My estate sale picks for the week-end

[Phonesrfun]

I got a black 500 '53, refurbed in '57
a white 500 from 62 with all matching dates with a handset cord issue
a 634BA subset
a Weller soldering gun
a metal folding chair,

all for $13.00

The place was incredible!!!  This guy never threw anything away.  Toilets, bath tubs sinks, 200 autos from the 40's through the 70's, mostly not running.  About 50-60 kitchen wood stoves with the porcelan covered doors, washers, dryers, radios, TV's, tractors bicycles, motorcycles, even a mikshake blender from a soda fountain.

It was like experiencing an American Pickers episode.

There are boxes and boxes stacked 6'high in big piles, so there is so much crap that cannot even be seen!

Lots of crap and rust, and stuff that is just plain garbage.  All conveniently mixed in with the good stuff.  It will take years for them to sell this stuff off at the rate they are going.  There aren't enough people in this town of 40,000 that would want all this stuff.

He was apparently not that into telephones.  I passed up a couple of 2500 modulars and some no-name phones of a more recent nature.

I am going back tomorrow, and I should take some pictures.

Absolutely incredible, all those barns and sheds with stuff.  Unlighted, of course, so I had to come with my own flashlight.

[Greg G.]

A 53-500?  What month?  Maybe I'll take a quick trip over there on Tuesday.  I love disorganized stuff like that, makes the hunt more interesting, and as you have found out, much cheaper.

[Phonesrfun]

The base, ringer, cover, and dial are all dated 8-53

The handset, caps, and transmitter and receiver elements are all dated 3-57.  The coiled handset cord is dated 57 on the restraint.  The handset shell is a bakelite G1 that has the cord recess molded into the bakelite, and the transmitter cup that has no recess.  (Earlier model), but it is, indeed 57.

[Greg G.]

The base, ringer, cover, and dial are all dated 8-53

Not quite my birthday phone, needs to be 11-53.

[Phonesrfun]

It would be ideal for someone born in August 53 and then born again in March 57.

[AE_Collector]

Bill:

Grab me a couple of old autos when you go back!

Terry

[Phonesrfun]

You want to super-size that order and have a couple of footed bath tubs and lawn mowers with those cars?

[Phonesrfun]

Terry:

I could just see you talking to the Canadian customs officer trying to explain the rusty '52 Nash or the '53 De Soto that you would be trying to tow across the border.

There were some 20-something year-old guys wandering around the yard looking at the cars, and I overheard one say "I have never heard of a De Soto before, was that really a car?"

[Kenny C]

We went to a 20-some-odd-mile long yard sale and i picked up a set of scales from the 50's-3$, an AE 80 dates 9-59-8 with a WE handset from 3-54 -3$ also, 4 wire insulators-$0.50, a WE 302-15$, and a 45-1$. so i am a happy camper 

[AE_Collector]

There were some 20-something year-old guys wandering around the yard looking at the cars, and I overheard one say "I have never heard of a De Soto before, was that really a car?"

That's when you should have shown them a DIAL phone!
Did you go back and find anything else?

Terry

[McHeath]

There were some 20-something year-old guys wandering around the yard looking at the cars, and I overheard one say "I have never heard of a De Soto before, was that really a car?"

Clearly they need to watch Happy Days!

[Kenny C]

hahahahahaha they dont know what a DeSoto is how could they not know that big "toothy" Grilles

[Phonesrfun]

Did you go back and find anything else?

Terry

I got an old chest of drawers for 10 bucks today, oh and a WE 1001 lineman handset for $2.00!  I think I may have stolen that one

[Kenny C]

"knock knock knock knock"

Bill: Yes officer

Officer: Yes we have leads you have been hitting up yard sales and stealing various phone related items

Bill: nooooooooo   

Great buy

[Phonesrfun]

That's my story, officer, and I aint changin it.