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1952 Western Electric I Phone

Started by Fabius, May 26, 2016, 01:58:17 PM

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Fabius

In checking my WE 302s for different markings I found a 1952 dated model 306 with an I in all the dates. Indianapolis?

Here is an interesting though sad story about the closing of the Indianapolis Western Electric plant : http://tinyurl.com/hymmd8g 

Story indicates the plant opened in 1948. It was relatively recent that the WESTERN ELECTRIC name and Bell logo were removed from the big water tank on the site.
Tom Vaughn
La Porte, Indiana
ATCA Past President
ATCA #765
C*NET 1+ 821-9905

19and41

Indiana has been rife with such sad stories for years now.  There used to be many "high tech" industries in the state.  It seems most of them evaporated with the postwar economy.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

unbeldi

#2
The I in I 52 on the induction coil is the quarter of that year.

If these marks (I) do mean Indianapolis, it remains a puzzle why this was necessary.  I have never seen a factory-original color 302 with I- marks so far, they seem to show up only on black sets.

Does the dial also have an I mark?   Dials were dated by the month.

I guess they were decades ahead of the world in producing I-Phones.

Yes, it appears that the Indianapolis Works were at least partially open already in 1948. In 1973 they had some sort of celebration:
[source: U. of Indianapolis, Digital Mayoral Archives]


PS: I have added your find to the markings records, thank.

Fabius

Quote from: unbeldi on May 26, 2016, 02:50:13 PM

Does the dial also have an I mark?   Dials were dated by the month.


I didn't have the right screwdriver when I took the pictures. I'll post that info as soon as possible.

Tom Vaughn
La Porte, Indiana
ATCA Past President
ATCA #765
C*NET 1+ 821-9905