This is just amazing!
http://tinyurl.com/qfqukpr
Never seen one like that! Nice. :D
To the payphone experts: Isn't that a post pay relay?
dsk
I think you are right about the relay.Coils are later style.I would have expected a wooden terminal block on the backboard instead of pheonolic. I also think it would have had a flat coin vault door
This phone is worth preserving in its entirety, as listed, so here is the seller's description, the eBay listing and all photos within that listing. It is indeed a fine looking beauty. Would have made a great contest had I seen it 5 days ago.
===========================
"The Gray Telephone Pay Station Company
VINTAGE MODEL 75 (or 76?) PAY TELEPHONE
If you are a vintage Gray Pay Station Telephone collector, or simply enjoy unique vintage telephones, than this one deserves a 2nd, and maybe even a 3rd look! The internals appear in very good condition, and has the date of what appears to be "I-35" on the coin hopper. This is the only date that I can find. All coins travel properly through the lead coin chute, and ring the bells & gong.
As you can see by the photos, it has been completely disassembled and painted with the "optional" Statuary Bronze finish. It also has a very scarce 2A coin box (notice the unusually large inlet for the lock). It is also fitted with a very scarce 139A "L" bracket for facilitating the mounting on a counter or flat shelf in a booth. Of special note is that this 139A bracket is Aluminum.
This is a very nice and fairly scarce example of one of the scarcest 3-slot pay telephones that were ever made by Gray Telephone Paystation Co. for Automatic Electric. Notice too that is is fitted with a cast-bronze coin gauge (re-plated) that was especially cast to accept not only regular 5-cent pieces, but also specially designed for the UBER-SMALL Canadian 5-cent piece.
As in all of my auctions, I have posted many large photos for you to study. Please feel free to ask any questions that you may have concerning this auction.
On Oct-28-15 at 17:10:16 PDT, seller added the following information:
NOTE: I have been contacted by the "Patent Police" on this Gray Telephone Pay Station, stating that some of this phone's components do not match what is shown in the original patent, or in examples owned by senior Patent Police (in Western Electric circles, they are also known as "BSP Police"; (they hold dual credentials). Certainly by now, we all know (or should know) that telephones were frequently altered with parts on-hand, and happened more frequently where independent, less-profitable agencies prevailed.
I sincerely try to authentically represent my restorations, and have used original/period components (with noted exceptions). While there are certainly more knowledgeable pay phone experts out there than myself, I have neither the patience or documentation to dispute or confirm these allegations. Therefore, anyone that has bid is certainly welcome to cancel their bid(s). I personally think that this is a beautiful and desirable example, and I am confident that the winning bidder will be totally satisfied, and will display this beautiful and unique Gray paystation with pride."
A message from Stan S.:
"There is absolutely NOTHING CORRECT about that 'payphone' (?). It is NOT a Gray 75A. In fact it's actually nothing but a bunch of parts screwed together.
1- The wiring harness is not a 75A harness. In fact it's not only not a 75A wiring harness, it's not even a harness for a prepay payphone. It's for a postpay 3-slot. Look closely at the horizontal contact fingers on the wood strip mounted to the backboard. One of them has a screw. That was only used on postpay harnesses.
2- The hook switch isn't Gray it's from an Automatic Electric.
3- The payphone's top is stamped steel. 75A tops were cast iron.
4- The hopper is the wrong vintage. Should be put together with screws and nuts.
5- The coin track the top is from an Automatic Electric. It is a 'dime only' no nickel shoot with an aluminum top plate and the solenoid removed.
6- That coin gauge was never used on early Gray 75As.
7- The coin relay is connected to nothing because there's no way of connect a prepay coin relay to that wiring harness.
Below is a link to an article written by Mike Davis many years ago describing his 75A.
http://www.atcaonline.com/Gray75A.html (http://www.atcaonline.com/Gray75A.html)
Compare all this to what's in that auction.
To the members of the forum who are impressed by that payphone; I can only say 'if it walks like a duck, looks like a duck and smells like duck, it ain't a chicken. Compare all the info and draw your own conclusion about the authenticity of that auction."
Photos below:
1- Gray Calalog 75S
2- Sample Gray 75S
3 - Gray Drawing.
Just passing on Stan's observations. However if one isn't a purist, it is a nice looking phone, and what a great looking finish.
I was surprised at this thread, I saw the phone on eBay a few days ago when the owner posted it to the lists. Being as I have my forum settings to "older messages on top", the first thing I saw here was Stan's assessment. Then I saw the pictures. Quite a shock! The seller is a well know collector who, in my opinion, would never try to deceive anyone on a phone. If you read his edit to the auction you can see his reply to the accusations, it is entirely within possibilities it was modified in the field by an independent phone co. I believe this phone is as he received it and he never intended to deceive anyone as he believed it to be all original. Even if it's not all original it is still a beautiful Pay Station! If it was within my price range I would definitely add it to my collection!
Even though it wasn't all original, it did manage to sell for $3,250. It probably represents the type of payphone once used in small towns in Canada at one time. If it had been all original, it may have brought $5,000 or more.
I for one enjoy and appreciate the posts on these older payphones. I hope to have one of these soon and these posts help me understand the differences between the original and the modified phones, and what to look for. I learned a lot from this post and hope people that see these "modified" phones continue to point out the differences.
If it had ended up on my wall, I would never had any idea of whats not like it should (as new) and I guess the explanation about modernizing during a long life is realistic, and gives it an other kind of value. I am as you know interested in how they did work, so my question about the relay was just that, a question. The seller stated that it was not as new, and gave the bidders a fair chance to redraw their bids, so I guess i would choose to trust "kleenax". Thank you all for what you have learned me.
dsk
What is a Strowger 75? The Strowger 75A is a very early payphone produced by Gray,Automatic Electric for a Strowger switching central office. There is no other phone quite like it in design. It is a defined model with very specific parts. This telephone is extremely rare. It is up there with a Gray Western 50A. If you start looking for it today with a fist full of money you will have the money for a long time. The Strowger 50A had a Gray only bottom. It did not say Hartford CT on it that was a much later housing. The lower housing read (The Gray Telephone Paystation Company). The upper housing was cast iron and had no dial cup. It was a very specific upper that I believe first was used on the Gray Model 101 or 102 a extremely rare model that I have never been able to find complete. The Gray upper can be indentified by a serial number inside at the front top in the cast iron. It is a P-Number. The chute in this phone is also extremely rare and the Canadian version which is the model 76 has a very rare chute that takes a silver very small nickel. The backboard of this phone is cast iron and is Gray. One of the fiirst Gray backboards. It should have 4 hole only and no bosses. The backboard is very fragile and was also used on the 50A. Coin gauge was cast and nickel. The shoe for the dial and transmitter was cast brass and round at the top,it did not have the ears to cover a dial cup because there was none. Phone had a early 21/2 inch dial made by A/E and the early round mounted transmitter mount with the nipple in the back which was A/E also. There are two models and two models only the 75A and the 76A there are no other variations there were no upgrades it is a model 75 or 76 or it is not. This phone will sell if you can find it for 4,000 to 6,000 dollars,if you can find it which you probably can't. So if you want one you have to decide if you are going to wait out finding one in your life time or by a repro made from A/E parts. That decision is up to you. But understand that these models are very specific and understood and that there is no substitute for the real thing. I will post some detailed pictures of this very rare very unique payphone. I have a extensive Strowger collection which I have worked on many years. I think the Grays and the Strowgers ar some of the coolest rarest payphones out there and ignorance of the models and understanding is everywhere. For instance Gray 34A8,34A9,34A10 and 34A11 then there were the A/E models 61,62,63,64,65, and 66 all extremely rare telephones. They all came in Gray and A/E. Happy Hunting
Picture of 75A this one has 2nd style gray backboard
note round top on shoe
More pics
75A has a 50A style hook with no half moon or also called hook stop. Very rare hook, first hook made by Gray.
75A was a prepay like the 50A you can also see if you look through the chute the P-number on the housing and no dial cup. Also note two piece prepay hopper with nuts to hold it together. Very early. Also Gray 10-E lock upper
Hi folks
Many thanks to Dave Hunter for posting my comments in the past. Figured it was time I joined the forum and stop bothering Dave.
A few last comments about 'Take a look at this Beauty.
This was not the first time Kleenax posted one of those phones. There was a black one posted a few years ago.
It's possible this was the same one only repainted. As I recall and please bare in mid that I am old. (You know what they say about getting old; the memory is the second thing to go. I forget what the first thing is.)
Anyway, as I recall, that phone had a repro shoe and model number plate just like the latest one. The seller stated that they were both cast in his shop from originals. However, as I recall those parts were cast out of PLASTIC! It's possible given my advanced age that I have imagined all of this, BUT I DON'T THINK SO!!!
There is a difference between a repro part and an original part, but original to what! All the parts on that phone except the shoe and tag ARE original parts but not to a Gray 75A.
I did a quick check. The wiring harness appears to be from an Automatic Electric LPA-86. That's a postpay paystation. A model 75A is a prepay paystation. There is no way this would have been a legitimate modification to a payphone 'DONE IN THE FIELD', in the woods, or in any other place on this planet.
If you are keeping score, the only parts of that payphone that would have been in or on an authentic Gray75A are: the receiver hook, the receiver, the dial and the transmitter. The rest of it is a movie prop. What's it actually worth?
To me, nothing!
Hey, Mr. Payphone installer.
Jim, nice pictures!
30
Welcome to the Forum, Stan!
Quote from: Stan S on November 02, 2015, 08:12:22 PM
Hi folks
Many thanks to Dave Hunter for posting my comments in the past. Figured it was time I joined the forum and stop bothering Dave.
Dave
Thank you.
I just did a Google search of Gray 75A.
SURPRISE!
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=6309.0
http://tinyurl.com/o9vx6or
Looks like I didn't imagine it!
Have a nice day.
Stan
Welcome Stan!
For those of you who don't know Stan, he is the guy who wrote the book on payphones. Literally!
Stan....Welcome to the Forum. I started this thread as I was amazed at how good this payphone looked. I knew it was repainted, but I would have loved to have it in my phone room. It is a real eye catcher. Stunning.
Reading between the lines, if you will, the emails from you and Mike Davis, another great payphone collector "imply" that this was done with intent by Ray. I don't know the first thing about a Payphone and have zero knowledge. It would have sat on a shelf in my room and been the high point of my collection. Ray is a member of the Forum, although he has not participated in over a year. I hope he will answer to what is being said.
The $3250 that the buyer paid is a lot for a "put together" phone. $3250 is a lot for any phone!
I sell on eBay and always try to do the right thing. I am a collector first and have been on the wrong end of some bad eBay dealings. With all the experts in the Clubs as well as the Forum, I can't believe Ray would try to "pull a fast one" and risk his credibility. I hope there is more to this story.
I do trust your expertise on payphones and certainly not questioning your opinion. I do hate seeing a fellow collector in this situation.....thanks for your input on this....Doug
Harry and Doug.
Thanks for the welcome.
Doug, I decided not to comment any further on this subject. However, I went back in history today and found comments I posted to the ATCA listserve four years ago regarding this auction:
http://tinyurl.com/o9vx6or (http://tinyurl.com/o9vx6or)
At that time I had the same comments about that auction that I posted to the forum about the latest one.
The four year old auction was even more amusing because to the best of my knowledge there was never a 75A marked Automatic Electric manufactured by them. They were manufactured FOR Automatic Electric by Gray Manufacturing.
I'm not accusing anybody of anything. I'm simply commenting on the hardware. Everyone can draw their own conclusion.
Four years ago both TCI and the ATCA saw fit to do nothing about this matter. The same reaction from both organizations to this auction:
http://tinyurl.com/o9vx6or (http://tinyurl.com/o9vx6or)
three years ago.
Strike one, strike two, and now strike three.
Just one of the reasons I am no longer a member of either group.
What gives value to what we collect is that it is true to history. If it isn't, it's just a bunch of old junk.
Hopefully this time the spell check didn't do me in.
Thanks for the welcome.
Stan
Doug
This is the link to the auction in 2011 for the 'Automatic Electric' 75A.
http://tinyurl.com/6ye4s84 (http://tinyurl.com/6ye4s84)
Apparently I clicked the wrong one.
Stan