How many of you actually use your antique phones?

[markosjal]

As I have over 60 working restored phones now, I have set up a "rolling tester/display area in my living room, with an extension of that line in my bedroom in another display/test area. That line has its own number and that number I am always happy to share with other collectors. It is +13605530134 Of corse if it rings too much I will have to change that a number but if you want to call and know what the phone is of that day, I would be happy to tell you. I usually change the phone every 3 weeks or so. This gives me the chance to test each phone.  This allows me to test any 2 phones at a time.

The phone pictured actually has a working electroluminescent disk but is not powered in the pic. I made a separate attachment of an old pic of that

Of course it is a VoIP line that is rotary compatible and I am always happy to help others in the forums here to do the same. I have now actually sold Antique phones bundled with VoIP service that has an end-price on par with Ooma's monthly price (after you calculate Ooma's taxes and hidden fees).

[markosjal]

Swapped my phone out today my mustard ITT that came from the Philomath, OR rural telco

[markosjal]

Ok I just added a wall jack a (cheap plastic generic) WE type .i can it the 2wire DSL filter on it and mount my GTE type wall mounts. It too rings from my antique telephone Line as an extension . Right ow I have the mustard ITT 500 and this 1958 yellow 554 . I jumped today when it rang because it was so loud with the two of them . That is how a phone used to ring!

[MMikeJBenN27]

I use our's all the time, as we don't have Japanese phones in our house.  I have a pre-war ivory 302, post-war red and green 302s, a black 5302, a black Uniphone, an ivory North H6, a gold 202 Imperial, a rare SILVER 202 Imperial, a green 202,a black Kellogg 5100, a black Red Bar, a grey Connecticut "Toaster Phone", and dark beige, dark blue, green, red, and yellow Soft Plastic 500s, a black EARLY 500 with the clear dial face that is painted in back and has the 425A network, dark beige, yellow, black, and green Soft Plastic 554s, a Kellogg aqua 554s.  The black one is 1955, which makes it one of the first 554s made, as it came out during 1955 rather than in time for the beginning.  It has a black-painted, rather than chrome, cradle.  I have a yellow soft plastic Stromberg Carlson Cut Corner 1543 and a soft plastic dark beige cut corner 1543, and a red soft plastic 1553 wall Stromberg.  All three have the solid handset.  Actually, too many!

Mike

[Robert Gift]

Three Princess® telephonæ from thrift stores.   May not be very old. Wilhave to look.   
The Western Electric has |*| and |#| buttons.   What year would that be?

Disappointed that when I arrived home I discovered thathe AT&T Princess touchtone has no light. Has Western Electric metal base.   CS2702BMG    85046
Plugged it in hoping that it would light from internal LEDs.  Nothing.

[MMikeJBenN27]

Now you need a nice 1940 or 41 Chevy station wagon!

Mike

[Robert Gift]

... The phone pictured actually has a working electroluminescent disk but is not powered in the pic. ...

Did you make that electroluminescent disk?
How is it powered?
Would love that for our dark windowless WC.
Thank you.

[poplar1]

Three Princess® telephonæ from thrift stores.   May not be very old. Wilhave to look.   
The Western Electric has |*| and |#| buttons.   What year would that be?

Disappointed that when I arrived home I discovered thathe AT&T Princess touchtone has no light. Has Western Electric metal base.   CS2702BMG    85046
Plugged it in hoping that it would light from internal LEDs.  Nothing.

CS sets are retail sets, sold by Kmart, Sears, AT&T Phone Center stores,etc. The CS2702BMG Princess has opaque buttons and no dial light/night light.

If you want a Princess with LED dial, you will need a 2703 Signature Princess. These were lease sets, never sold. They do turn up for sale, though, on Ebay

[poplar1]

Did you make that electroluminescent disk?
How is it powered?
Would love that for our dark windowless WC.
Thank you.

Looks like a factory dial light. Both Sylvania and Almost Electric were owned by GTE.
Light works on 120VAC but with a limiting resistor at the wall AC outlet. (Older Starlites had a separate  120 VAC cord coming out of the back of the phone. Don't recommend that model for bathrooms.)

[Robert Gift]

Looks like a factory dial light. Both Sylvania and Almost Electric were owned by GTE.
Light works on 120VAC but with a limiting resistor at the wall AC outlet. (Older Starlites had a separate  120 VAC cord coming out of the back of the phone. Don't recommend that model for bathrooms.)

We have the Princess® telephone on the toiletank to lighthe commode closet.
Buthis would look wonderful if no 60-cycle flicker.   
I.nstalled a GFCI outlet behind the toileto provide power for the AMDM Toilet Seat Bidet.
(Considered starting Bob's Bidets  You can pay us Tuesday for a bidet today! )

[BDM]

Good to see this thread is still going. Currently, I have no antique phones hooked up 

[Doug Rose]

Good to see you back Brian....Doug

[KnowMoreTax]

I use my WE 302 on my desk every day and occasionally my GPO 232 in the bedroom. My AE 40 Nile Green is packed away and for show only.

[BDM]

I've been looking at a Panasonic TA824 or TD308 so I can get them up and running again in the house. I miss hearing those classic bells

[texbodemer]

I use mine hooked up to a Cell2Jack Bluetooth gateway. This is much more orange in person,  by the way