"Cordless" pink WE Trimline, NOS?

[Fabius]

My Western Electric 1968 rose pink rotary Trimline that is new mint unused in it's original box with promo paper. The phone is dated 4-68 and the box is dated 12-67. Found in an antique shop in southwest Michigan. Cost $27.

I wasn't going to buy it because I thought the cord was missing but then I saw the box was marked NO CORD.

[AE_Collector]

Very Nice. And probably the earliest "cordless model" I've seen to date!

Maybe to allow different length of cords to be installed as required? Both base and handset cords.

Terry

[FABphones]

I wasn't going to buy it because I thought the cord was missing but then I saw the box was marked NO CORD.

Cute phone. Could you start a thread with more info?
(1960's cordless, wow you guys were always so way ahead - how did it work/charge up? Batteries? Where and what size?)

Edit: Ohhhhh - I geddit. Sneaky extra cord purchase. Caught me there! 

[poplar1]

Handset (220A) and Base (AD1 -- desk or AC1 -- wall) were boxed separately. Cords (D5AL + H4xx/H5xx) were also individually wrapped and ordered separately.

[Key2871]

Yes, the box is marked 220A and that's just for the handset.
It's a very nice find though.

[AE_Collector]

The equivalent AE Stylelines 980 handset, 981 desk base and 982 wall base also came boxes separately but the handset came with a standard coil cord and the base with a standard base cord. The cords were plug in (big plugs) like the Trim line.

We're all trimlines packaged without cords maybe until deregulation and consumer targeted phone sales began?

Terry

[paul-f]

220A Trimline handsets were initially shipped with 5 1/2' cords (H5AA). From 502-320-200, issue 1, May 1965, Sec. 2.04.

   http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/bsp-bell-system-practices-by-doc/bsp-categories-by-later-division-number-by-doc/500-529-station-equipment/502-division-station-sets-common-battery/2771-502-320-200-i1-220a-trimline-tl/file

9- and 13-foot cords were optional.

We can suppose that the MBAs determined that subscribers wanting longer cords created a pool of loose short cords in the trucks that created a potential inventory problem and changed the policy to stop including cords in the boxes.

If the handsets always were shipped without cords, there would have been no need to mark this box "NO CORD." The marking was probably done for a relatively short time following the change to help all manage inventory, and make sure the installer knew to find a cord when stocking the truck.

<Edit: added the following:>

Issue 5 of the BSP (October 1968) includes as a reason for the new issue that "handset cords are ordered separately."

This ties in nicely with the date of Tom's phone, and may influence my vote.

   http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/bsp-bell-system-practices-by-doc/bsp-categories-by-later-division-number-by-doc/500-529-station-equipment/502-division-station-sets-common-battery/2769-502-320-100-i5-220a-1220a-2220b-trimline-tl/file

   http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/bsp-bell-system-practices-by-doc/bsp-categories-by-later-division-number-by-doc/500-529-station-equipment/502-division-station-sets-common-battery/2769-502-320-100-i5-220a-1220a-2220b-trimline-tl?highlight=WyIyMjBhIiwidHJpbWxpbmUiLCIyMjBhIHRyaW1saW5lIl0=


(Read the BSPs !!)

A new topic to post additional sightings to help indicate what month cords were eliminated from the boxes and the dates the boxes were marked is here:

   http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=20407.0

[paul-f]

Tom,

Was the phone date mentioned the one stamped on the bottom of the base?  Larger photos would be nice.

Since the handsets and bases were boxed and distributed separately, there's little expectation that the dates should match.

The handset's model number and date can be found inside the housing.  It's a bit of a challenge to find them, but would be interesting for this discussion to verify that the handset matches the box.

[poplar1]

220A Trimline handsets were initially shipped with 5 1/2' cords (H5AA). From 502-320-200, issue 1, May 1965, Sec. 2.04.

   http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/bsp-bell-system-practices-by-doc/bsp-categories-by-later-division-number-by-doc/500-529-station-equipment/502-division-station-sets-common-battery/2771-502-320-200-i1-220a-trimline-tl/file

9- and 13-foot cords were optional.

We can suppose that the MBAs determined that subscribers wanting longer cords created a pool of loose short cords in the trucks that created a potential inventory problem and changed the policy to stop including cords in the boxes.

If the handsets always were shipped without cords, there would have been no need to mark this box "NO CORD." The marking was probably done for a relatively short time following the change to help all manage inventory, and make sure the installer knew to find a cord when stocking the truck.

<Edit: added the following:>

Issue 5 of the BSP (October 1968) includes as a reason for the new issue that "handset cords are ordered separately."

This ties in nicely with the date of Tom's phone, and may influence my vote.

   http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/bsp-bell-system-practices-by-doc/bsp-categories-by-later-division-number-by-doc/500-529-station-equipment/502-division-station-sets-common-battery/2769-502-320-100-i5-220a-1220a-2220b-trimline-tl/file

   http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/bsp-bell-system-practices-by-doc/bsp-categories-by-later-division-number-by-doc/500-529-station-equipment/502-division-station-sets-common-battery/2769-502-320-100-i5-220a-1220a-2220b-trimline-tl?highlight=WyIyMjBhIiwidHJpbWxpbmUiLCIyMjBhIHRyaW1saW5lIl0=


(Read the BSPs !!)

A new topic to post additional sightings to help indicate what month cords were eliminated from the boxes and the dates the boxes were marked is here:

   http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=20407.0

Thanks for the correct information on included H5AA cord.
I guess it makes sense since the "E1B hand set" included an H3B cord, the "F1A handset" included an H3C cord, the "F1G handset" included an H3AG cord, etc.

Seems a 5-conductor Trimline handset cord would cause problems on lines not requiring Tip Party ID, unless the base was rewired. Or, perhaps that is one reason not to include the H5AA cord after 1968, since a 4-conductor handset cord was sufficient for most installs.

At least 2 retired installer-repairmen (B. B. Wingo and Tom Bowie) told me that in the 1960s, their trucks were stocked at night by warehouse employees, at least for their install orders for the next day.

[Fabius]

Tom,

Was the phone date mentioned the one stamped on the bottom of the base?  Larger photos would be nice.

[paul-f]

Thanks for the photos!