News:

"The phone is a remarkably complex, simple device,
and very rarely ever needs repairs, once you fix them." - Dan/Panther

Main Menu

World's Fair clear 302 set, info sought

Started by Jim Stettler, January 27, 2010, 05:12:15 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Jim Stettler

Does anyone have any photos of the World's fair 302 from TX. This was Dommer's phone . I would like to see photo's of the set.


I have always disagreed with this being a WF phone. However, I have gotten some more Info. I am now  trying to prove that this has a WF connection.  Is it an actual  world's Fair phone. I still have doubts. Was this displayed by WE as a WE WF set, Probably and yes, Was it an actual phone or a display set?

It has a WF dial center. It has had this dial center for at least 20-25 years, (Before Ray K. and I think his are custom).


Does anyone have a BLR from December 1939, I would like to buy it or at least get a couple of scans.

I would also like to hear any clear 302 stories whether they are first hand or 22nd hand.
Jim S.

Do I think this is an actual WF set, Not really. Do I think it was presented by Bell as one. Strong prob.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

jsowers

Jim, I guess you've seen this thread (link below) where there was a clear 302 up for bids and we guessed what it would bring. It also has a picture I posted of Lucille Ball using a clear 302 at what may have been the 1940 NY World's Fair (she got married to Desi Arnaz in New York in 1940).

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1531.0

And what is a BLR?
Jonathan

Jim Stettler

Quote from: jsowers on January 28, 2010, 09:05:53 AM
Jim, I guess you've seen this thread (link below) where there was a clear 302 up for bids and we guessed what it would bring. It also has a picture I posted of Lucille Ball using a clear 302 at what may have been the 1940 NY World's Fair (she got married to Desi Arnaz in New York in 1940).

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1531.0

And what is a BLR?

I found that auction contest when I was trying to find the Clear 302 w/
Federal handset thread.

(Auction talk: Is this a repro). I added a follow-up note on that thread.

The photo below is from John Dommers Book "The Telephone Connection".
The Phone was in a WE display, and an Bell labs Employee kept it. He sold it to John
Dommers, Who sold it to a TX museum, who traded it to a collector, who sold
it to another collector.
This phone has always been displayed as A 1939-40 NY  World's Fair set. It has a World's Fair Dial Center.



The clear 302's were used in the "Voice Mirror" Exhibit. (maybe other
displays?)
The lower photo shows the voice mirror display.  The round balls on the
counter are a listen-in receivers for observers. I would like to get one of
these.

According to legend the warehouse where the World's Fair phones were stored
was destroyed by Fire. I would think this would be mentioned in a Bell
publication.

There was also a Worlds Fair in CA in 1939. The displays were mostly the same
displays. Were these phones also destroyed by the same fire? ( The Voice
Mirror photo is CA).

The Lucy Photo Doesn't show the "mother-in-Law" receiver. It is possible
that the clear 302's were used thru-out the displays.

The Dommer's caption states Chicago's world's Fair. Clear AE sets were used
in a previous Chicago World's Fair. The voice Mirror was also exhibited at
previous expo's. Including one in Chicago.

BLR Is Bell Laboratories Record. It was a Bell Labs Publication





Jim S.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Jim Stettler

I guess it helps if I actually post the photo:
Jim S.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

jsowers

Quote from: Jim S. on January 28, 2010, 09:59:13 PM
There was also a Worlds Fair in CA in 1939. The displays were mostly the same
displays. Were these phones also destroyed by the same fire? ( The Voice
Mirror photo is CA).

Jim, thanks for all the details. Did you leave out one of the pictures? The voice mirror display? My G4 Mac at the office has clear plastic ball-shaped speakers. I wonder if one inspired the other? The computer and flat screen monitor are also full of clear plastic.

The official name for the fair in California is the Golden Gate International Exposition, held in San Francisco in 1939-40 like the one in New York City.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_International_Exposition

I know it's not a clear phone, but I have an ashtray that came from that fair, on a table in my foyer. It says 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition in the center. See the picture below. The phone is a yellow pages promo 500. I hope you can find out something about those clear 302s.
Jonathan

Jim Stettler

oops!!. Here it is. I have also added the Lucy photo. The photo with the man is from a clip that is somewhere in the Prelinger archive. I don't know which clip it is from.

I wouldn't mind seeing an inside view of the ashtray and a front view of your phone.

Jim S.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

bingster

Just for identification, the bottom photo is of the great actor, Adolphe Menjou. 
= DARRIN =



Jim Stettler

Thanks bingster, I figured it was probably someone famous, or else just someones relative. His name might help me find the movie.
I got this still from Dave Massey. In the early days of the Prelinger archives, Dave tracked down many of the bell system clips, and recorded them on CD.
He couldn't remeber which clip this came from

Jim
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.