Auction 19 - 1956 WE 500 in Dark Blue

[bingster]

We join our next auction already in progress...

It is a beautiful -57 blue Western Electric 500, with matching grey cords.  The phone dates to 1956, and given the description, the seller may not know what he's got (unless he's being coy).  Either way, it's sure to bring a decent price.

And what price will it bring?  Be sure to get your guess in before the auction's final twenty-four hours, and you could take your place in the fabled Auction Contest Hall of Fame!

> 1956 WE 500 in Blue <

S C O R E B O A R D
$239.00 - BDM
$240.00 - HobieSport
$242.00 - Steve
$250.00 - Sargeguy
$272.59 - Dennis Markham
$279.00 - Dan²
$315.50 - mienaichizu
$330.00 - winkydink (-22)
Sold for $352.00
$360.00 - JimH (Over)
$375.00 - Dan/Panther (Over)
$399.00 - Konrad (Over)
$400.00 - McHeath (Over)
$425.00 - Mark Stevens (Over)
$466.67 - sesjrs (Over)
$525.00 - bingster (Over)
$565.65 - Bill Cahill (Over)

[McHeath]

No one wants a phone like this, do they?  None of you would be caught dead with this phone in your house, right?  Since there is no interest I will contact the seller and recommend that they just send it to me so that they are not ashamed when they can't sell it for love nor money.

However I will guess that the final bid will be 400 big ones, American.

[Dennis Markham]

I'm going to go lower...... $272.59

[winkydink]

How about $330.00

[Dan/Panther]

I'll say $375.00.

I would like the phone, but I won't bid.

D/P

[Bill Cahill]

We join our next auction already in progress...

It is a beautiful -57 blue Western Electric 500, with matching grey cords.  The phone dates to 1956, and given the description, the seller may not know what he's got (unless he's being coy).  Either way, it's sure to bring a decent price.

And what price will it bring?  Be sure to get your guess in before the auction's final twenty-four hours, and you could take your place in the fabled Auction Contest Hall of Fame!

> 1956 WE 500 in Blue <

S C O R E B O A R D
$272.59 - Dennis Markham
$330.00 - winkydink
$400.00 - McHeath
$525.00 - bingster

Hmmmm. Drizzle, drazzle, druzzle, drome. Time for this one to come home.
Ah.. My book of sorcery tells me there are six young, money rich bids on this phone. It's got several days left, and, it's already going up, up, and, away....
My book says to bid------ 565.65.
Bill Cahill

[Dennis Markham]

Being that I spend way too much time analyzing eBay phone sales (and I'm usually wrong), I have noticed that when an item such as this first comes out it attracts bid attention---usually in the first two days.  Then it sits throughout the middle part of the auction.  Finally it is hit at the end.  So, wearing my Sorcerer's hat I will predict that the price will remain stabilized until the last two minutes of the auction.  But as I said, I'm always wrong.

[Steve]

I'd say $242 

[Sargeguy]

$250

[JimH]

Well the last one like this went for $360 a couple of months ago.  That's more than I would have guessed...so....I'll say:

$360

[Dennis Markham]

I went to an outdoor antique fair in July of 2007 in the area.  A white-haired guy had a bunch of telephones on display on his table.  A 302, a 202, some other black phones for which he wanted over $100 apiece.  But what had caught my eye from 20 yards away was a  blue 500.  I negotiated for the black phones asking how much he wanted for each, pretending I didn't even notice the blue phone with gray coiled handset cord and matching line cord.  My heart was pounding like a jack-rabbit.  After pondering the costs that he had given me, with absolutely no interest in any of them, I asked the question.  "What do you want for that blue plastic one?"  He thought a moment and said, with a question in his voice... $35.00?  I peeled off two $20 bills and had to concentrate on keeping my hands from shaking while I waited for my $5 in change.  He said something like, boy, as fast as you got that money out I should have said $50!  I thanked him and walked as fast as I could to my car and got out of there.    True story.  They're still out there---you just have to keep looking.

I've been back to that antique fair each of the three times a summer that they have it...May, July and September.  I see that guy each time but so far nothing else good.  Sometimes it's the hunt more than the kill.

[Konrad]

$399

[Dan/Panther]

AH! Dennis that was you, I've been looking for you for months, I want my phone back, I sold it by mistake.
D/P

[Bill Cahill]

AH! Dennis that was you, I've been looking for you for months, I want my phone back, I sold it by mistake.
D/P

Dan, I asked you to check that phone for me. NOT sell it!
Bill Cahill 

[Dan/Panther]

See Dennis, I didn't want to say anything, but I'm in real bind here, I'll even give you $50.00 for your trouble.
D/P