I've never seen or heard of one of these before:
> Western Electric push-button 302 < (http://cgi.ebay.com/1947-Western-Electric-10-Button-Prototype-302-Telephone_W0QQitemZ130265911547QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCorded_Phones?hash=item130265911547&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A1%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318)
( dead link 02-27-22 )
According to the description, the push buttons pluck reeds to make tones. I assume this wouldn't dial on modern lines even if the mechanism works as designed?
That phone really caught my interest too. It was a prototype. I also wonder if it would work on today's system and why it didn't catch on. It's always interested me how long the dial was used in general before going to push button. The funny thing is, I actually prefer to dial,but maybe that's just because I grew up with dial phones...
Anybody notice the range of component dates? 1940 on the ringer, handset parts dated 12/47. ??? It would seem that they would be a lot closer together than seven years apart. Possibly a incomplete set assembled, a.k.a Frankenstein (as we say in the car and bike world).
I've seen picture of this type of phone as one of the development stages of the touch tone system. It's probably an inhouse developmental phone made by WE, hence the wild price is is bringing.
Since this one was apparently only tested by 35 families, it makes sense that it was cobbled together. I kinda doubt it came from a WE factory, but it seems more likely it would have been put together at Bell Labs, making multiple dates even more likely. But that's just a guess.
I'm going out on a limb, and saying this one's all original, just as it came from the Bell System. It just "feels" right.
Incidentally, I merged the two threads on the same subject and shortened the links.
Yes, W.E. produced and tested these in small numbers. They were also used at switching stations. Naturally, this is what I've read about them over several years. I've even read an article as to how they worked, but that's drawing a blank right now. I do know W.E. was afraid wrong numbers would be dialed more often than not. Kind of the same thinking when W.E./Bell was considering the dial.
Wow, it went for $17,899.99! I suppose this phone must rank really high for rarity, though.
I'll bet the seller is absolutely ecstatic, especially since he doesn't seem to be a collector of any sort. I know that I would be.
Heck, if I had a telephone that sold for that much, I would gladly hand-deliver it to the buyer.
I think that's officially the most expensive telephone I've ever seen sold on eBay. :o
Holy Bad Economy Batman! 18 k for a phone! Wonder if they got free shipping with that?
A 1940 prototype, with 1947 components???
I wonder what's going on here ?
It says 35 sets put into Bell emploees homes, they must have kept a close eye on the phones for test purposes, I can't imagine that they would have gonre back in for refurb, in just 6 years with a war in the works. Something very fishy about this auction?
D/P
Not a 1940 prototype... A 1948 prototype. According to Paul Fassbender's site, it was designed before the war, but all plans were shelved due to the war. It was only after the war that the trials began. And his info comes from Lucent (Western Electric).
Oh my, is that really a rare one???
Something else that I find interesting is that the buyer offers absolutely no provenance whatsoever for the telephone.
I know that if I were spending that kind of money, I'd at least want some sort of provenance-even if you found it in Uncle Bob's attic or bought it for $5 at the local auction house. I'd still like to have some idea of where it came from.
Yes I agree, it's amazing to me that people will spend that kind of money with so little proof. Sure it seems that the phone is real and all that, but to spend 18k I would want to see it live and in person, have it examined by an expert in the field, and of course I'd want free shipping to boot! ;D
Quote from: HobieSport on November 10, 2008, 09:22:42 PM
Mienaichizu,
It is rare that someone would have the audacity to spend that much money on one telephone.
Good night and good luck.
-Matt
I would not spend that much money on one phone, only if I'm a millionaire I would do