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Color and Phones

Started by HobieSport, May 02, 2009, 04:32:47 PM

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HobieSport

I've kidded in the past about my preference for black phones but truth be known I love colored phones and am fascinated by the science and art of color in general.  In fact, one reason that I like the black phones so much is how with a good polish, they reflect all the colors around them, as no colored phone can quite do, at least  not without tinting the reflections.

I don't really have any major point to make here, but I thought it might be fun to have a thread for general color discussion in phones, and particularly some comparisons between WE and AE colors.  Throw in others like SC if we like.

So just to get the conversational ball rolling, here are some various illustrations, photos and charts of WE and AE phones gleaned from various sources. 
A few things I couldn't find yet that I'd like to post on this thread are:

An illustration (I only found the main chart) of all the WE 500 colors.
A photo of most or all the colors of the WE 500s in one shot.
A chart, illustration or photo of the AE 80 colors. 
So if anyone knows where to find those just let me know and I'll add them here.

I know color preference can be a very subjective thing, but some basic things I learned as a painter was the concept of "sophisticated color" (for lack of a better less snobby sounding term).  In sophisticated color we didn't mix our colors from the primary colors of blue red and yellow (and black and white) but rather from the secondary colors of purple, green and orange.  So the colors that we ended up with always had some element of all three primary colors in them.  This gave a subtly to the colors as opposed to more "garish" basic colors.

So...the floor is open for discussion.

Special thanks to Ramil and his collector friend for the photo of the color AE 40s, to Gary Goff for the photo of the collection of AEs and 302s, and to whoever posted the photo of the WE 2500s on Wikipedia. :)

AET

I see woodgrain on there, eh. that would make for a great 500!
- Tom

bingster

Let's not forget North:
= DARRIN =



HobieSport

#3
Whoops, thanks Bingster, I did forget North. Heck, I didn't even know they had colors. I didn't mean to leave anything out, just that the WEs and AEs are the first to come to mind.  I also know nothing about Stromberg Carlson colors, except for that amazing bright green they made.

bingster

Here's something that may be useful to members... I made this for myself, combining the color charts from the Bell System Memorial and the listings from Paul Fassbender's site. 

Click on the thumb to get the big version:


= DARRIN =



Dennis Markham

Great chart Bingster, thanks!

HobieSport

#6
 "May be useful" Bingster?  Understatement! Mind if I print and frame it for my wall? :)

bingster

Actually, I didn't realize photobucket downsized that image.  Here's the original size, which works out to be 16" x 22" if you print it full-size:

http://thegreatgildersleeve.net/sharedfiles/misc/Western%20Colors.png
= DARRIN =



Tonyrotary

I love colored phones but still find the plain ol' black phone appealing as well and for the same reasons Hobie stated.

HobieSport

Does anyone have any info/charts/illustrations/photos/links for Stromberg-Carlson colors?

Dan

SC
   1543-series







black

(like WE early 500-series colors)
101 Desert Beige (dark)
102 French Blue (dark)
103 Chestnut Brown (dark)
104 Dove Gray (dark)
105 Olive Green
106 Antique Ivory
107 Chinese Red
108 Canary Yellow

Note: 2-tone sets were available for several years in the mid-1950s with colored housings and black handsets and dials.

(like WE 1957 500-series colors)
pink, white, light beige, light grey, light blue

SC Catalog

Listservs

SC
   500
   2500
   Miniwall (rotary)

   Slenderet (Similar to WE Trimline below)



BLK Black
BLU Blue
GRN Green
LGR Lime Green
CBR Cocoa Brown
CRD Cherry Red
ORG Orange
HGD Harvest Gold
BGE Beige
ASH Ash
IVY Ivory
WHT White

(Limited Edition Swirl Sets in Slenderet Desk models only -- ca. 1978-82)
CRS Cherry Swirl (red/white)
CHS Chocolate Swirl (brown/white)
BSS Butterscotch Swirl (yellow/white)
MTS Mint Swirl (green/white)
Other Slenderet swirl colors:
   Orange/white Swirl
   Blue/white Swirl
   Black/white Swirl

   Brown/yellow Swirl
   Blue/yellow Swirl
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

HobieSport

Thanks Dan!  I'm still looking for good photos and/or illustrations of the SC colors. :)

Dan

I think they are exactly like WE colors, except the orange and lime green. I have never seen the "swirl "variety.
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

HobieSport

Quote from: Dan
I think they are exactly like WE colors, except the orange and lime green. I have never seen the "swirl "variety.

Oh, okay, thanks Dan. Well that makes it a little simpler for the SC colors.

One more thing I'd like to know is the AE 80 colors.

Dan

here's a great site for phone colors in general, and specifically here's AE colors for you

http://www.paul-f.com/AEcolors.htm
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright