Auction 362: WE 1959 DTMF F-53139 Field Trial Telephone - Ended 01-13-19

[TelePlay]

All forum members are welcome and encouraged to guess.There are no wrong guesses, just one lucky guess. No one knows the winning guess on any auction until it ends.

Date Listed:  08 Jan 2019
Auction Duration:  5 Days
List Price:  $249.99
Current Bidders:  1
Current Price:  $249.99
Watchers:  33
Contest Tip from:  Duffy, HarrySmith and jsowers

eBay Link:  http://www.ebay.com/itm/202560806454


GAP RULE:  At least $5 between guesses to prevent crowding.


Seller Listing Title:  "1959 Western Electric Touch Tone Field Trial Telephone See Description"
Condition:  "Used"
Condition Qualifier:  " - - - "

Listing Description:  "According to the note that was attached to this telephone when I purchased it many years ago this phone was modified and became the "1st LC Transistor TT Oscillator." This example, again according to the note, was 1 of 100 made. The first touch tone phone was actually introduced in Carnegie and Greensburg, Pennsylvania in 1963. It would seem to me that this is an important telephone and I have no idea how to value it so the opening bid is merely a reflection of my cost all those years ago and the bidders can be the judge of value. Free First Class shipping within the US. I offer only vintage material which means it is from the period and not some current item meant to look old. Beware of the use of the word vintage and ask the seller what that means. Bid with confidence. I guarantee everything I offer to be authentic and it is a guarantee you should ask of anyone claiming to sell vintage material. Please do not email me to try to get me to close the auction early. I will not even respond to the question."


Another chance to move up or to get onto the CRPF Contest Standings List

Past Contest Phones:  http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=17437.msg180238#msg180238



Guess Deadline:   All guesses and a single allowed revised guess, if needed,
                      MUST be submitted at least 24 hours BEFORE the auction ENDS.


S C O R E B O A R D   ( Starting with Contest 328, this contest's topic will be locked with 24 hours left to go )     Players: 20 

$    750.00 - Gary Millam  ( 3 )
$    980.00 - tubaman  ( 2 )
$    985.00 - Fabius  ( 11 )
$ 1,050.67 - Jim Stettler  ( 12 )
$ 1,200.00 - Butch Harlow  ( 8 )
$ 1,320.00 - FABphones  ( 17 )
$ 1,400.00 - Jim Stettler  ( 20 )  ^**
$ 1,500.00 - Key2871  ( 7 )
$ 1,585.00 - SunriseEarth  ( 13 )
$ 1,675.00 - Duffy  ( 4 )
$ 1,777.00 - tallguy58  ( 16 )
$ 1,800.00 - skyrider  ( 15 )
$ 1,850.00 - JimH  ( 9 )
$ 1,875.00 - Pourme  ( 20 )  -> WINNER - Final Selling Price $1,875.00
$ 1,959.00 - 19and41  ( 5 )
$ 2,222.00 - compubit  ( 10 )
$ 2,450.00 - HarrySmith  ( 1 )
$ 2,550.00 - wds  ( 19 )
$ 2,695.00 - Scott  ( 14 )
$ 2,900.00 - LarryInMichigan  ( 6 )
$ 3,500.00 - TelePlay  ( 18 )


Early Morning Auction Status

01-08-19      Listed     $    249.99
01-09-19      1 bids     $    249.99   ( 1 bidders & 33 - #7 )
01-10-19      1 bids     $    249.99   ( 1 bidders & 44 - #2 )
01-11-19      8 bids     $    815.51   ( 2 bidders & 56 - #1 )
01-12-19    10 bids     $ 1,075.00   ( 3 bidders & 59 - #1 )
01-13-19    11 bids     $ 1,075.00   ( 3 bidders & 77 - #1 )
01-13-19     4 bidders, 12 bids  Ended at 6:04:27 PM PST

[HarrySmith]

I sent the seller a message asking for pictures of the insides. He was reluctant to open it but did add one picture. Very interesting looking key pad!

$2450.00

[tubaman]

$980 please

[Gary Millam]

$750.00

Gary Millam

[jsowers]

The note on the bottom of the phone has two interesting mistakes. It says the phone was made on Shadewell Ave. in Indianapolis, which should be Shadeland Ave. where the big WE plant was. Also Paul's site says the trial was in two cities with about 200 phones each, so instead of the 100 this note says, it's more like 400 were made. It's still a very rare phone and it looks to be complete.

[.....]

$1675.00

[HarrySmith]

I got him to add another picture, not what I was hoping for but it does show an unusual marking. Inside the case where the "clock" type stamp usually is there appears to be a hand engraved number 5. Does this signify number 5 in the production run?

[19and41]

$ 1,959.00  Please.

[LarryInMichigan]

$2900

Larry

[.....]

I got him to add another picture, not what I was hoping for but it does show an unusual marking. Inside the case where the "clock" type stamp usually is there appears to be a hand engraved number 5. Does this signify number 5 in the production line?

Mold number possibly?

[Key2871]

Wow, that's cool, be interesting to see who buys it.
I'll say $1500.

Ken

[Butch Harlow]

Well, since I have seen this on at least two FB pages and now here, I am confident every single collector is aware of it. That said I think it'll come in at 1200.00

[JimH]

$1850 please

[compubit]

$2222

Jim

[Fabius]

$985