, that was a great find today!  For those of us that collect that model of phone that one is certainly a great addition to the collection! 

Any chance you can post a photo, or tell us what it reads on the back of the dial?  Is it a 7C or earlier 7A?  Color code?  Finding a "black-dial set"  in the field, especially with matching dates is pretty conclusive that the phone was assembled by the phone company.  Either at the plant or done by the installer.  Is the cord strain relief date also from '54?

Perhaps a find of the month for you!  (Paul and I posted at the same time).

~Dennis

[JimH]

What a find!  I'm just glad someone came along that knew what it was and the value in it.  Many times I've been to garage sales and a couple of days later I've seen everything that didn't sell out for the trash.  You saved this one!

Jim

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Wow, what an absolutely terrific find!!!

I've never seen an Oxford Grey ever go that cheap, anywhere!

Congratulations!!!

[tallguy58]

Score!

[Dan/Panther]

Scot;
I don't know it's awful dirty. I'll take it of your hands for $10.00.
If that would have been me, as I was commenting, "the phone is Kinda dirty". Someone behind me would say; "Hey that phone is worth a lot of money".

Good find.
D/P

[Russ Kirk]

Nice find! You're very lucky.

[Kenton K]

Lucky man!!!

[persido]

Back of the dial says 7D-3

[Dennis Markham]

Thank you for the photo of the dial.  I mistakenly said 7C, which would have been on a color set.  I think the 7D-3 (Black) was because the dial bezel was black.  Also, I think Paul F had pointed out in the past that some sets were marked from the factory with a different designation when a black dial face was used, either on these "full color" sets or on the two-tone sets (with Black G1 handsets).

Thanks again for taking the time to post the photo.

~Dennis

[unbeldi]

Based on the BSPs, only two-tone sets were designated with the suffix A, for example a gray set with retractile cord would be order with the designation 500DR-52A

[Dennis Markham]

Based on the BSPs, only two-tone sets were designated with the suffix A, for example a gray set with retractile cord would be order with the designation 500DR-52A

But the marking on the back of the dial?  Had it come from the factory would it have been 7D - 52A??  Or as is marked on Scot's set........... 7D-3?

[unbeldi]

Based on the BSPs, only two-tone sets were designated with the suffix A, for example a gray set with retractile cord would be order with the designation 500DR-52A

But the marking on the back of the dial?  Had it come from the factory would it have been 7D - 52A??  Or as is marked on Scot's set........... 7D-3?

I believe 7D-3 is right.
Once I had thought the same that the dial was marked with the A, but decided that this is not logical nor supported by any evidence or documentation. The A designation was only for the set as a whole and was probably stamped only on the carton that the phone came in.


PS:  BSP C30.011 specifies a 7D-3 dial for the full color sets that didn't have matching parts yet, so why would they change that for the two-tone sets?

[persido]

Ok got it all cleaned up, it looks great, works well except it will not ring, the clapper moves a little bit but not strong enough to make the bells ring, please see picture of the wiring, maybe something is wired wrong, hope some one can help.....thanks

Scot