1955 Oxford Gray 565BBR-3

[allnumbedup]

As requested here is my Oxford Gray 565--more pictures to follow.  I purchased last week in an on-line auction and won it after leaving an absentee bid barely high enough to withstand some last minute bidding.


I would like to know more about the model designation marked on the box and any ideas about how long the internal components may have looks like they do here in this early model 500 multi-line.

I have worked on one 465 before and restored several 1960's 565's but this is the first soft plastic 565 I have opened up.  I think 1955 was the first year of production for a 500 series multi-line and the insides of this phone have so many interesting features that disappeared with development in the next few years that I thought worthwhile posting here:
Oxford Gray -52  WE 565B with the box marked 565BBR-3 -52-GRAY. It looks to have been lightly used then put in storage. All parts are dated 1955-- A/B 565B base 8-55, R and "48 857" in vermillion, case 10-20-55, handset 7-55, caps missing center hole 8-55, handset elements 8-5-55 and 8-10-55, 425b network 8-55, C4A ringer 3-55, &c-52 dial 5-55, H43H III handset cord -55, 35 wire Amphenol oxford gray cord is unmarked. The base is also marked with the color code -52 which is always great to see. 
The original 70 year old box matching this phone which is very dog eared, torn  and worn but still has instructions for the volume control, packing flats and two empty envelopes enclosed and some random parts as mentioned in a previous post..  I have done little to improve this phone except clean it's plastic parts with soapy water and goo gone because it's soft plastic was covered in protective mold and dust. 

[allnumbedup]

I am also interested if the thickish plastic bag found covering the handset might be original. Did they have clear plastic bags like this in 1955?

There were no bulbs in this phone and the copper contacts look as if they have never seen one. The dial and key set keys function mechanically as expected.  This phone has a white exclusion key that rests on a second stack of contacts. The 589B key set control is in two Bakelite and metal parts with clear strip covers over the contacts. The right 3 key set plungers are brass and the first three are Bakelite while the plastic shrouds for the round key buttons are individuals held in place on a Bakelite and metal strip. The handset cord bracket is a clear plastic two piece one and the leads to the receiver element are tied together with cloth twine. The color is slightly yellowed on the handset and dial face but most of the plastic surface retain fantastic color and original gloss. The fat coiled oxford gray handset cord has partial flattening of coils where it was likely stored under the phone--being retrained now. The phone has no cracks or deep gouges but there are scuffs and nicks more on the handset than the body. The open center finger wheel and center acetate is original to this phone, while the designation card and dial card are reproductions added by me. 

[paul-f]

I would like to know more about the model designation marked on the box ...

Some info for decoding the model number can be found at the following link and in the referenced BSPs:
http://www.paul-f.com/we500typ.htm#565

The first B indicates the button configuration. Some of the codes are posted further up the table here:
http://www.paul-f.com/we500typ.htm#540

The box was apparently marked first for a black set (-3), then over-marked for gray (-52)

Congratulations on a great find. I hope to see it in Find of the Month.

[allnumbedup]

Thanks Paul: from the 1954 BSP "C32.558 i1 Jul54 - 540 And 560-Type Telephone Sets Description~Use" with the next BSP in 1957 not listing a 565BB button configuration. Maybe as 500 sets became standard this "BB" feature for "transmission requirements" no longer was useful to note.  Perhaps the R in 565BBR-3 signifies refurb.  I saw the -3  black color code on the box too and thought this was odd since the phone is marked -52 on the base and the internal dates on the base and components and dates on the gray plastic all match to 1955. So maybe that is more about repurposing the box than the phone, or maybe it was a complete color change in the factory prior to shipping out the phone. The vermillion refurb stamp on the bottom must be for another issue other than color change since it is 1957.

[HarrySmith]

Very Cool! Nice catch. Hard to find an early one in that color, never mind looking like it was never used. Congrats

[paul-f]

from the 1954 BSP "C32.558 i1 Jul54 - 540 And 560-Type Telephone Sets Description~Use" with the next BSP in 1957 not listing a 565BB button configuration.

Look for the 565B. The second B is from the A/B marking on the bottom, usually indicating manual/dial.

[poplar1]

Perhaps the R in 565BBR-3 signifies refurb.

The R after the model number indicates a retractile handset cord.

R- in front of the model number would indicate a remanufactured phone. Bell Canada was better at putting the R- in front than the WE Repair Shops were.

[Stormcrash]

I do believe the thick plastic bag covering the handset was original, or at least that one is supposed to be there. The mahogany brown 500 that I got new in box had a plastic sleeve like that over the handset.

Also based on my 500 one of the opened packets in your box would have originally contained the number card backing/retainer and possibly the acetate card window that go in the middle of the fingerwheel (I decided against opening my sealed packet so can't completely confirm but I can feel the backing ring in it) Those would have been in the torn wax paper packet, not sure what the other envelope would have been for

Very awesome phone, glad that dial plate cleaned up so well with no polish, on a soft plastic ivory set I had the dirt/mold had set in and would not yield to anything less than novus 2 which resulted in the plate getting a glossy finish instead of the original texture

[allnumbedup]

thanks for the info on this phone.  It does not have any signs of a retractile cord but I did find reference in a 1962 BSP (SECTION C38.595.00) that an "R" was used for a time after the second letter (A/B or C/D) to indicate a "spring cord" on a dial or manual 500.  I take this to mean a coiled cord rather than a retractile one . So the "BBR" on the box might mean a dial phone with a B key configuration and a coiled cord.

Also as shown in my first post on this phone:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=27095.msg261559#msg261559

the manila envelope had a aluminum ferrule. I opened the envelope to find this part. There was also a brass grommet in the box. In addition, just like Daniel B's beautiful 1956 version, mine also had a never-used black WE metal card retainer ring for a metal finger wheel. My theory is that the acetate dial card cover was used from this torn open, labeled part bag for the open center finger wheel I found installed on this phone:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=26982.0;topicseen

It is pretty amazing that both these phones came to members of this forum only a month apart. They have a lot of similarities and some differences now documented for posterity.

[poplar1]

thanks for the info on this phone.  It does not have any signs of a retractile cord but I did find reference in a 1962 BSP (SECTION C38.595.00) that an "R" was used for a time after the second letter (A/B or C/D) to indicate a "spring cord" on a dial or manual 500.  I take this to mean a coiled cord rather than a retractile one . So the "BBR" on the box might mean a dial phone with a B key configuration and a coiled cord.

I believe "spring cord" was used as well as "retractile cord." I  any case, in 1955-1956 it was called a "retractile" cord; hence the choice of "R" rather than "S" or "C" to designate this option. (Price in Southern Bell territory was $1.50 one-time charge for residential.)

"Koiled Kord" was actually a trademark for a different manufacturer.

See attached (from TCI Library):

[Doug Rose]

Another?  Someone must have found a stash of these. Strange as this also has the metal retainer ring...Doug


https://www.ebay.com/itm/175590334134

[FABphones]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/175590334134

Additional images from above listing.

[allnumbedup]

Doug: you might be correct about an uncovered stash. These phones all had similar light levels of use with similar conditions of storage.  The three came from different sellers and different auctions in Wisconsin, Indiana, and Illinois---but all within a couple hours drive or each other. 

[Doug Rose]

...you might be correct about an uncovered stash. These phones all had similar light levels of use with similar conditions of storage.  The three came from different sellers and different auctions in Wisconsin, Indiana, and Illinois---but all within a couple hours drive or each other. 

You got the deal on these three as the others went for $600 or more. ...Doug

[MMikeJBenN27]

 Great find!  I saw this or one like it on E-Bay, but I have too many phones now, so I passed.  Not sure about plastic bags in 55, but they did have Saran Wrap, so maybe they did exist then.

Mike