Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Telephone Talk => General Discussion => Topic started by: HobieSport on November 26, 2008, 09:53:35 PM

Poll
Question: What's your oldest mostly original 500?
Option 1: I have a '49, but don't tell anyone. votes: 1
Option 2: 1950 votes: 12
Option 3: 1951 votes: 20
Option 4: 1952 votes: 25
Option 5: 1953-1957 votes: 72
Title: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: HobieSport on November 26, 2008, 09:53:35 PM
I have a couple of '54s, a '56 and a '57.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: benhutcherson on November 26, 2008, 09:59:31 PM
A '52, and a couple in the '53-57 range(all black) myself
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: bingster on November 26, 2008, 10:17:03 PM
Just one 500 for me.  A '57 in black.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: benhutcherson on November 26, 2008, 10:30:51 PM
This guy

http://home.comcast.net/~kirtley.stanfield/

claims to have a '49 set.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: McHeath on November 27, 2008, 12:29:02 AM
My oldest 500 is dated 12/51 and is a J/K.  That Kirk fellow who claims to have a 49' 500, wish his picture was better and he had more of them.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan on November 27, 2008, 12:39:55 AM
I have a 52 and a 55 black ones.( I have a 58 554  dark beige wall phone too.)

My fav at the monemt is an AE40 with chrome bands, but the 500 ring is my childhood so I will "rotate my stock ' and  get out a black one for Christmas
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on November 27, 2008, 12:21:40 PM
I have a Black 7-54.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dennis Markham on November 27, 2008, 01:20:19 PM
My oldest black 500 is from December of 1950.  I bought it the way it is....Network is 4/1950, Bells and 7A dial 12-50, Case is August of 1950, handset is dated 11/1950 with elements both from 12-1950.  The handset cord is a replacement but a straight black cord.  I have probably 6 or 8 other black ones from 1951 through 1958.  At one time I wanted one from each year.  I kind of gave up on that idea, not because I couldn't find them but it was getting crowded.  My favorite has to be my "birthday" phone.  All parts are dated 4-22-55, the day I was born.  Even the straight black handset cord is original.  I use it daily.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Dennis
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on November 27, 2008, 05:14:13 PM
Dennis;
I would love to find a 500 with all matching dates from year of birth, but unfortueately, I was born in 1949.

D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dennis Markham on November 27, 2008, 07:32:09 PM
Dan,
Never say never...maybe there's one out there.  More likely a Model 302 or 354.  What month?  I'll keep my eyes open.

Attached are a couple of photos.  I actually have two black cases dated 4-22-55-3.  The third shift (I was born on the afternoon shift too).  On this one the date is a little worn but is in the best condition and was part of the original phone so I don't want to swap them out.  It is the phone that appears at the top of my web site.

Dennis
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Sargeguy on November 27, 2008, 08:42:37 PM
The only WE500 I have is from 1960, but its been in the family since then and has sentimental value  :'(  I like the neoprene feet but I hate the upgraded modular cord!!!
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: mienaichizu on November 27, 2008, 08:57:17 PM
mine is 63, its not that old

my cousin has a black 500 with metal dial so i suspect its from the 50's, she's not willing to give it to me, hehehehe
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: McHeath on November 27, 2008, 09:05:54 PM
I'm on the hunt these days for a 49' year 500, there has to be one come up for air sooner or later.  I'm also on the hunt for a 2006 model 500, the last of the Cortelco jobs, in black preferably.  First and last year of production. 
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: JimH on November 28, 2008, 12:55:44 AM
I have a perfect dates-matching 8-52, but I also have one with the following:

Chassis 3-50
Shell  11-30-50
handset 8-51
ringer 1-56
capsules '55

It also has "C/D 500 CONV" in red on the bottom.  It says "I  3-50" in an odd place not by the ringer adjustment, but more near the front of the phone on the bottom.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: JimH on November 28, 2008, 01:00:25 AM
Dennis,
Do you know if they made phones on Sundays?  I was born on a Sunday.....1-31-65.  It would be cool to have a "birthday" phone, too.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dennis Markham on November 28, 2008, 07:10:33 AM
Jim,

Those early sets were marked on the front of the base rather than up near the ringer volume wheel---as yours is marked.  My 1950 is also marked that way.  I don't recall when the move was made or why.  But that's another clue to look for when searching eBay.  If you see that marking it a sure sign of an early set. 

Dennis
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on November 28, 2008, 02:59:39 PM
Quote from: Dennis Markham on November 27, 2008, 07:32:09 PM
Dan,
Never say never...maybe there's one out there.  More likely a Model 302 or 354.  What month?  I'll keep my eyes open.

Attached are a couple of photos.  I actually have two black cases dated 4-22-55-3.  The third shift (I was born on the afternoon shift too).  On this one the date is a little worn but is in the best condition and was part of the original phone so I don't want to swap them out.  It is the phone that appears at the top of my web site.

Dennis

Dennis;
October 1949.
Thanks;
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dennis Markham on November 28, 2008, 03:37:15 PM
Jim,

I don't know if they made Sunday phones, but I don't think so.  You'll have to just watch for one that is close.  I'll keep that in mind too as I rummage through phones....if I see one close to Jan 31, 1965 I'll grab it...whatever color.

I just got lucky on mine in that the seller had it for sale on eBay.  He displayed photos of the elements and all the parts showing dates.  How often does that happen?  I noticed it was my birthday and e-mailed him.  I had bought phones from him in the past so he derived a price and ended the auction.  A week later it was on my desk.  He's a very honest seller that goes by the name of triple7design (on eBay).  He will often have some nice phones for sale.  He recently moved from the Dallas-Ft Worth area to the Seattle, WA area.

Dennis
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Shovelhead on November 29, 2008, 09:06:50 AM
My 500 is a Frankenstein. One element from '55, base and network 11/58, dial from '62, and shell from '63. And a G1 handset.
Like I posted earlier, I acquired it before '68, I know I never changed anything in it. I don't remember where or how I got it, time dims memory!
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: rp2813 on January 05, 2009, 01:14:18 PM
Mine is the one I've mentioned in other threads, a 10/50.  I replaced the handset cord on it with a NOS 1967 that has the original style reinforcement on the handset end so it looks like the correct coiled cord for the period.  Line cord is NOS 1954 rubber.  Handset has 1955 transmitter and 1950 receiver.  Caps are bakelite.  It appears this phone was never refurbished, it's all original except for probable field repairs that switched out the transmitter and the handset cord at some point.  I'm not interested in finding a correct straight handset cord for this one.  I use it daily and for practical purposes prefer the coiled cord.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Konrad on January 06, 2009, 06:09:50 PM
My Oldest are both R 83-5 inside 9-56 and 2-57.  I'd love to find a 500 and 1500 (don't know if 1500 was made that early) from 1-63 which is when I was created.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: rp2813 on May 03, 2009, 02:45:06 PM
I don't think that Kirt guy's phone is truly a 1949.  It doesn't have the Z/Operator or the U-shaped Operator lettering.  It seems that what became the final version of the Operator lettering appeared on models that were dated 1950 or later.  Just my $.02

Ralph
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: rp2813 on May 03, 2009, 02:55:51 PM
So Jim, does your 3/50 chassis still have the separate equalizer?  I'm thinking the answer is "no" since it seems to have received the C/D conversion among other updates, but then again, that would mean the network would have had to be replaced, which I don't think happened much if at all with 500's.

Ralph
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: benhutcherson on May 03, 2009, 02:59:52 PM
Quote from: rp2813 on May 03, 2009, 02:55:51 PM
that would mean the network would have had to be replaced, which I don't think happened much if at all with 500's.

The number one rule when dealing with WE products is to assume nothing. I've posted this here before, but here's prime evidence that networks were in fact occasionally replaced

(http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee204/ben10ben/IMG_0867.jpg)

(http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee204/ben10ben/IMG_0870.jpg)

Base-7/53
Network 10/60
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: HobieSport on May 03, 2009, 03:54:13 PM
There is some discussion of helping each other find "birthday phones" here, so I started a new thread to maybe facilitate that worthy cause.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=991.msg12044#msg12044

JimH; Your 3-50 chassis is the oldest 500 component that I have heard of on the forum.  But I'm a bit unclear if your "chassis" includes the network, because they don't always.  BTW my girlfriend's birthday is also 1-31, so it will be easier to keep an eye out for a phone for you.  What kind of birthday phone do you want?  You can post it on the above thread if you like.

-Matt

Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: rp2813 on May 03, 2009, 04:22:34 PM
Ben, thanks for the network change-out photos.  Assume nothing is definitely the right approach to this sort of collecting.  It will be interesting to find out about the network on Jim's 3/50 chassis since the 425A was ancient history by the time his phone had its refurb.

Ralph
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Sargeguy on May 03, 2009, 11:21:33 PM
Quote from: benhutcherson on May 03, 2009, 02:59:52 PM

The number one rule when dealing with WE products is to assume nothing. I've posted this here before, but here's prime evidence that networks were in fact occasionally replaced

And feet as well, apparently.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: benhutcherson on May 06, 2009, 07:48:14 PM

"And feet as well, apparently."

Interestingly enough, the feet on this one are screwed on(in the 302 style) as opposed to being riveted on like on every other 500 set I've ever encountered.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: AET on May 06, 2009, 08:09:48 PM
What do we make of this?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=150342402569
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: bingster on May 06, 2009, 08:41:01 PM
The 1949 date on the sticker is a flat-out lie.  It's not a mistake, it's not an accident... it's a lie intended to deceive.   Those stickers didn't even exist until the mid-1980s.

The base phone may be from the 1950s to the mid-60s, but it was refurbished in 1974, when it probably had all it's plastics replaced.

Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: AET on May 06, 2009, 08:48:54 PM
Ouch, well at least it's still a black-bottom phone nonetheless.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: HobieSport on May 06, 2009, 08:57:58 PM
I wonder if the seller knows that it's not a 1949 and is simply misled by the sticker.  Anyway, I wrote the seller to ask for the dates on all the components. I'll post them if they respond.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dennis Markham on May 06, 2009, 09:07:45 PM
I agree with Bingster 110%.  Those feet are probably original 1964 or later.  The network block is a later one with a white top.  Early blocks had black tops.  Someone had those stickers and just put that info on there.  After the break-up of AT&T that was the sticker that was put on the bottom when the subscriber purchased their phone or bought one from a phone center.  Like Bingster said, circa 1983-1984.  As we all know a plastic finger wheel was not on the older phones.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: HobieSport on May 06, 2009, 09:34:08 PM
Quote from: Dennis Markham
As we all know a plastic finger wheel was not on the older phones.

When did the plastic finger wheels start coming out on the black 500s?
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: AET on May 06, 2009, 10:13:27 PM
Quote from: HobieSport on May 06, 2009, 08:57:58 PM
I wonder if the seller knows that it's not a 1949 and is simply misled by the sticker.  Anyway, I wrote the seller to ask for the dates on all the components. I'll post them if they respond.

I asked about the internal dates and to post pics of the network, etc.  Of course the lady posted pics where you couldn't see the date on the side of the network.  I described to her what the network was, and she swears it says 500-49 on it.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan on May 06, 2009, 10:16:47 PM
[
When did the plastic finger wheels start coming out on the black 500s?
[/quote]



I think the metal ones were gone in 1965
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dennis Markham on May 06, 2009, 10:18:43 PM
That sounds right to me too Dan.  By 1965 the hard center plastic finger wheels were being put on black sets too (in addition to the color sets).
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: HobieSport on May 06, 2009, 10:24:14 PM
Quote from: AtomicEraTom
I asked about the internal dates and to post pics of the network, etc.  Of course the lady posted pics where you couldn't see the date on the side of the network.  I described to her what the network was, and she swears it says 500-49 on it.

Hmm.  Maybe ask her to send better pics that show and confirm the dates so they are really readable?  But then, if someone really did want to fake some dates, it would be fairly easy.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: McHeath on May 06, 2009, 10:45:51 PM
Weird fraud this phone.  Anyone with some phone knowledge is going to be able to tell that this is a mid-ish 60's model as you've all noted, but they are trying to pass it off as a uber rare 49'model. 

Why?

Are they simply being fooled themselves, read someplace that the model 500 was introduced in "1949" so that's what it must be?

Are they outright lying to try to get a big buck sale?  Their reply to AtomicEraTom makes me wonder if this is going on here.  And yeah, that date on the sticker is flat out deception, those were early 80's stickers. 

Hmm. 
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: rp2813 on May 07, 2009, 01:52:49 AM
For sure anyone who would be interested in a real '49 500 would know that this item is no such thing and that the seller doesn't know the first thing about old phones.  If the seller did, they'd know how stupid it looks to try and pass this phone off as 1949 by using a post-divestiture sticker to prove it.  Or, and I'll be a little more polite and cite ignorance here, maybe the seller got this phone from someone else who had already written the bogus info on the tag and truly thinks it's a '49 phone. 

Too bad.  I think if this person actually had a '49 to sell it would probably have an insanely low BIN price.

Ralph
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Jester on May 19, 2009, 11:36:46 PM
I tried to post this earlier, but neglected to "shrink" my image file. :-\  We'll try again.
This is a pic of my 12/50 500.  I consider this phone to be the second collectible phone in my collection, although I came to own this one by trading a '55 Frankenfive-hundred for it after I had thoroughly cleaned up the trade-in.  Not all dates are on or around 1950, but enough are that I still call this "My '50".  Most dates on it are 12/50, with the earliest components being from July, October and November of that year.  The plastic case has a date of 8/12/52.  The receiver cap is a '51 and the receiver element is from '53.  It had a spring cord on the handset from '57, but I very recently switched it with the straight cord as I like the look of them.  The straight one is from '56.  The line cord was with the phone when I got it & is dated '55.  As you can see in the picture, I have not yet worked on removing/ lessening imperfections and wear from the case.  This forum has some great threads posted that describe how to deal with that, & I plan to try my hand at improving the shine on this case as I have time.  Stay tuned!!! 
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: HobieSport on May 20, 2009, 12:01:00 AM
Jester, which component is from July 1950?  Is that not the oldest date component on a 500 yet posted on this thread?  I'm not sure.  So many phones...so little time... ;)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Jester on May 20, 2009, 12:12:58 AM
H/S,
It's the network--but the base still has 12/50 stamped on it.  I don't think any of my other 500's have dates spread that far between these two components.  I can't remember what the earliest month posted was, but I thought someone had a March stamp on a base.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: McHeath on May 20, 2009, 12:43:20 AM
My research would seem to indicate that mid 1950 is when 500s went into significant production levels.  I've heard someplace of one component dated 1/50, but I can't find that reference and so it may be mistaken memory. 

That's interesting that you have a phone with a July 1950 network and Dec 1950 base.  That might indicate that production was a bit hodge podge that year. 

It's a nice phone. 
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: rp2813 on May 20, 2009, 01:12:26 PM
I agree that 1950 was more of a ramp-up year for the 500 model.  July 1950 does sound to me like the oldest 500 component we've heard about thus far.  Perhaps some components were being manufactured earlier than others, and bases were one of the last to be produced.  Dates on my 10/50 are fairly close with the only older component being the equalizer, dated 9/12/50. 

Handsets and cases are where you find later dates most of the time, which makes sense.  My handset is original but the transmitter it had was dated 1953.  It also had a coiled cord.  I may someday replace it with a straight cord if I find one.

Jester, that is going to be a very handsome phone once you get it all shined up.  I hope you'll post more pictures here of the finished product when the time comes.

Ralph
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Bill Cahill on May 21, 2009, 10:35:04 AM
That really is a nice phone. Wish I had one like that.
When was the receiver made?
Bill Cahill
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Jester on May 21, 2009, 07:19:31 PM
Bill,
The handset body & T1 transmitter are both dated 12/50.  I found no date stamp in the transmitter cap, but the receiver cap is from 8/51.  The U1 receiver element is dated 1/8/53.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: AET on May 21, 2009, 09:36:36 PM
By the way, I saw more of this "49" 500 recently, and will post the pics I got in the e-mail.  49-500 is written on the side of the network in sharpie.  Below that, the date is I beleive 1965.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: JorgeAmely on June 06, 2009, 07:55:33 PM
6-50, from Kansas.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: HobieSport on June 06, 2009, 08:00:49 PM
Quote from: JorgeAmely
6-50, from Kansas.

Jorge is your 6-50 500 all or mostly all matching dates?  That's pretty much the original public issue 500 holy grail, isn't it?
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: JorgeAmely on June 06, 2009, 09:25:16 PM
Here is the scoop, but it is not all original to 1950.

Base - A/B 6-50 500
Network - 425A - Non anodized, with yellow markings 5-50
Equalizer - Feb. 22, 1950
Ringer - C2A - 5-50
Dial - 7D-3 3-56
Handset cord - 61
Wall cord - 54 (Installed by me)
Plug - Black on Black - 283B
Handset - Bakelite, dated 1962
Speaker - 1-11-61
Speaker Cap - Plastic 10-61
Microphone - 6-23-54
Mike cap - no date, plastic
Housing - soft plastic, dated 1961 (you can tell by the smell)

My guess is that it stopped by the shop at least in 1961. There are no refurb stamps on the bottom.

PS: It has black plungers and a metal finger wheel.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: McHeath on June 06, 2009, 09:59:23 PM
Got any pics?  This is the earliest I've yet seen for a 500, and you have one part with a Feb 1950 date which is really close to the mythical 1949. 

Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: JorgeAmely on June 07, 2009, 12:41:32 AM
Here you go sir ...
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: AET on June 07, 2009, 12:45:15 AM
WOW, February 1950!!!  All I can say is WOW!!!
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: JorgeAmely on June 07, 2009, 12:50:43 AM
There was not enough space for this one, so here it goes ...
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Steve on June 07, 2009, 12:59:43 AM

I agree, WOW!

the differences between the earliest models and mass production really stand out.

nice looking phone, do you use it?
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: McHeath on June 07, 2009, 01:37:33 AM
Very impressive, an early 500 that survived almost entirely intact.  Did not even lose the equalizer during a refurb, which is surprising.  It's nice and clean as well, did you scrub it or did it come to your hands this way? 

The early build quality looks good from the pics as well, my 2003 Cortelco 500 has some significant quality flaws here and there. 

You win the prize of the oldest 500 known to actually exist.  (well to me anyway) 
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: HobieSport on June 07, 2009, 01:49:56 AM
Quote from: McHeath
You win the prize of the oldest 500 known to actually exist.  (well to me anyway)  

To me, too.  After four pages of this thread it looks like we have a winner, especially with the February 1950 equalizer.  Amazing. :)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Tonyrotary on June 07, 2009, 06:01:10 AM
Wow so close to the magical '49. Probably the best we are gonna get. That is so cool. :)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: JimH on June 07, 2009, 10:52:33 AM
Makes me wonder which local phone companies issued 500s soon after they were introduced.  It seems like most were still issuing 302s until the late 50s.  I know of one case in CT. where they were still installing 302s refurbished as late as 1961!  I've also heard the new 500 cost a lot more, so local companies  bought 302s (and 5302s) until they HAD to buy 500s.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: JorgeAmely on June 07, 2009, 12:07:13 PM
Hi Steve:

Do I use it? Not much, I bought it in August 2007 and it was in my office till the end of 2007, when I had to store in a box in my closet. Now that you mention it, I may leave out out for a few days.

McHeath:

Thank you for the award. I am honored.

I also have a WE500 from 1952 and I think this is all original parts. It has the split network like this one does and a bakelite handset that looks like made of black granite.

If someone is interested, I can take some pictures of this 52 model.


Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan on June 07, 2009, 04:38:42 PM
The phone Gods shined on me today. I went to a flea market and was doing the usual phone searching when I saw a  guy with WE500 yellowed aqua and a standard 60's beige. I asked the guy if he had any more phones and he said he had a black one in the truck he forgot to get out. I asked his price, he said $25. I offered $20. After showing my best poker face, I went home, added an after market wall plug (it had none). I took a picture, cleaned it up  and wired it up , no dial tone. Checked everything, it was the earpiece transistor. Replaced it, fired it up , all ringing and working.

Dates  Base 11/50
Earpiece and mouthpiece 11-14-50, and 11-50 respectfully.
Housing 11-II- 50 1 (first shift)
Dial 7A- dated 11-50
Cord was straight with  electrical tape in the center . The brass crimp was a 1953 . Looks like the cord was replaced but the rest of the phone was untouched.
Network 4-50 EARLY!
311 Transistor  Sept 22, 1950.
I have a straight cord that I will replace the current cord with.

Does anyone know how to replace the 4A fuse part on the earpiece  speaker so it will be all dates matching?
Pictures

(http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt253/dvortv/Pinkpostperoxide011.jpg)

(http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt253/dvortv/Pinkpostperoxide006.jpg)

(http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt253/dvortv/Pinkpostperoxide008.jpg)

(http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt253/dvortv/Pinkpostperoxide007.jpg)

(http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt253/dvortv/Pinkpostperoxide010.jpg)
(http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt253/dvortv/Pinkpostperoxide009.jpg)

Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: JorgeAmely on June 07, 2009, 05:00:48 PM
Dan:

That is a beautiful desk set. Notice that the numbers wheel seems not double injected like later versions. This could mean that the numerals and letters are painted (which is the way the original versions were manufactured).

Also, the word "OPERATOR" seems like a smaller font than later models.

Can you confirm?
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan on June 07, 2009, 05:41:09 PM
Operator is definately smaller. A neat rule is if "operator" is slightly wider than WXY next to it, you have a real oldie (newer sets have longer font). It is painted lettering because the letters have yellowed.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: McHeath on June 07, 2009, 05:55:19 PM
Lucky dog you!  An almost totally intact 1950 500 with the earliest network I've yet seen.  Okay, so what is with the 1950 500s that are turning up these days??  Seems every time we turn around another person has found one. 

And an April of 1950 network is very interesting from a historical point of view, clearly stuff was rolling off the line by mid year and being assembled into phones.  The mismatch of the base date and the network date seems to confirm that there were a lot of starts and stops in the process of making complete sets in 1950. 
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan on June 07, 2009, 10:37:43 PM
Thanks, I am definately lucky!
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Phonesrfun on June 07, 2009, 10:57:45 PM
Quote from: Dan on June 07, 2009, 04:38:42 PM
I took a picture, cleaned it up  and wired it up , no dial tone. Checked everything, it was the earpiece transistor. Replaced it, fired it up , all ringing and working.

Dates  Base 11/50
Earpiece and mouthpiece 11-14-50, and 11-50 respectfully.
Housing 11-II- 50 1 (first shift)
Dial 7A- dated 11-50
Cord was straight with  electrical tape in the center . The brass crimp was a 1953 . Looks like the cord was replaced but the rest of the phone was untouched.
Network 4-50 EARLY!
311 Transistor  Sept 22, 1950.
I have a straight cord that I will replace the current cord with.



Hi Dan:

The thingie on the back of the U1 receiver labeled 4A is a varistor, and its purpose is to supress loud clicks. 

You said you disconnected it.  Do you mean from the U1 receiver, if so, the rest of the receiver must be ok.  If that is the case, I'd just leave the varistor disconnected, but physicall still attached.

This varistor was a new item with the 500's.  Its sole purpose is click supression, so it is only there for the comfort value.  I don't recommend trying to physically replace it, since it is riveted in place and it would be very hard to cosmetically put a new one in. 

It would be best to try to find a whole U1 that had a similar date you are looking for.  That style of 4A varistor was used for many years throughout the 50's and into the 60's so there are many out there.  Like the cord with the 53 date, you can say that the receiver was replaced by the refurb shop.......in 2009.  I won't tell if you won't.

-Bill
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan on June 07, 2009, 11:12:25 PM
Thanks for the info. I wasn't very clear. I meant to say the U1 entire piece (the one dated 11-14-50 in orange ink) was replaced by me with a 1953 U1 piece. It now works and technically matches. My cord is ok, except the black tape covers a split. Should I take the 1956 straight cord I have and remove the brass crimp and put the 1953 crimp on it and use it, or would you live with the tape? I haven't removed many crimps so I am affraid I'll screw it up. Anyone have a brass 1953 crimp?
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: JorgeAmely on June 07, 2009, 11:42:44 PM
Dan:

You could replace the tape with a short piece of gray or black shrink sleeving. It may look better than the tape.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Jester on June 07, 2009, 11:45:56 PM
Who's gonna be looking, Dan?  If you have a good cord with the same anchors, I'd use it as is.  With the cover in place, the crimp is hidden & no one's the wiser.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Phonesrfun on June 07, 2009, 11:52:46 PM
Quote from: Dan on June 07, 2009, 11:12:25 PM
Thanks for the info. I wasn't very clear. I meant to say the U1 entire piece (the one dated 11-14-50 in orange ink) was replaced by me with a 1953 U1 piece. It now works and technically matches. My cord is ok, except the black tape covers a split. Should I take the 1956 straight cord I have and remove the brass crimp and put the 1953 crimp on it and use it, or would you live with the tape? I haven't removed many crimps so I am affraid I'll screw it up. Anyone have a brass 1953 crimp?

Dan:

The old U1 is more likely to be entirely bad, and not just the 4A varistor.  I think I would stick with what you have done when it comes to the receiver.

I don't have a 1953 (or 1950) cord stay, but I have had some success in transplanting them, but it is kind of tricky.  I would actually be tempted to keep it the way it is just for the originality of it.  However, if you have a decent straight cord, replacing it is up to you, and probably aesthetically preferable.

The hardest part is getting the stay off the keeper cord without damaging the cord.  The stay is very strong, and needs to be coerced/ finessed with a small screw driver or a good pair of wire cutters or a stout pair of needle nosed pliers or all three.  What ever works.  What you need to do is get under one end of the zig-zag opening with one of those implements of destruction and lift and get it so it bends open.  Once you get it started, it gets a little easier.  All this coercing needs to happen without putting so much pressure on the wires to break them inside.  Remember those wires are nothing but fine tinsel wrapped around a small cotton or fabric string.  That's what makes it flex.  If you can successfully open up the one off the keeper cord, then you are in business.

Getting the keper stay off the cord you no longer need is a piece of cake.  You don't care about that cord, you only care about the cord stay.  I use a pair of wire cutters and cut one end of the old cord off right flush with one end of the stay body.  Then, get out your cordless drill and find a drill bit no larger than the inside diameter of the cord stay.  While holding the cord stay with a pair of pliers, drill the cord out of the cord stay, leaving the stay as a hollow tube.  Now, opening it with a pair of needle nosed pliers should be a snap.

For a crimper to crimp the keeper stay on the keeper cord, I use a cable TV antenna crimper that is made for the type F TV connectors.  Preferrably one that is round inside.  Some have a hexagonal pattern, and while this would probably work, it won't look original.

That about does it.  If you can pull a tooth with a knarly root, you can do this.  Just imagine getting under that molar with that tool that dentists use to pry with.  Come to think of it, that might not be a bad tool to use for this.  Probably a little expensive though.  I always did think dentistry was largely about mechanics.

I hope this is not all too confusing.

On the other hand..... 1956 for a handset cord to replace an already replaced 1953 cord on an otherwise 1950 phone is not the end of the world.  We are, after all, collectors, but we are not museum curators.   Food for thought.

-Bill
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan on June 08, 2009, 12:22:35 AM
I can pull curved  tooth roots all day, but the first was the hardest! I'm going to the phone show labor day weekend looking for a crimp.  I'm going to leave the tape on. It's really not too noticeable, and for a 59 year old phone, at least it's original. I was fortunate to have a 1953 U1 earpiece part so it's matching.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Phonesrfun on June 08, 2009, 01:34:17 AM
Dan:

One more set of thoughts on that U1 receiver.  I mentioned that the most likely culprit would be the receiver itself, and not the 44A varistor.  I still believe that is probably the case.  However, if the basic receiver is still good and the 44A is bad, the 44A would be shorting out the signal to the receiver.

You can check this out if you have an ohm meter.  By placing the ohm meter across the receiver, if you have a dead short (zero ohms) then the culprit is the 44A varistor.  A good varistor will be about 5,000 to 9,000 (5k -9k) ohms, and the coil of the receiver is about 33 ohms.  So, if you measure and get about 5 to 9k then you are seeing the resistance of the varistor only and you would know the receiver coil is burned out, and thus no good.

Now, I looked closely, and the varistor is mechanically held onto the U1 by 1 rivet and two screws.  By taking off the screws and grinding off the rivet, the varistor will come right off.  Replacing it would just involve having a missing rivet.

All this is moot if the base receiver is burned out, however.

If this is more than you want to deal with,  I totally understand.

-Bill
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan on June 08, 2009, 10:28:27 AM
I have on OHM meter in my Dad's old tool kit. To be honest, I have never used one. But I cetrainly can put one wire on one side and one on the other of the 4A varistor and check the #'s. I think it would be next to impossible to find a 1950 U1 replacement. Are you talking about hooking the 1950 U1 back up to the land line, and placing the two  OHM wires on on each side of the 4a varistor and checking the readings?  You don't put the wires anywhere else, right?  I can schematic and troubleshoot  an  electromechanical pinball, but have never used an OHM meter!

I know I could get the varistor off, it is one screw and a rivet, Puting a new one on would require a new rivet or using my denture drill @ work to have the one end of the new varistor enlarged to slide over the rivet without destroying it. Then I could lead solder it in place if solder won't screw up tthe conductivity--will it?). But I HAVE to know if it is the 4A before I do this. Sorry about the LONG winded answer.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Phonesrfun on June 09, 2009, 12:34:58 AM
Dan: (And anyone else who wants to read along)

Well, hopefully using an ohm meter is not like pulling teeth.  (I couldn't resist, do forgive me)

Where I am going with this is just to determine if the problem lies in the receiver element or in the varistor.  By far, the most likely candidate is the receiver element or coil.  If it is, then it is toast;  Game over.  Toss it or use it as a paper weight. 

In the off chance that the receiver coil itself is good, then the thing is probably salvageable, especially with your denture drill and a little skill.  The purpose of the following is to narrow that down to determine if you have a 1950's model U1 paper weight or a receiver.  And if nothing else this can be viewed as an excercise in gaining familiarity with an ohm meter.


So, the first and most important order of business is to see if the ohm meter, when measured across the two receiver terminals, measures some resistance or if it measures a dead short.  This measurement would be done with the reciever out of the phone, and with the varistor still screwed down and intact.  You can also try this with a known good U1 to compare readings.

There are three possibilities, and remember these resistances are ballpark:


  • Zero Resistance would indicate a dead short probably coming from the varistor, and would probably mean that the coil in the receiver itself is still good.  This reading is unlikely, but if this is the case we can go onto step 2 which I will cover if we get that far.
  • About 35 ohms would indicate that the receiver is functioning and really not a problem, making this whole excercise for not.  This would actually be the best thing that could happen, but you have already determined that something is wrong with the receiver, so this is also unlikely.
  • A high resistance of somewhere around 5,000 to 9,000 ohms.  This is what I am actually expecting.  This is the resistance of the varistor with no receiver coil connected.  This would indicate that the receiver coil is burned out and ready for the bone yard.  There is no step two from here.


To use an ohm meter, make sure there is a fresh battery installed in the meter.  If it has been sitting around a long time in a tool box, then this will be a necessary step.  I am going to assume this is an analog meter-type and not a newer digital read-out type.

Select ohms which is often represented by the omega Ω symbol.  Make sure the test leads are properly connected.  There is usually a single black colored plug for the black lead, and two other places to plug the red lead.  One that says something like volts and ohms, and another that says something like amps or miliamps.  You want the red lead in the former hole.

Calibrate the ohm meter by touching the two test leads together and while together turn the knob (probably looks like the volume control from an old transistor radio)  that says something like "ohms" or "zero" to get the meter needle to line up with, of all things, Zero. 

Now you are ready to test using the ohm meter.  Many higher end ohm meters have several resistance settings selectable from the big knob on the front.  These ranges will correspond to the range on one of the scales on the face of the meter.  Choose the appropriate range.

If you have any trouble with the meter, snap a picture of it and send it to me, and I can help you with that.

-Bill
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: rp2813 on June 09, 2009, 12:28:59 PM
Dan, that is a great find!  It must have been really thrilling to see that phone being carried out of the guy's truck with a straight handset cord on it, and then when you got to see the bottom with the 11/50 date, well, it must have been real difficult to keep that poker face going.

Seems that most 1950 phones we've seen are almost completely matching dated.  I wonder why that is?  It makes me think that maybe the 1950's were pulled from service when found out there, possibly due to improvements to the networks that happened early on, rather than allowed to be refurbed and redeployed.

Early dial bezels are interesting.  I've seen the painted types (on my own 10/50) and I've seen injected types that look like they're painted, and I've seen injected types that are obviously injected looking.  I find that looking at the "MNO" letters shows the most difference between the two manufacturing methods, as well as letters like "P" and "R" that will look much more filled in on an injected bezel than on a painted one.

Awesome find, and I'm glad the phone ended up in the proper hands.

Ralph
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan on June 09, 2009, 08:18:19 PM
Thanks for the kind words Ralph. I am thinking about using it as my daily driver phone, but I may kill the kids if they pull it off the table. It sits now on the shelf, waiting it's turn ::)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan on June 09, 2009, 08:20:05 PM
Bill thanks for the OHM info. I will be looking @ that this coming weekend. As of now, I'm in the middle of some "bleaching" with peroxide on another thread
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: rp2813 on August 13, 2009, 08:13:20 PM
I came back to give this another read.  I have a 1953 U1 that has been retrofitted and re-badged U3.  It has the little Tic Tac mint thing on a wire instead of the 4A capsule.  If I understood things correctly, there isn't an option to change this back to a 4A arrangement.  So what is the opinion out there regarding updated receivers?  It's kind of a stretch to have this type of varistor as a component of a '53 phone, but still, it's originally dated 1953.  I'm leaning toward considering it to still be a 1953 component.

Dan, how does your 11/50 transmitter work?  I have the reverse arrangement on mine, with a '50 receiver but a '53 transmitter, which is the one I believe it had when I got it.  I have changed that one out to a '55 because the '55 had the best overall transmission quality and tone from those I had on hand.  I think this aspect of using vintage phones as daily drivers needs to allow for some flexibility.  I don't want the people on the other end to be asking what's wrong with my phone, so will go with later dated transmitter elements when necessary.

Another interesting thing about your phone Dan, is that it appears to have seen some use as witnessed by the feet and the fingerwheel, and the handset cord that needed to be replaced early on.  Most of the early 500's I've seen have been very low mileage sets.  Yours appears to have been allowed to become the workhorse that it was designed to be.  I read somewhere about the equalizers supposedly failing after a certain number of hours, in the thousands, but if your phone is any indication, they were probably underestimating. 

I hope to see a progress report from you on making this phone your daily driver when you have an update.  I really enjoy having my 10/50 on my desk and using it on a regular basis.

Ralph
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Craig T on November 16, 2009, 09:18:44 PM
I have two, 1953 ((with dial card from my hometown) and 1954.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Wallphone on February 03, 2010, 09:05:39 PM
Here is one from 5/52 but is has been reconditioned with modular cords.

> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120526279863 <  (dead link 11/8/22)

Dougpav
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Greg G. on February 03, 2010, 09:23:38 PM
Quote from: Wallphone on February 03, 2010, 09:05:39 PM
Here is one from 5/52 but is has been reconditioned with modular cords.
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120526279863 <
Dougpav

I have a similar beige one from 12-52.  All the inner workings are from 52, case from 65, dial 59.  I plan to "de-refurbish" it back to what it was originally, a black hard-wired 500.  Just need to find the parts for it.

http://s252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/Brinybay/Telephones/52%20Beige%20mod/ (http://s252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/Brinybay/Telephones/52%20Beige%20mod/)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: AET on February 04, 2010, 12:50:16 AM
I just got one from 1952, with a coiled line cord.  Looks to be pretty original. 
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: rp2813 on February 05, 2010, 06:12:02 PM
A coiled line cord?  Is it original?  Can we see pix?
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: AET on February 06, 2010, 01:27:31 AM
I haven't done much with the phone, besides taking the cover off to check the date on the network.  I will get more info and pics asap.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: jeremylivin on March 05, 2010, 07:56:10 PM
A friend gave me a black 1961 500 the other day.

The cords are modular though so I don't think it's worth much?  It is in good condition though.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: rp2813 on March 05, 2010, 11:48:39 PM
If the the 1961 500 has the original chassis and dial, it could easily be un-modularized with a hard-wired type case, handset & cord, and hard-wired mounting cord.   All of those parts are ones that were most common to be replaced in the field or renewed upon refurbishing anyway, which is why you see a lot of phones out there that don't have matching dates on all components.  You can find those parts on cheap 500's at flea markets and swap meets.

I don't think a modular 500 is worthless.  They have their place, and I have a minty one in beige.  They are still rotary dial, and that's what counts.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: AET on March 06, 2010, 02:01:17 AM
I don't mind modular 500's.  I use them plenty around here and my one next to my bed, which is my daily driver is a modular notched, I beleive also from 61.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: bwanna on March 06, 2010, 07:52:29 AM
modular phones are ok...i just hate the crappy looking clear line cord. here's a link to another thread that shows how i installed a matching line cord. i know this counts as a modification, but it suits me. ;D

http://tinyurl.com/yfaowbw

btw, that thread is a great illustration of the fabulous people on this forum :D a little drama was playing out at my house on christmas day. within 5 minutes of my posting a cry for help, panther dan came to the rescue. a few postings back& forth...problem solved. thx again, d/p :)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Craig T on March 06, 2010, 10:07:53 PM
Original or not that is a very nice touch Donna. I would like to do that with the couple modular family phones I have saved for my collection  :)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: McHeath on March 07, 2010, 12:47:43 PM
Quotei know this counts as a modification, but it suits me

I modify commonplace phones a lot, changing parts around to get what I want from it.  I don't do that to more rare and valuable phones, but for my own personal enjoyment I don't mind creating a Frankenphone like my Faux 1955 model 554 built from several phones and parts with dates spanning several decades. 
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Drew on March 13, 2010, 08:17:49 AM
I have a 12/52...oddly it has a 50's blue shell factory painted black ? Also a 10/54 with a white shell painted black.  Dates on internal parts on both sets substantially match.

Question; this might have been covered in this post, but has anyone seen or know of a 1948 or '49 field trial 500 mentioned in Paul's website ?  Says that some 4,000 were introduced in larger cities in 1949.

Love to see close up photos of one of these.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Wallphone on March 13, 2010, 08:53:28 AM
Read the TCI Singing Wires article by Russ Cowell and Paul Fassbender in the January 2009 issue.
The people receiving the phones did not know that it was a trial. They were told that there was limited production at that time. One of the things that came from the trial was the decision to put the dots on the number ring under the finger holes to give the user a target. Read the whole article here.
> http://www.telephonecollectors.org/singwire/samples.php <
Dougpav
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Jim Stettler on March 13, 2010, 11:42:06 AM
Quote from: Drew on March 13, 2010, 08:17:49 AM
I have a 12/52...oddly it has a 50's blue shell factory painted black ? Also a 10/54 with a white shell painted black.  Dates on internal parts on both sets substantially match.

Question; this might have been covered in this post, but has anyone seen or know of a 1948 or '49 field trial 500 mentioned in Paul's website ?  Says that some 4,000 were introduced in larger cities in 1949.

Love to see close up photos of one of these.

I asked Paul F about 1949 sets. He assures me that at least 1 is in the hands of a collector. Paul has seen it and handled it. I am thinking their may be a photo in one of Pauls TCI articles on the 500 set.

Jim
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Wallphone on March 13, 2010, 12:14:24 PM
Jim,
The one in the first picture in the Jan. Singing Wires is from the Bell Labs Record of Feb. 1950. It shows the word "Operator" in a straight line. Maybe this is a 1949 set, although it does have the dots under the finger holes.
Dougpav
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Jim Stettler on March 13, 2010, 12:47:54 PM
I think these photos have been posted before.
They are from the Life Magazine photo archive on google
http://images.google.com/images?q=telephone&q=source%3Alife

Notice the word Operator on the dials of both photos.

I think the '49 set  that  a collector has has Operator in a small font like the clear dial below. The last photo shows a standard dial

Jim
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Kenny C on March 18, 2010, 05:15:13 PM
does a 1949 have realy thin lettering "operator" on it??
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Phonesrfun on March 18, 2010, 05:25:52 PM
Yes, and the word operator wraps around the zero slightly differently from the later ones. (ever so slightly).
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Kenny C on March 18, 2010, 05:39:57 PM
ok I have a dial that was refub. in 2-56
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: rp2813 on March 18, 2010, 05:50:56 PM
I guess the question now is, does anyone have an early 500 with bezel that has the 0 and Z divided by "OPERATOR" lettering?  The SW article states that such bezels were on the field trial sets only. 

The "figure 4" shot in that same SW piece shows a bezel with the U-shaped "OPERATOR" and the lettering looks really clunky.  The shot of the dials being tested (a few posts up prior to this one) shows the U-shaped "OPERATOR" but it appears a bit more refined.  So the next question is, does anyone have an early 500 with bezel that has the U-shaped "OPERATOR" lettering?  If the SW date range is correct, I believe there's a member who has a 500 from that period.  My own 10/50 is from the period where the U-shaped lettering was used, but I have the fine print upward arcing type with the "0" over the letter "P."  I think that while the chassis on mine has components from 10/50 and earlier, it may not have been assembled until 12/50 and perhaps as a result received the later bezel.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dennis Markham on March 18, 2010, 06:05:37 PM
I know of a collector with the U shaped "operator".  I do not have one.  I've seen two on eBay in the past five years.  One went high because it was advertised as such, the other went relatively low because the seller didn't realize what he/she was selling.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Phonesrfun on March 18, 2010, 09:13:08 PM
Here is an example:

Photo #1 is from a 500 dated 2/51.  Compare that with the later #2, which is from a 500 dated 4/55.  Sorry, but the focus isn't perfect.

The 1951 is not the earliest example, but still early.  Does anyone know if there are any of the others in captivity somewhere?

Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dennis Markham on March 18, 2010, 10:00:03 PM
Bill, I have a black 500 from December of 1950.  I'm not certain but think the dial bezel is like the one you showed here.  This also has a different type of bezel, not the kind that were injected with the two colors of plastic.  I believe this is an overlay of some type.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Phonesrfun on March 18, 2010, 10:15:30 PM
Dennis:

Yes, the same as my 1951, but you are a better photographer than I am.  It is the earlier overlay type, and not injection molded.  Notice that the zero is right above the mid-point between the P and the E in Operator.  Later ones had the zero above the mid-point between the E and the R.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dennis Markham on March 18, 2010, 10:17:48 PM
I thought so Bill.  I knew that I knew that but I had forgotten. :)  One of these days I'd love to get one of the curved "operators".  And the one with the Z is probably impossible to find.

No extra charge for the dust.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: McHeath on March 18, 2010, 11:11:54 PM
My 51' has the same small lettering, and it was broken by the poor packing of the seller. :(  I glued it back together and all, but geesh they aren't making any more of them.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Jim Stettler on March 24, 2010, 11:12:46 PM
Shouldn't another catagory be added to this poll? I am thinking 1948.
Jim
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: McHeath on March 24, 2010, 11:21:16 PM
Yeah, D/P blew the category wide open!!
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Jim Stettler on March 24, 2010, 11:34:16 PM
Quote from: McHeath on March 24, 2010, 11:21:16 PM
Yeah, D/P blew the category wide open!!
I would say D/P is the current title holder. I suspect he will keep the title for a long time.

Jim
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: dencins on March 25, 2010, 12:22:57 AM
Quote from: benhutcherson on May 06, 2009, 07:48:14 PM

"And feet as well, apparently."

Interestingly enough, the feet on this one are screwed on(in the 302 style) as opposed to being riveted on like on every other 500 set I've ever encountered.

This answers one of my questions.  A couple of years  ago I received a bag of various leather footpads.  Most were 302 screw-on, eight were Galions, seven were 500 rivet-on type and one had the shape of a 500 but was screw-on.

I did not think any 500's had screw-on leather footpads but this proves it did.

Dennis   
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Jim Stettler on March 25, 2010, 12:24:18 AM
Quote from: dencins on March 25, 2010, 12:22:57 AM
Quote from: benhutcherson on May 06, 2009, 07:48:14 PM

"And feet as well, apparently."

Interestingly enough, the feet on this one are screwed on(in the 302 style) as opposed to being riveted on like on every other 500 set I've ever encountered.

This answers one of my questions.  A couple of years  ago I received a bag of various leather footpads.  Most were 302 screw-on, eight were Galions, seven were 500 rivet-on type and one had the shape of a 500 but was screw-on.

I did not think any 500's had screw-on leather footpads but this proves it did.

Dennis   
Did WE date the feet?
Jim
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: dencins on March 25, 2010, 12:31:26 AM
Quote from: Jim S. on March 25, 2010, 12:24:18 AM
Quote from: dencins on March 25, 2010, 12:22:57 AM
Quote from: benhutcherson on May 06, 2009, 07:48:14 PM

"And feet as well, apparently."

Interestingly enough, the feet on this one are screwed on(in the 302 style) as opposed to being riveted on like on every other 500 set I've ever encountered.

This answers one of my questions.  A couple of years  ago I received a bag of various leather footpads.  Most were 302 screw-on, eight were Galions, seven were 500 rivet-on type and one had the shape of a 500 but was screw-on.

I did not think any 500's had screw-on leather footpads but this proves it did.

Dennis   
Did WE date the feet?
Jim

I have never seen a date stamp of any type on a footpads or any of the internal plates.

Dennis
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Ampico66 on March 29, 2010, 08:07:02 PM
I feel dumb now for passing tens of thousands of those black things and never bothering to date check.  Who knew 1950 was such a banner year?  Not me!  I once found a soft plastic 500 set, grey, but oh how I want the slate blue one or rose beige. 
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: rp2813 on March 30, 2010, 03:59:43 AM
Yeah,  D/P needs to take the survey and claim his title.  I'm betting his is a '49 and not a '48 (based on the presence of bezel dots)  and that there will be no need to change anything on the survey itself.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Jim Stettler on March 30, 2010, 04:22:39 AM
Quote from: rp2813 on March 30, 2010, 03:59:43 AM
Yeah,  D/P needs to take the survey and claim his title.  I'm betting his is a '49 and not a '48 (based on the presence of bezel dots)  and that there will be no need to change anything on the survey itself.

I think they added the "dots" before or during the 48 field trials. Something to keep in mind was that the 500 design was in the works for years before the '48 field trials. During this time a lot of different designs were tested for the various components.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
I once read an article about TT design trials. This was many years before any TT dials were produced.  They tried many. many configurations and evaluated many factors before decideing on the TT button placement. The document is probably in one of the telephone club archives.
It is interesting to see how much effort went into the design.
Jim
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Jim Stettler on March 30, 2010, 04:23:49 AM
Another catagory that could be added would be field trial 500 set.
D/P has that one.
Jim
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on March 30, 2010, 10:53:35 PM
I have to admit, at this point it does not qualify. It's only part of a phone.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: rp2813 on March 31, 2010, 01:11:51 PM
Not for long D/P, not for long.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: bingster on March 31, 2010, 07:27:37 PM
Quote from: Dan/Panther on March 30, 2010, 10:53:35 PM
I have to admit, at this point it does not qualify. It's only part of a phone.

I think at this point the entire collecting community is probably willing to give you the title, despite the missing parts.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: bwanna on March 31, 2010, 07:55:19 PM
all hail the king! ;D
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on March 31, 2010, 10:00:53 PM
The King is Dead, Long Live The King, Open the stockpiles, Free food for the entire Kingdom.

His Heighess D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on April 08, 2010, 11:40:22 PM
It just hit me awhile ago, after posting the photo of my 500.  If it works, and it should, I will have the oldest working WE500 phone in the world. Where are the book of records people.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Jim Stettler on April 08, 2010, 11:44:41 PM
Quote from: Dan/Panther on April 08, 2010, 11:40:22 PM
It just hit me awhile ago, after posting the photo of my 500.  If it works, and it should, I will have the oldest working WE500 phone in the world. Where are the book of records people.
D/P


If people don't beleive you, refer them to the thread and associated links, After they have read thru them and studied the info for a week or two, they will have to agree.
If the set doesn't work It is still the oldest known 500.
Pat your back for me , won't you.
Jim
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on April 09, 2010, 12:25:15 AM
Jim;
Thanks to you, it looks the way it does. I haven't  used  Novus on the shell yet.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Jim Stettler on April 09, 2010, 12:33:53 AM
Quote from: Dan/Panther on April 09, 2010, 12:25:15 AM
Jim;
Thanks to you, it looks the way it does. I haven't used Novus on the shell yet.
D/P
I noticed that (but only because I know the shell),
It is a sweet shell and It is worthy of your set. I was worried you might use a 1983 mod shell w/ an off brand mousehole filler. I couldn't (in good conscience) let that happen.
Great job D/P,
Jim
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on April 10, 2010, 06:25:45 PM
Here's an updated photo with the shell sanded and polished.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: paul-f on April 11, 2010, 12:57:46 AM
Wait!  That's not a 500.  It's a D-177001.  ;)  ::)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on April 11, 2010, 02:26:32 PM
Just maybe though, it's the oldest D177001....
But don't tell the Guinness People.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: paul-f on April 13, 2010, 01:50:05 PM
It's certainly the oldest D177001 we've seen!

Call in the Guinness folks.  Perhaps they'll help us find other sets to study.
(Or call in the other Guinness folks to supply beverages for the party!)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: rp2813 on April 13, 2010, 02:19:00 PM
My feeling is the same as Paul's.  If Dan's phone were to be registered with Guinness as the oldest 500/D177001, maybe we'd get people coming out of the woodwork with others of similar vintage or at the very least, a 1949 production model, which has now taken on the characteristics of being the missing link between the known 1950's and Dan's set.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on April 13, 2010, 03:43:29 PM
You know maybe that isn't such a bad idea. Go public, with oldest know model 500 telephone set discovered. That should draw plenty trying to prove it wrong.
No Joke seriously.
Where would be the place to get the most hits on the web, and go on there and post.

"Collectors discover oldest know example of a Western Electric model 500 telephone. They claim none older still exists."

Then post photos.
Of course you know that would let the cat out of the bag, and no one will ever get another example anywhere near what I paid.

D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dennis Markham on April 13, 2010, 05:39:00 PM
Dan, better put an electric fence around the house to secure that phone.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: rp2813 on April 13, 2010, 05:44:14 PM
Yeah, D/P, I was thinking about what going public might do to the pricing on early 500's, but then again, there would probably be a lot of people still out of the loop who would be almost giving them away. 

The Guinness thing is definitely worth thinking over but I'm wondering if the subject item might be too esoteric for them.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on April 13, 2010, 08:03:04 PM
Well it looked good on paper anyways.
D/p
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Jim Stettler on April 13, 2010, 09:44:38 PM
I told my new phone buddy about it today.
He could appreciate the concept. A lot of those old phone guys don't.

He thought yours was a neat find. He remembered when they came out locally. It took him awhile to get used to the style. "they are the best designed phone".

He is wheelchair bound, so he finally embraced cordless technology. His heart is still for the old stuff.
Jim
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: rp2813 on April 14, 2010, 12:59:13 PM
Jim, I know there are a lot of collectors out there who still shun the 500's.  That's fine.  More for us!  I also find it interesting that while some collectors may feel 500's aren't worth bothering with, thrift and antique shops seem to be catching on about anything rotary.

I don't think anybody can ignore what is perhaps the most significant and globally ubiquitous item of 20th century industrial design.  This attribute makes the 500 very plentiful, but something doesn't have to be rare to be collectible. 

Personally, I like being able to use the things I collect, and taking that a step further, since I'm also interested in ease of use, a 500 beats all of its predecessors hands down where that is concerned.  Although I love my 202 and 302 phones, I am a 500 convert and have never looked back.

Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on July 01, 2010, 05:15:42 PM
Where would you guys guess you would have the greatest odds of finding early dated WE500 parts. My thoughts  you would most likely not find any earlier dated part's on phones from 1950 to 1955, From that point on a,  some earlier phones may have gotten refurbished. So if a phone has the original date on the bottom and no refurbish dates, chances are it will not have any earlier dated parts.
Would you agree or if not let  me hear your thoughts.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Phonesrfun on July 02, 2010, 12:15:17 AM
I would think that the early ones got refurbed too.  My black 1952 500 has a 1956 cover, but no indication of a refurb on the base.  So, maybe the early refurbs weren't as conspicuously re-dated.  Either that or whoever I bought it from on e-Bay changed a bad cover for a better one to get a sale.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on July 02, 2010, 01:57:16 AM
That brings up an interesting point that goes along with my thinking. Earlier sets without refurb dates most likely will have either been picked over, or have original parts matched to the base date. The refurbed sets could contain any internal part pre dating the refurb date. It seem to me that phones refurbed seem to be between 5 and 10 years after the original date. So what I'm thinking is,  if the set has a date on the bottom that is original date of say 3-52, chances are, no parts in that set will precede the 1952 date, With the exception of a set made in say early 52, which may contain  parts dated 51 . However a set that was refurbed in say 1960, could have parts dating as early as 1950, or even earlier.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Tom B on September 09, 2010, 05:43:12 PM
I've got a '51, a '55, '56, and a '57. Mostly matching dates on the '51, all match on the '55 and '57. ;D
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: McHeath on September 09, 2010, 07:33:13 PM
51' is pretty early Tom.  (welcome to the forum by the way)  When this thread was started we did not know of anything older than 1950 but now a genuine 1949 model has come to light as well as what we think is a 1948 pre-production model.  The 48' is in the hands of one of our members, D/P, who's eagle eyes spotted it on E-Bay.  He did a fine restoration job and that story is told in the thread "Now the story can be told".  The 49' is in a phone museum in Seattle. 
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Tom B on September 10, 2010, 07:18:02 AM
Thanks for the welcoming words, bud. I'll certainly take a look at that particular thread.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on September 10, 2010, 02:47:54 PM
Tom;
Welcome.
Like McHeath said, I may have a pre-production 500, and even now when  walk past the cabinets it's in, I get chills, and can't help but opening the door and looking at it up close.
I just took this photo to show you.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Greg G. on September 10, 2010, 03:07:30 PM
Quote from: Dan/Panther on September 10, 2010, 02:47:54 PM
I may have a pre-production 500, and even now when  walk past the cabinets it's in, I get chills, and can't help but opening the door and looking at it up close.
D/P

Tsk, tsk, I'm disappointed with you!  A true collector would at least spin the dial too!
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Tom B on September 10, 2010, 04:35:56 PM
Dan
You're a lucky, lucky man. I'm just starting my phone collection with 500's; I got lucky in picking my '51 up off EBay - paid $24 and cents for it, so I'm well pleased with it.

Briny - I can't resist spinning the dials, either! ;D
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: HarrySmith on September 10, 2010, 04:39:18 PM
Nice dislpay Dan :)
I was curious what you did with the 49er ;D
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: HarrySmith on September 10, 2010, 04:39:46 PM
OOPS, 48er ;D
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on September 10, 2010, 06:51:00 PM
Quote from: Brinybay on September 10, 2010, 03:07:30 PM
Quote from: Dan/Panther on September 10, 2010, 02:47:54 PM
I may have a pre-production 500, and even now when  walk past the cabinets it's in, I get chills, and can't help but opening the door and looking at it up close.
D/P

Tsk, tsk, I'm disappointed with you!  A true collector would at least spin the dial too!

Briny;
You busted me, I do every time I go past. I was afraid everyone would get on me for wearing out that rare dial.
Harry, It's the only display behind glass.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Tom B on September 10, 2010, 06:56:33 PM
Dan
Does the '48 work? Awesome if it does....
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: paul-f on September 10, 2010, 07:26:54 PM
Awesome!  It does!

Read this topic:
   http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2394.0
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on September 10, 2010, 10:27:19 PM
I would almost guess that the night we had the conference call, that phone logged more air miles in one hour than it did in most of it's life. Considering we had calls from all over the world. So figuring miles of air travel per minute would add up to several thousand miles.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Kenny C on September 10, 2010, 10:32:27 PM
i was dialing from Parsons T.N.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Kenny C on September 10, 2010, 10:34:43 PM
closest route from Parsons T.N. to Anza C.A. is 1,859  :o
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on September 11, 2010, 01:39:25 AM
Kenny;
That's 6,692,400 air miles for the hour we talked, at 1,859 miles per second, figuring it took a second to get from you to me.
Considering a phone back in 1948 probably only talked across town and occasionally long distance, I think we exceeded the total transmission miles of the phone maybe several times.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: paul-f on September 11, 2010, 06:47:27 AM
Air miles?  It sounds like you worked in the long distance billing department.   ;)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on September 11, 2010, 12:38:57 PM
Paul;
Actually just arm chair calculations, with no basis whatsoever in real fact.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: mr_a500 on September 26, 2010, 11:26:17 AM
I've got a 2/53, 7/53 and 7/54. It seems quite easy to find a 53, but very hard to find anything earlier.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on September 26, 2010, 11:37:23 AM
I'm still seeking a 1950-500.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: KeithB on September 26, 2010, 03:29:43 PM
Quote from: McHeath on September 09, 2010, 07:33:13 PMThe 49' is in a phone museum in Seattle. 
Does said phone museum have any web presence?  A link perhaps?
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: paul-f on September 26, 2010, 04:37:33 PM
Quote from: KeithB on September 26, 2010, 03:29:43 PM
Quote from: McHeath on September 09, 2010, 07:33:13 PMThe 49' is in a phone museum in Seattle. 
Does said phone museum have any web presence?  A link perhaps?

An internet search for "seattle telephone museum" should lead you to the Museum of Communications.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Phonesrfun on September 26, 2010, 06:42:28 PM
Here is the link.

http://www.museumofcommunications.org/

The last three years of the Northwest Telephone Collector's Show, held in the Surrounding areas of Seattle, we visited the museum.  Some others on this forum have also been there, like Brinybay and ae_collector.

Two floors in a currently operating telco facility.  The upper floor is mostly about switching and teleptypes, with several kinds of central offices that all work, and a couple of test boards and other various switchboards.

The lower floor is the display area of many, many phones over the years and more switchboards, pbx's and a display of outside wiring.

If you ever get to Seattle on a Tuesday, it is a great place.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: cchaven on October 03, 2010, 02:14:00 PM
500 C/D dated 8/54...internal dates matched except for the handset elements
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: 1954NE500 on October 03, 2010, 06:58:33 PM
Got 1 very RARE 1954 Northern Electric SOFT Plastic 500 and 3 VERY RARE New-In-The Box 1954 Northern Electric NEVER USED SOFT Plastic 500's-very, very, rare. All 4 phones are black with a metal finger wheel.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: mr_a500 on October 03, 2010, 07:57:37 PM
Quote from: 1954NE500 on October 03, 2010, 06:58:33 PM
Got 1 very RARE 1954 Northern Electric SOFT Plastic 500 and 3 VERY RARE New-In-The Box 1954 Northern Electric NEVER USED SOFT Plastic 500's-very, very, rare. All 4 phones are black with a metal finger wheel.

New in the box, never used 1954 NE 500?? Yes, that is rare. (...and justifies the number of times you used the word "very")

Can I have one? No need to be greedy and hoard 3 of them.   ;D
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Adam on October 05, 2010, 03:20:23 AM
My oldest 500: Almost!

Remember that 500 that I got from eBay today that I thought would be teal blue and turned out to be avocado green, and broken to boot?

Well, after stripping off the broken modular 500 shell, modular jacks and green 9C dial, guess what I was left with?  A really cool 500D base dated 3/53!

As you see from the pics below, unfortunately, the date on the base is partially obscured, but the network and ringer dates are also dated 3/53.

The base includes the very old style dial mounting bracket, and something I've never seen before, to allow the mounting of a newer style dial, a dial adapter plate which allows for dial alignment of the more modern dial with two little nibs near the mounting screws.

In addition, it has a paste-on label on the network, which I don't understand, because the markings printed below on the network itself are identical.

So, the thing was not a total loss!   :)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: rp2813 on October 05, 2010, 01:08:33 PM
I have seen those dial adapter plates.  I don't remember whether any of the phones still  in my possession have them.  They could have been on a phone I passed along to someone else.

A friend who knows I'm into phones recently picked up a black 500 for me.  Bless his heart, but it had been modularized.  However, it has turned out to be a matching dates chassis from 5/56, including the dial, that was apparently checked out, modularized, and put back into service by New York Telephone in 1977 without any updates other than the case, handset, and fingerwheel.  I'm going to see about finding a hard-wired case and handset for it, along with a metal fingerwheel.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Jim Stettler on October 05, 2010, 01:41:14 PM
The only time I have noticed those dial adaptors were in that "lot" of phones that had the White 5302. I had seen them before in junk boxes at shows, but I didn't know their use.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My Green/Blue Story:

I won a 1957 green 500 on Ebay, It was reasonable price for a green.


ISTR it is all matching dates, including the green dial. (I haven't cjhecked it for a couple of years).
However it turned out to be med blue polane painted Green.
I think this phone was painted before it was ever installed for the first.



I will add it to the list of photos that I need to take.
Jim
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: elmwood on November 09, 2010, 04:53:43 PM
I've got a nice dark red '56 I picked up a few years ago on eBay.  I might have to replace the plastic dial, but otherwise it's in great shape; tight headset cord, original cord, original plug.  The dial seems much quieter, with less resistance, than the green '60 I found a month or so ago.

I'm starting to get hooked.  Help!
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: dsk on November 13, 2010, 09:59:05 AM
What is this:
A 500? from 1946???
http://tinyurl.com/3az9g8d ( dead link 06-28-21 )

Looks ok for mee, but this may be my first amercan rotary.
not to expensive, and only 14.99 in postage to Norway! Great.

I won, and postage turned out to be 55.94, so now I have trouble with ebay.

I hope we will work it out, but rather blacklisted at ebay than pay for this.

I have sendt a mesage to the seller, and hope to kome to a solution.

What kind of a telephone is this?

dsk
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Doug Rose on November 13, 2010, 10:02:27 AM
Its a Western Electric 5302. Made to look like a 500 set from 302 parts. Nice phone, but fairly common....Doug
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: AE_Collector on November 13, 2010, 11:24:27 AM
AT first glance th epostage was $14.99 within the USA so obviously it would be more to Norway. However, when you go to the shipping calculator and change it to Norway....$14.99.

Seller has following statement in the item description:
Shipping cost is an estimate, high bidder agrees to pay extra postage, if needed.  
So they have attempted to cover themselves BUT putting a blanket statement in like that isn't an excuse to get out of all responsibility of listing the item accurately including correct postage information to other countries. They could have left out the foreign calculators and had a blanket statement to "Contact the Seller" for foreign rates.

Seller also states:
Please be advised that buyer is responsible for shipping costs if item is refused and returned. We will gladly return your purchase price, but we will not refund your shipping cost.  

So I think that you should have no problem getting out of this purchase without any cost or bad feedback. if you want to do that You DO have a case to argue that they should ship it to you for $14.99 but knowing ebaY, you probably won't live long enough to win that arguement.

Just my opinion....Terry
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Phonesrfun on November 13, 2010, 01:48:37 PM
The seller also calls it a 5203, rather than a 5302.  Not a big deal, but may have confused someone if they tried to look up the model number in a search engine.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: bingster on November 13, 2010, 06:39:54 PM
And apparently, the 5302 is now the "Lucille Ball Telephone."  ::)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: AE_Collector on November 13, 2010, 08:07:43 PM
Quote from: bingster on November 13, 2010, 06:39:54 PM
And apparently, the 5302 is now the "Lucille Ball Telephone."  ::)

Only without the case installed on it....

Terry
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Greg G. on November 14, 2010, 03:26:30 PM
Quote from: bingster on November 13, 2010, 06:39:54 PM
And apparently, the 5302 is now the "Lucille Ball Telephone."  ::)

I've even heard of some 500s called a "Perry Mason" phone.  At least I think it was a 500, the seller on CL couldn't give an accurate description.  The uninformed tend to be all over the board, from clueless overpricing to clueless underpricing.  I look for the latter.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2386.msg31904#msg31904 (http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2386.msg31904#msg31904)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Bill Cahill on November 26, 2010, 11:00:40 AM
Plastic dial on a '56 model phone? Sounds like a re hab?
What's the date on bottom of dial mechanism?
Alot  of phones were re habbed by the companies.
Bill Cahill
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: wordmike on December 06, 2010, 11:21:43 PM
Hello!
Anyone ever make/get the Dial Center program in Word that you can type your phone number/exchange and then print?
Thanks!
Mike 
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: wordmike on December 06, 2010, 11:27:33 PM
Hello!
Anyone have any Vintage WE/AE Dial Centers forsale/fortrade?
I am looking for some that would give my phones the real complete vintage look! Any help is appreached!
Sincerely,
Mike 
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Doug Rose on December 07, 2010, 09:26:52 AM
Quote from: wordmike on December 06, 2010, 11:21:43 PM
Hello!
Anyone ever make/get the Dial Center program in Word that you can type your phone number/exchange and then print?
Thanks!
Mike 
Hey Mike....welcome to thr Forum. Look here for dial cards....Doug

http://www.telephonearchive.com/numbercards/
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Sargeguy on December 07, 2010, 06:27:07 PM
Hello,
I make and sell them on eBay http://goo.gl/6unbi (http://goo.gl/6unbi)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Doug Rose on December 08, 2010, 08:47:41 AM
Those are outstanding. You be hearing from me soon!....Doug
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: rp2813 on December 13, 2010, 11:43:55 PM
Bill, I think the plastic dial is appropriate for elmwood's phone, since it's a colored model.

Meanwhile that 3/53 base is very nice.  My 3/53 doesn't have the early C2-A ringer, and got round neoprene feet at some point.
Even though your 3/53 has adapter plates for a later dial, the feet are still original so I'm guessing the dial was replaced in the field.  That will be an easy phone to put back to its original look.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Jim King on December 23, 2010, 04:37:50 AM
Mine apparently is too young to make the pole list, a pink 500, made on March 8, 1963. All original, except for someone cut off the last foot of the line cord, and a missing center cap on the dial. And someone cracked it when they pried it out, so I'll have to replace that someday.  Seems the dialer is a little off-kilter. I use this one when I call my mom because she can hear me better on this phone than any of the others in the house.
I got this one for free, at the end of an estate sale when they said on the last day anything in the house and shed was free. It was buried under a pile of trash in the corner of the shed, black then, covered in grease and dirt. A scrubbing with some soft-scrub and a squirt of WD-40 in the dialer that barely moved, was all it took for it to work great and look presentable.
I brought home a few bags of free stuff from the 50's and 60's that day.

Some of my favorite TV shows back then were: 
The Beverly Hillbillies
Candid Camera
The Dick Van Dyke Show
What's My Line
The Ed Sullivan Show
Lassie
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
--
Top ten hits in 63:
Sugar Shack
- Jimmy Gilmore & the Fireballs
He's So Fine
- The Chiffons
Dominique
- The Singing Nun
Hey Paula
- Paul & Paula
My Boyfriend's back
- The Angels
Blue Velvet
- Bobby Vinton
Sukiyaki
- Kyu Sakamoto
I Will Follow Him
- Little Peggy March
Fingertips - Pt. 2
- Little Stevie Wonder
Walk Like A Man
--
A great movie that came out that year was: It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: rp2813 on December 28, 2010, 09:50:56 PM
The 5302 could also be a "Carrie Bradshaw Phone," as I caught a glimpse of it in the
"Sex and the City 2" film recently.  I guess during the series I never got a good enough look at it and had presumed it was a 500.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Crichton on January 29, 2011, 06:46:04 PM
I don't have one as old as some of you guys, but I recently acquired my first WE 500. It's from 1960. Check it out:
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: JorgeAmely on January 29, 2011, 07:10:58 PM
The first one? Please run away from the forum. This is a disease for which there is no cure.  ;) ;) ;)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: HarrySmith on January 29, 2011, 07:22:46 PM
Welcome to the forum ;D
Please heed Jorges advice before it is too late ;) These things muliply like rabbitts ;)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Greg G. on January 31, 2011, 01:08:18 AM
Welcome!  Is that the way you got it, or did you get it nice and shiny like that?  I need to spend some time getting my black phones nice and shiny.  I always get "shiny phone envy" when I see what can be done with them, besides collecting patine/dust.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Crichton on January 31, 2011, 04:28:50 PM
Thanks guys. I won it on eBay and it wasn't like that at all. This is my first time with a telephone like that. I have no real idea what to, but I looked on this forum and others on how to clean it. I polished up the outside with mostly car products. I haven't cleaned the inside because I'm afraid I'll mess something up. It was missing the dial card retainer ring, so I got one on eBay also. These are the pics on the eBay listing:

Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Jim Stettler on January 31, 2011, 04:53:11 PM
You did a great job shining it up.
Jim
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on February 10, 2011, 02:18:02 PM
Crichton;
Save yourself while you have the time, and send your phones to me....
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: GG on February 16, 2011, 05:13:19 AM


I have a '52 that's all date-matched original except for the housing which is ITT as the original was damaged.  For some reason the dial on that one has a somewhat shrill sound compared to other #7 dials I've got around, that no amount of tweaking has managed to solve. 

BTW, I see all these folks posting their *birthdays* here.  Y'all need to know: when you post your birthday, you are giving away the farm to identity thieves.  It is trivially easy for a badguy to play Mr. Friendly and find out your name.   Name + birthdate = easy access to enough other things to make your life a living H---.

Seriously.  Don't post your B-day, directly or indirectly.  See also any common instructions for online safety and you'll see the same advice.   Sorry to be a party-pooper about this but it needs to be said.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: xhausted110 on September 24, 2012, 09:49:30 PM
I have one with all parts from 1954. my first phone too! got it a year ago for 5 dollars

(the following 2 externally linked images no longer exist 11/8/22)

(http://imageshack.us/a/img69/6081/dsc00692jc.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/69/dsc00692jc.jpg/)

(http://imageshack.us/a/img805/1532/dsc00702rd.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/805/dsc00702rd.jpg/)


http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/69/dsc00692jc.jpg/ (dead link 11/8/22)

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/805/dsc00702rd.jpg/ (dead link 11/8/22)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: McHeath on September 26, 2012, 02:01:03 AM
Good deal xhausted!

Hey who voted that they have a 49er?  Did I miss something?  Is that you D/P and your 48er?
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on September 27, 2012, 12:29:31 AM
McHeath;
Nope, as much as I wish it were mine.  I was born in 1949. I will stay with the older date, but would gladly swap, for a complete 1949.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan on October 14, 2012, 10:19:08 PM
Quote from: McHeath on September 26, 2012, 02:01:03 AM
Good deal xhausted!

Hey who voted that they have a 49er?  Did I miss something?  Is that you D/P and your 48er?

I have a 49 network black 500

Search for the thread got a 49er for pictures
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: McHeath on October 16, 2012, 12:00:16 AM
I've seen those pictures of the 49er in the Seattle phone museum, very cool.  And having any 49 component is great as well.  Does a member of this forum have a mostly 49' dated 500?
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: MagicMo on December 30, 2012, 06:06:48 PM
Can someone explain the difference between the reg 500 phones (of which I have a few) and the 500 DM and the 500 D2M? I have some of those too.
Thanks,
Maureen
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: paul-f on December 30, 2012, 06:21:00 PM
500D -- hardwired cords

500DM -- modular cords

500D2M -- Base only for component stocking (bottom plate and mounted components, including dial).  These were stocked in the truck and completed with plastics and handsets of the customer's choice at installation time.

More info on set marking can be found here:
  http://www.paul-f.com/we500typ.htm#Model (http://www.paul-f.com/we500typ.htm#Model)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: MagicMo on December 31, 2012, 09:53:43 PM
Quote from: paul-f on December 30, 2012, 06:21:00 PM
500D -- hardwired cords

500DM -- modular cords

500D2M -- Base only for component stocking (bottom plate and mounted components, including dial).  These were stocked in the truck and completed with plastics and handsets of the customer's choice at installation time.

More info on set marking can be found here:
 http://www.paul-f.com/we500typ.htm#Model (http://www.paul-f.com/we500typ.htm#Model)

Thanks Paul!
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: jonathan75 on January 07, 2013, 10:30:20 AM
My 500 say 3-54.  The handset is Bakelite and the body is plastic.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: George Knighton on January 07, 2013, 11:45:24 AM
Is there a year or model of 500 that sort of represents the epitome of that design?

One that is early, but has the major network improvements, but not modular?

I sort of want one or two 500's, even though my preference is for earlier models, and I wonder which ones I should buy that sort of represent, if not actually the best, maybe the epitome.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Greg G. on January 07, 2013, 01:35:25 PM
Quote from: Brinybay on February 03, 2010, 09:23:38 PM
Quote from: Wallphone on February 03, 2010, 09:05:39 PM
Here is one from 5/52 but is has been reconditioned with modular cords.
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120526279863 <
Dougpav

I have a similar beige one from 12-52.  All the inner workings are from 52, case from 65, dial 59.  I plan to "de-refurbish" it back to what it was originally, a black hard-wired 500.  Just need to find the parts for it.

http://s252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/Brinybay/Telephones/52%20Beige%20mod/ (http://s252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/Brinybay/Telephones/52%20Beige%20mod/)

Hmm, that one is no longer in my inventory, I think I sold it to Bill Guerts if I remember correctly.  My oldest now is a black 52-500, a $5 "moldy oldie" yard sale find.  I have a thread here somewhere, but here's the before/after pic.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: paul-f on January 07, 2013, 02:09:38 PM
Quote from: George Knighton on January 07, 2013, 11:45:24 AM

Is there a year or model of 500 that sort of represents the epitome of that design?

One that is early, but has the major network improvements, but not modular?

I sort of want one or two 500's, even though my preference is for earlier models, and I wonder which ones I should buy that sort of represent, if not actually the best, maybe the epitome.


It's obviously a matter of personal preference.  For an iconic black set, my preference leans toward the direction you mentioned -- metal fingerwheel, leather feet, soft plastic and black plungers at a minimum.

If cost and time aren't issues, I'd add the very early pre-injection molded number plate,  straight cords and marked 500 (no suffix).

I'm still dreaming of finding a 1949 set.   ::)

Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Greg G. on January 07, 2013, 02:36:25 PM
Quote from: paul-f on January 07, 2013, 02:09:38 PM
I'm still dreaming of finding a 1949 set.   ::)

Me too!  Gotta be some out there somewhere, at a yard sale nearby!
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on January 10, 2013, 04:11:21 PM
Being that I was born in 1949, I too am still hoping for a 49'er. I would even consider a trade of my field test set for a 49'er.
Dan
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: zaphod01 on January 26, 2013, 10:39:04 AM
Just bought a 11-51 off ebay. 'Buy it now' price was $14.95. Had only been listed for a few minutes (4 views). Could be junk but I wasn't going to pass it up at that price.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Mr. Bones on January 26, 2013, 11:42:06 AM
Quote from: zaphod01 on January 26, 2013, 10:39:04 AM
Just bought a 11-51 off ebay. 'Buy it now' price was $14.95. Had only been listed for a few minutes (4 views). Could be junk but I wasn't going to pass it up at that price.


zaphod1, that's a great find! My oldest one is an 8/53 from epay, at $16.04.

Enjoy your new treasure! ;D

Best regards,

Terrence
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: HarrySmith on January 26, 2013, 01:08:37 PM
Nice find!Have you opened it up? Are all the dates matching? Can you post a link to the auction?
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: zaphod01 on January 26, 2013, 03:33:24 PM
Shipped today. Can't wait to open it up.

Here's the link. Paid $15.95 not $14.95 as noted above (got excited).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321062288470
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on January 26, 2013, 08:13:49 PM
Great find. I hope for $7.95 shipping he packed it well.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: zaphod01 on January 27, 2013, 08:14:47 AM
It was obvious he doesn't sell phones for a living. That's the least I've ever paid for shipping on an ebay purchase so I have my fingers crossed!

I check ebay several times a day and always check newly listed first. I was astounded to see that phone had a 'buy it now price' on it. I just got lucky on this one. 

Occasionally even a blind squirrel finds an acorn.  ;D
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: zaphod01 on January 27, 2013, 09:48:30 PM
Just bought a 6/51 off ebay ($59.00)

That's my second 1951 this weekend. They look vastly different. Now I have to figure out what's 'correct' and what's not. I assume the dialer has been replaced on this one as it has a plastic fingerwheel.  ???

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221180276196  (dead link 11/8/22)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: paul-f on January 27, 2013, 10:06:59 PM
With the fingerwheel, the clear plungers suggest the housing was replaced as well.

When you see a phone that's marked Conv. you know it was converted.  It's usually fairly easy to guess what it was converted from by looking at the rivets and empty holes on the bottom of the set.  I'm sure it's been discussed in other threads.

You should be able to predict the original model code after looking here:
  http://www.paul-f.com/we500typ.htm#Date (http://www.paul-f.com/we500typ.htm#Date)

Of course, the phone has been in the field long enough that the markings may be meaningless.  It will be interesting to see what you actually find.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dennis Markham on January 28, 2013, 01:41:56 PM
Quote from: unbeldi on January 28, 2013, 01:20:38 PM
I don't believe this handset is original either. It has seven holes in the RX cap.  

Looks like the later G3 handset.  No groove along the handle edge like the original G1, Bakelite handset.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: zaphod01 on January 29, 2013, 08:31:51 AM
The 11/51 arrived and it's rough but all dates match (either 10/51 of 11/51). I know I paid too much for the 6/51 but I really wanted it. I'm considering making one legitimate 1951 phone from the two. Any thoughts?
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Tom B on January 29, 2013, 02:07:11 PM
I would refurbish the 11/51 as all the dates are original and then when the 6/51 arrives I'd check which parts are original and which aren't - you have a number of options after that. But don't forget - we wants pictures ;)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on January 31, 2013, 12:35:52 AM
Whichever one you chose to update, make sure the network has the date you desire.
Network and base seem to be the accepted date of origin.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: unbeldi on February 14, 2013, 09:39:17 PM
In the mail today came a vintage 1950  WE 500B set that was once connected to the LOmbard telephone exchange in San Fransisco. The phone came from an estate in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood and was personally removed from the wall by the lady I bought it from. She was smart enough to remove the entire line cord of 25 feet of original vintage Western Electric line cord, the thick rubber cord, labeled 25-0 D3AY II-50 on the strain relief. Was the phone ever moved since 1950?  I have only been able to locate the Lombard telephone exchange in another part of S.F., West Portal.

I wasn't sure exactly what to expect, all I really knew the phone had a manufacturing code of A/B 500, no date on the bottom of the phone.  Indeed it is was a 500B set with 311A equalizer and 425A network, both dated in 1950.

However, around that the phone was upgraded a few times with a new ringer, a new dial, and ...juk...a new 1965 housing with clear plastic plungers.

But the original vintage is clearly established. The earliest date is the network of 3-50. There was no date on the bottom.

Note the 3-post dial bracket mount of the early 500 sets.

It has the very cool dial number insert reading   "LOmbard 6-6413".
No the residence wasn't on Lombard Street, and the exchange wasn't either, it appears, not a good place for an exchange probably anyhow.

Getting closer to 1949.... 




Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: unbeldi on February 14, 2013, 09:43:08 PM
WE-500B dial mount:
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: WesternElectricBen on February 15, 2013, 02:01:20 PM
I have  a 1957 mediteranian blue and a 1955 WE black 500.

Ben
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: unbeldi on February 26, 2013, 02:18:39 AM
Quote from: unbeldi on February 14, 2013, 09:39:17 PM

But the original vintage is clearly established. The earliest date is the network of 3-50. There was no date on the bottom.


I have been trying to educate myself on the aspects of the very early model 500 sets. The thread on the finding of the '49 base is lively and interesting, and so is the discussion about finding a `49 500 in the Seattle museum.  Collectors sure know how to bring history back alive.

From my readings in the past elsewhere, I have always had serious doubts that there were any routine subscriber installations of 500 sets in 1949 and perhaps not even in the first half of 1950.

The network in my 500 set is dated 3-50, only 4 month younger than the network in the 49 set and mine has the same terminal layout, including the M terminal that was pointed out in the other thread. My equalizer however, is dated Dec 1950.

Given that the mounting cord of my set is from the second quarter 1950, it puts the installation date either in the second half or after 12/50. Could the equalizer been replaced already?

I just acquired a nice hard copy of the 1950 edition of the Western Electric catalog of telephone apparatus (catalog no. 11).  There is no mentioning of anything related to the 500 series telephones. If 500 sets were in production already in 1949 or even early 1950, I would think that a 1950 catalog would contain some spare parts at least.

Just how many sets from 1950 are known to exist by this forum? Are any pictures available?
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dennis Markham on February 26, 2013, 05:17:20 AM

There are some photos in the beginning pages of this thread.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: southernphoneman on February 26, 2013, 05:08:35 PM
maybe someone can answer this question. i purchased a 1958 black 500 from ebay that the seller claims that was a set prop on the andy griffith show. with the phone came a certificate of authenticity. is there a way to find out if this in fact authentic? the coa has the ellis prop company on it.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: unbeldi on February 26, 2013, 05:17:04 PM
Quote from: southernphoneman on February 26, 2013, 05:08:35 PM
maybe someone can answer this question. i purchased a 1958 black 500 from ebay that the seller claims that was a set prop on the andy griffith show. with the phone came a certificate of authenticity. is there a way to find out if this in fact authentic? the coa has the ellis prop company on it.

What kind of authenticity it this certificate proclaiming?  That it's an all original 1958 phone, or that it was used in the show.
The former should be fairly easy to ascertain, just take pics and read all discoverable markings inside and out and post here. For the latter you have to trust the provider, but perhaps this company is still around to contact and verify the claim.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: southernphoneman on February 26, 2013, 05:37:27 PM
hi unbeldi,thankyou for your fast response. the coa claims that the phone was on the show.right now i am new to this forum and i have not figured out how to post photos yet. but i have a confession to make. the phone had a dial network that i needed on a phone that i was refurbishing and i took it out and put it in the refurbished phone and i have since sold it, i probably need 50 lashes with a wet noodle for doing that. i will have to figure out how to post photos and get back to you . thankyou
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: poplar1 on February 26, 2013, 07:11:25 PM
Quote from: southernphoneman on February 26, 2013, 05:08:35 PM
maybe someone can answer this question. i purchased a 1958 black 500 from ebay that the seller claims that was a set prop on the andy griffith show. with the phone came a certificate of authenticity. is there a way to find out if this in fact authentic? the coa has the ellis prop company on it.

Weren't the phones on Andy Griffith non-dial ("Sarah, get me so-and-so")?


This is what I think they had:
In the police station, a candlestick phone with dial blank
In the kitchen, a non-dial wall phone with separate transmitter and receiver; maybe a non-dial 554 in the later shows?
In the living room, a 500C (non-dial).
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on February 26, 2013, 07:21:22 PM
Ellis Prop Company is legit, I purchased a 1938 Philco table top radio that was COA, to have been used in the Motion Picture "Seabisquit".
I've watched the Movie many times, and never found my radio However.....
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: paul-f on February 26, 2013, 08:29:49 PM
Not unusual, Dan.  I have rented and sold phones to a number of film companies.  Well over half of the phones didn't make it into the final cut.  I suspect some never made it out of the box.  The prop plans were often changed by the time scenes were filmed.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on February 27, 2013, 12:03:44 PM
If you really read the way a COA is written, at least in my case, it says; "Used in the production of, "Seabisquit". Which means it was some place, on one of the sets, maybe, just being used by the crew. It didn't say it was used in the actual motion picture.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan on February 28, 2013, 10:01:18 AM
 poplar 1 --As an Andy expert, they had dialless 500's in the living room .
When the show went to color in 1965, they switched to a BEAUTIFUL Oxford grey 554 in the kitchen .
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on February 28, 2013, 02:19:28 PM
Even though I can't verify that the radio was in the Movie, "Seabisquit". I can verify this. In the Television series, "Adams Family", on the desk in the living room, is a Hobnail shaded lamp. I have that lamp here. Got a deal I think $130.00
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: AE40FAN on February 28, 2013, 06:03:01 PM
Dan,

Is it the exact same lamp from Adams Family?  You should post some photos.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on February 28, 2013, 06:38:06 PM
Yes, it came from the set of the Television show, Adams Family.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Russ Kirk on February 28, 2013, 08:54:02 PM
Quote from: Dan/Panther on February 28, 2013, 06:38:06 PM
Yes, it came from the set of the Television show, Adams Family.
D/P

How did you get it Dan?  There must be a good story......
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on March 01, 2013, 03:00:34 PM
Periodically I go through the Ebay movie memorabilia auctions.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan on April 29, 2013, 11:19:59 PM
Update. I have three oldies

1. 11-49 Network WE500 rest of phone is 1950's. Small operator font

2. Arrived today 3-1950 with a 1949 g-1 handset. Curly operator font

3. 12-1950 pretty much matching dates. Small operator font.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on April 30, 2013, 12:40:20 PM
Where did you find those gems ? I would love to see photos of the 49 base.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Greg G. on April 30, 2013, 09:17:02 PM
Quote from: Dan/Panther on April 30, 2013, 12:40:20 PM
Where did you find those gems ? I would love to see photos of the 49 base.
D/P

And the 49 handset. 
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan on April 30, 2013, 10:04:51 PM
Quote from: Dan/Panther on April 30, 2013, 12:40:20 PM
Where did you find those gems ? I would love to see photos of the 49 base.
D/P

None of them has a 1949 base , look under auction finds for the 49 handset (10-49)

Got the 1949 network at a antique mall. I got the 12-1950 at a flea-tique show (same place I got my avatar phone). Any the curly operator 3-1950  was from ebay.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan/Panther on April 30, 2013, 11:32:28 PM
The network was by itself ?
I would have picked the owners brain, to try to obtain the name of the seller of the  phones parts, maybe the rest is out their waiting. Someone replaced a non working network, on a 49er, and it's waiting for you. that's the only reason I can think to find a lone network, it was replaced.
D/P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Dan on April 30, 2013, 11:42:43 PM
Check out this thread and you can see the 11-49 network

I got a 49er!!! (well, kind of)




http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=4073.15
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: WEBellSystemChristian on August 24, 2013, 12:26:35 AM
Quote from: Dan/Panther on November 27, 2008, 12:21:40 PM
I have a Black 7-54.
D/P
Five years ago, yes, but now you have beat all of us, with your field 500 :P
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: TelePlay on September 19, 2013, 11:14:42 PM
Just joined the club, barely though.

Scored a mid '55 500 with matching dates and a straight line handset cord. There are no markings on the phone for field repair. Cloth feet need to be recovered.

Base - C/D 7/55 500
Network - 425B 7/55
Ringer - C4A - 6/55
Dial - 7D-3 7-55
Handset cord - 55
Handset - 7-55
Wall cord - 55
Plug - Brown - 283B
Receiver - 44A 7-1-55
Receiver Cap (320) - 7-55
Microphone - T1 7-5-55
Microphone cap (455) - 7-55
Housing - 6-29-55

The base and the bottom are in very good condition. The handset cord going into handset has been electrical taped. The number card holder is missing and the only rust on the phone is around the finger wheel nut. The plastic is in very good condition with no cracks and minor and limited scratches.

$10.50 as shown . . . , after first cleaning at the bottom of the photos.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Contempra on December 05, 2013, 09:18:17 AM
Mine is a 1953 but the line cord isn't original to the phone and has a modern line cord... my other phones are in the 60's to 80's. ;)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: MMikeJBenN27 on February 22, 2019, 05:08:01 PM
I have a 500T dated 5-52.  It has a 425A network dated 4-52, a C2A ringer dated 8-52, but a later 7D dial dated 9-53, which probably hurts it's value.  The shell is in good condition and is dated 5-1-52-3.  The G1 handset is dated 4-52, the receiver capsule is dated 4-29-52, the receiver cap is dated 5-52, the transmitter capsule is dated 4-52, but the transitter cap feels like an ABS replacement.  The cord is a later vinyl replacement.  Side tone is kind of loud, as this phone has no equalizer, like a 5302 with a G1 or G3 handset.  It is better with the G/F handset now attached it.  That handset has an HA1 receiver capsule dated 7-9-52-1 and an F1 transmitter capsule dated 10-4-50.  This handset also has a later replacement vinyl cord.  Both handsets are in good condition, but it is more pleasant to use with the G/F handset.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Scott on February 22, 2019, 08:34:23 PM
I picked this up at an antique mall recently. Some items are 1951, some late 1950. It looks like there is a plastic cover over the dial face numbers. I have never seen anything like that. This was also one of the cleanest older phones I have ever gotten. I didn't do anything with dial and it works perfect. There also wan't any of that funky stuff growing all over it because it is made of Tenite. Almost 70 years old and it is still a relevant communication device. You have got to love how these phones were made!

Scott K.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: RotarDad on February 22, 2019, 09:23:14 PM
Wow, that is a real beauty!  Very hard to find them all original like that, and look at the shine on the handset.  That's one of the cleanest early 500s I've seen.  Must have been an extension phone and seldom used...  Great find!

It's pretty common to find earlier dates on the network and equalizer on the 1950 and 1951 sets.  I think WE built up a big stockpile of these parts in anticipation of the production ramp.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Scott on February 22, 2019, 09:50:47 PM
Thanks. I should have added it didn't come with that dial card and holder. I added those after I cleaned it up. It was a whopping $15.00 plus tax. Timing is everything sometime.

Scott K.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: jsowers on February 22, 2019, 11:42:45 PM
Quote from: Scott on February 22, 2019, 08:34:23 PM
I picked this up at an antique mall recently. Some items are 1951, some late 1950. It looks like there is a plastic cover over the dial face numbers. I have never seen anything like that. This was also one of the cleanest older phones I have ever gotten. I didn't do anything with dial and it works perfect. There also wan't any of that funky stuff growing all over it because it is made of Tenite. Almost 70 years old and it is still a relevant communication device. You have got to love how these phones were made!

Scott K.
The plastic cover effect over the numbers is because the early dial faces were reverse painted on clear plastic. That stopped shortly after your phone was made and they went to the injection molded dial faces with two different colors of plastic. They used those same clear dial faces on clear sets and painted them gold with black letters for metallic gold sets. Quite an unusual feature, I think.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Scott on February 23, 2019, 09:40:56 AM
Thanks for that info jsowers. I wouldn't have expected that is the reason.

Scott K.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: MMikeJBenN27 on April 09, 2019, 09:10:43 AM
I have 2 500T sets, one dated 12-51, the other dated 5-52.  The 12-51 set has a GF handset with no Bell System markings on it, a correct C2A ringer dated 4-52, so it must be a replacement, but it does have it's original 7A dial assembly with it's unusual governor.  The 5-52 set has a replacement Stromberg-Carlson dial assembly.  Not a 7 series or 9 series, but the kind for the "cut corner" sets, with an adapter for WE style phones.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: MMikeJBenN27 on December 02, 2019, 08:57:18 AM
I just picked up an early 501 with the C3A ringer and the tube dated 2-51.  After some fiddling with the wiring, it looks and works flawlessly.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: SUnset2 on October 31, 2020, 12:55:39 AM
Here is my 1950.
The dates mostly match, except the handset cord has been replaced.  I need to find a straight cord for it.
Handset 12-50
Receiver element 12-19-50
Transmitter element 12-50
Caps unmarked.
425A Network 4-50
Ringer 12*-50
Case 12-19-50
Dial 12-50
Equalizer Nov 14 1950
Handset Cord II 63?
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: SUnset2 on October 31, 2020, 12:58:35 AM
More Pictures.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: phonium on October 31, 2020, 11:42:13 AM
Quote from: SUnset2 on October 31, 2020, 12:55:39 AM
Here is my 1950.
Did you get that off Ebay recently? I saw one sold that looked like that.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: SUnset2 on October 31, 2020, 12:51:07 PM
It was a buy-it-now.  It was only up for a minute or two.  $19.95 + $25.92 shipping.
I don't normally look at plain black 500s, but I've been looking for a mid-1956 for spare parts.  But I couldn't resist this one, as it is older than any other 500s I have.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Jim Stettler on October 31, 2020, 01:06:08 PM
If you  received it this month, then you should put  it in the October 2020 Find of the month

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?action=post;topic=24373.0;last_msg=242994

I will be closing the nominations  no earlier than 7:00 PM MDT.

Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Jim Stettler on November 02, 2020, 10:20:55 PM
 phonium
Just got an 11/50
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=24492.msg243060#msg243060
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: cchaven on March 22, 2021, 08:17:23 PM
I just picked up a nearly all numbers matching 500T dated 9/51 from the same group of shops I've picked up multiple phones from over the years.  Unfortunately it appears the upper housing has been changed as there is a 'P' and '62' in the circle cast into it with no vermilion date stamp along the edge.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: FABphones on May 25, 2021, 03:47:08 PM
500 C/D.   6/1953.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: ChrisW6ATV on July 01, 2022, 06:33:35 PM
I have a red 500 marked C/D 10/52, but it is not all original, since it has a plastic dial. It cost $5 at a thrift shop in northern California in 2010-2014, I forgot what year.

Would it be worthwhile for me to try putting all-1952 parts back into it, if I could find them, or at least a metal dial, or is it better to leave it as is? I definitely like the idea of a matching dial, at least.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: JorgeAmely on July 02, 2022, 01:09:34 AM
February 22, 1950
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: MMikeJBenN27 on July 02, 2022, 01:37:50 AM
Quote from: ChrisW6ATV on July 01, 2022, 06:33:35 PMI have a red 500 marked C/D 10/52, but it is not all original, since it has a plastic dial...

...is it better to leave it as is? I definitely like the idea of a matching dial, at least.
If you want to keep it red, it is SUPPOSED to have a plastic dial.  Only put a metal dial on it if you want to return it to black.  Western Electric started making plastic color phones in late 1940, but color 500s in 1953.  All color sets have had a plastic dial.

Mike
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: MMikeJBenN27 on July 02, 2022, 01:43:15 AM
Quote from: MMikeJBenN27 on July 02, 2022, 01:37:50 AMIf you want to keep it red, it is SUPPOSED to have a plastic dial.  Only put a metal dial on it if you want to return it to black.  Western Electric started making plastic color phones in late 1940, but color 500s in 1953.  All color sets have had a plastic dial.

One addition - Many, if not most, 1954 red phones had a black dial face and matching metal dial for that year only.
Mike

Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: ChrisW6ATV on August 31, 2022, 08:35:19 PM
Thank you for your comments, Mike. I just saw now that you had replied to my post in July.

I will take time to learn more about the color 500 phones and their components, before thinking of changing anything. I also have an olive-green one, dated 2-75 on a sticker over a presumed older date, but much newer. (It has a bare metal base versus black, and round vinyl or similar feet versus the felt-like older ones, but it is all hard-wired rather than having RJ connectors.)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: paul-f on September 01, 2022, 09:00:28 AM
Quote from: ChrisW6ATV on August 31, 2022, 08:35:19 PMI will take time to learn more about the color 500 phones and their components, before thinking of changing anything. I also have an olive-green one, dated 2-75 on a sticker over a presumed older date, but much newer. (It has a bare metal base versus black, and round vinyl or similar feet versus the felt-like older ones, but it is all hard-wired rather than having RJ connectors.)

Following up on Mike's comments, if you want to create a dates-matching 1952 phone to match the base date, it will require replacing all the red components with black parts.

Some good sources for learning more about the color 500s include:
  • This extensive forum topic: http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2265.0 (http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2265.0)
  • BSPs in the TCI Library. Some include info on the early two-tone 500 sets.
  • http://www.paul-f.com/color.htm#WE500 (http://www.paul-f.com/color.htm#WE500)
  • http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=11422.msg132909#msg132909 (http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=11422.msg132909#msg132909)
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: MMikeJBenN27 on September 01, 2022, 10:38:01 PM
Quote from: MMikeJBenN27 on July 02, 2022, 01:43:15 AMOne addition - Many, if not most, 1954 red phones had a black dial face and matching metal dial for that year only.
Mike


Sorry, forgot about those - red, dark blue, yellow, and dark grey often had black dial faces and metal fingerwheels, and even some later red and yellow ones did.
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: MMikeJBenN27 on September 01, 2022, 10:39:12 PM
Quote from: ChrisW6ATV on August 31, 2022, 08:35:19 PM...I also have an olive-green one, dated 2-75 on a sticker over a presumed older date, but much newer. (It has a bare metal base versus black, and round vinyl or similar feet versus the felt-like older ones, but it is all hard-wired rather than having RJ connectors.)
A goldish base plate with round feet indicates a 1967 or later phone.

Mike
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: MMikeJBenN27 on November 19, 2022, 08:05:21 AM
Quote from: JorgeAmely on June 07, 2009, 12:41:32 AMHere you go sir ...
Wow!  That's got me beat!  Mine is a 51.

Mike
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: MMikeJBenN27 on November 19, 2022, 08:09:46 AM
Quote from: JorgeAmely on June 07, 2009, 12:41:32 AMHere you go sir ...
Does it have trouble ringing?  These should be wired so that the slate and slate-white wires go to "E", the red wire to "K", and the black wire to either "G" or "L1", depending on if you have grounded wiring or not.

Mike
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Contempra on November 20, 2022, 11:42:05 AM
Quote from: Sargeguy on November 27, 2008, 08:42:37 PMThe only WE500 I have is from 1960, but its been in the family since then and has sentimental value  :'(  I like the neoprene feet but I hate the upgraded modular cord!!!



I don't like the modular style either, but they will be collectible and sought after one day.. Since hardly anyone has a landline anymore, but a portable cellphone..
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: Contempra on November 20, 2022, 11:50:29 AM
Mine are from 1955 to 1987 in colors of beige (4 or 5), black (about ten) and two olive green and one white (yellowed a little). Apart from repairing them, oiling them and putting them into operation, the rest, I leave them as they are. .
Title: Re: Who Amongst Us Has The Oldest 500?
Post by: ChrisW6ATV on January 10, 2023, 06:30:38 PM
Quote from: ChrisW6ATV on July 01, 2022, 06:33:35 PMI have a red 500 marked C/D 10/52, but it is not all original, since it has a plastic dial. It cost $5 at a thrift shop in northern California in 2010-2014, I forgot what year.

Would it be worthwhile for me to try putting all-1952 parts back into it, if I could find them, or at least a metal dial, or is it better to leave it as is? I definitely like the idea of a matching dial, at least.
Six months later, I know much better. My "1952" 500 may have become a red phone in the 1960s (the red line/mounting cord has 6 6 on the phone-end clip, and the handset cord has 6 7 on the base-end clip). The handset cord was pink but painted red, oddly. The 9C dial, housing, and transmitter all have 1972 dates; the U3 receiver is from 2-9-60. So, this is not "a 1952 500", but a standard Western Electric mix of parts that all work fine together 50-70 years later (as most 500s do!).