Something not talked about much I am sure because of the rarity is the 50A payphone the first full size payphone. I thought I would post some pics.
Jim - Appreciate your posts educating us. Do you have one of these in your collection to show us? This model would date to 1911-12, correct?
inside
102
L bracket stand with metal subset
L bracket attaches to stand
Maybe a little earlier no one can say for sure,I think the 102 was physically different is some ways then the 50A. I have seen differences in the lower housings in the form of foundry marks. One clear difference was the plate on the front that said Gray Telephone Paystation Company only no W/E . I have never seen or found a phone with this plate. I beleive this to be the Holy Grail,one of the rarest pieces. I have only found 102's with the Gray Western Plate above the vault door. I think the 50A was a complete redesign by Gray for Western,I think the 102 marked W/E on the front tag was sold to W/E when they installed manual sets instead of pre-paid sets. I also think that the 75A Gray was the reuse of early 102 parts. So how did I come up with this, by looking at a lot of early parts and sets. and reading as much as I can find on the early sets. Mostly stare and compare.
another 102 this one when found had a 50A tag.
I believe the phone was in a fire.
I believe there was a total of three different tags above the vault door. In these pictures is the i beleive 4th and last 50A bottom. no tag,first time stamped in housing Gray W/E. Note they had not used the inc yet. This bottom is very rare I only know of two.