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My Odd WE 500 Phone

Started by andre_janew, March 31, 2015, 06:52:16 PM

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andre_janew

I recently picked up a WE 500 set at a yard sale for $5.  The odd thing about it was that it had an F-1 handset instead of a G-1 handset.  When I got home, I took it apart to get some dates from the parts.  The receiver is dated 8-2-48, the transmitter is dated 10-37, the case is dated 2-67, and everything else is dated 1-54.  I can't call it a hideous phone because it is no more hideous than a 5300 series phone with an F-1 handset.  It is just simply odd.

WEBellSystemChristian

It was probably owned by a small TelCo. Not unlike WE, small companies used anything they could possibly find on their phones; they basically used anything that would work.

Does the badge on the housing have "Bell System" written on it at all?
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford

andre_janew

Yes, it does.  Would that make a difference?

WEBellSystemChristian

Probably not. That means it was owned by Bell System originally, but was given to a smaller company somewhere along the line.

A non-Bell-labeled phone would mean it was directly given to an independent company when it was new.

Anoher possibility is that it was simply put together from a box of spare parts by someone who had no idea what they were doing.
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford

LarryInMichigan

I think that it was a fine deal for $5.

Larry

WEBellSystemChristian

Yes, very nice deal!! The dial bezel alone is probably worth that!!
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford