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57 Yellow 500 - Soft Plastic???

Started by GusHerb, March 13, 2010, 12:40:57 AM

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GusHerb

Just found this on Ebay, being it's made in 57 I figured it could be the "very rare" soft plastic in yellow...
it doesn't look like it by other signs but some of you guy's could probably tell better then me.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Bell-System-Western-Electric-Rotary-Phone-500_W0QQitemZ260564934157QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3caae15e0d
Jonathan

finlover

Nope, that's ABS all the way.  This phone was probably refurbished in the early '70s.  See the residue left by the rectangular sticker over the 2-57?  That would have had the refurb date on it--the seller probably peeled it off.  Also look at the handset: the logo on the underside should read
                                         
                                           Western Electric
                                            MADE IN USA
                                                   G3

After '68 or so it read
                                    BELL SYSTEM PROPERTY
                                          NOT FOR SALE
                                         Western Electric

A soft plastic receiver cap (earpiece) only has six holes--it's missing the center one.  The handset cord on a '50s phone is usually fatter than later cords and has a squared off grommet where it enters the handset rather than the tapered one that came into use in the late '60s.  Another dead givaway is the dial.  Look where the fingerstop comes through--on a '50s/early '60s dial plate the hole is a wide rectangle.  After '65 it's just a slit.  Lastly, when viewed from the underside, a '50s to mid-'60s housing has more structural ribs than later versions, although I've seen the older style as late as '73 before.  Here are a few photos that may help illustrate these points.  Hope this helps!

GusHerb

Thanks for the tips on that. My telltale was the handset cord and the peeled off sticker, I completely forgot to look at the holes in the receiver cap, the hole for the finger stop is a new one to me but I can easily see the difference there.

P.S. that's a very nice red phone there!
Jonathan

finlover

Glad to be of service.  For some reason soft plastic yellow is super hard to find.  I finally gave up and settled for a mint condtion '61.

Dan

I too have been looking for the ever elusive soft yellow 500. Fin has summarized the differences very well.
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

Jim Stettler

Years ago I had a soft yellow set. I didn't much like it. It smelled bad and the handset cord didn't match, it was fat and  grey.  I am not sure what ever happened to it.

I have been chasing soft sets for 5 years or so. Now that I want a bad smelling yellow w/ fat grey cords. I can't find one.
Jim

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

Dan

#6
Jim, I guess "you don't know what you got, 'til it's gone."
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

Jester

I was "fortunate" enough(?) to find this one as a Buy It Now last summer.  The good news is it has two nice cords & the mounting cord is the HTF 13' example.  It also has nice suede feet--another bonus.  The bad news--well the pics. tell the tale.  I'm still hopeful I can make something of it.  Either way, the price was right--$10.00 plus shipping.
Stephen

Dan

Even with the crack on the back, it is a  nice, rare yellow canary bird. Was the switch that was added to shut off the bell? What's the date? Thanks
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

Jester

Dan,
I presume the switch was added to silence the ringer, but this one was wired to L1--which took the whole phone offline.  The date on the cover is 9/11/57 with all remaining parts dating somewhere close to that.
Stephen

Dennis Markham

Stephen, that is a shame that it was modified, but $10 for that phone?!  Great buy.  Cleaned and polished it will look nice on display until another one comes along.  Great handset cord!

foots

Quote from: finlover on March 13, 2010, 01:27:19 AM
Nope, that's ABS all the way.  This phone was probably refurbished in the early '70s.  See the residue left by the rectangular sticker over the 2-57?  That would have had the refurb date on it--the seller probably peeled it off.  Also look at the handset: the logo on the underside should read
                                         
                                           Western Electric
                                            MADE IN USA
                                                   G3

After '68 or so it read
                                    BELL SYSTEM PROPERTY
                                          NOT FOR SALE
                                         Western Electric

A soft plastic receiver cap (earpiece) only has six holes--it's missing the center one.  The handset cord on a '50s phone is usually fatter than later cords and has a squared off grommet where it enters the handset rather than the tapered one that came into use in the late '60s.  Another dead givaway is the dial.  Look where the fingerstop comes through--on a '50s/early '60s dial plate the hole is a wide rectangle.  After '65 it's just a slit.  Lastly, when viewed from the underside, a '50s to mid-'60s housing has more structural ribs than later versions, although I've seen the older style as late as '73 before.  Here are a few photos that may help illustrate these points.  Hope this helps!

  Don't forget the transmitter cap also has no center hole.
"Ain't Worryin' 'Bout Nothin"

finlover


JorgeAmely

Stephen:

I have seen chrome plugs at the hardware store that could be used to cover this hole. From the inside, it has tabs you open to secure it and prevent them from falling. If painted in a shade of yellow, it could discreetly cover the hole and make the phone very presentable.



Jorge

Jester

That's a GREAT idea, Jorge.  I've actually used those befor to plug a hole someone drilled in a cover, but hadn't thought of doing it here.  I had dreams of sending it to Mark Scola & having that hole filled, but simple is sometimes best.  Here's a pic. of the last time I used these--I meant to paint it, but it looked nice enough Au Naturale I just left it alone.
Stephen