North Electric reddish brown phone

[rrnora]

I got this reddish brown North Electric phone at the flea market today. I'd like to know more about it -- I'm trying to decide whether to keep it or try to sell it. (I have a bunch of other phones that have been waiting for me to do something with them, but I am an utter novice at fixing up old phones, and I have a small apartment at the moment. I can't just keep holding on to all of them forever.)

It looks like it's probably from about 1949; the dates inside the handset are 1948 & 1949. I haven't opened up the body of the phone yet. Is it normal for a phone of that age to have a transparent finger wheel, or would that have been a later addition? Any other thoughts? Thanks.

--Nora

[poplar1]

That is a Western Electric 5J dial, which had transparent finger wheels at the time this phone was made. The upstate NY telephone company where this phone was installed decided they preferred WE dials to the North Electric ones, and so ordered them equipped this way. The factory wiring is slightly different in order to accommodate a WE dial, which opens the receiver (rather than shorting it) while the dial is turned.

I'd be interested in knowing how far away from upstate NY this phone turned up for sale.

[rrnora]

Near Pittsburgh, PA. My boyfriend had seen this phone in the window of a secondhand store in Sharpsburg, PA earlier this week and was going to take me to look at it after the flea market today. Then we actually spotted it at the flea market itself!

[paul-f]

I can't just keep holding on to all of them forever.)

Welcome to the forum, Nora.

We'll keep this quote and see whether you are resistant to the lure of phone collecting or if you slide down the slippery slope many of the rest of us found.

Clear fingerwheels are normal for colored (non-black) telephones.  Some North sets had matching color fingerwheels, which were very brittle and fragile.

If this style isn't personally interesting enough to keep in your collection, you'll be pleasantly surprised at the result if you sell it on ebay with some good photos.

Search the forum archives for more on colored North sets.  Several topics cover mahogany sets and show before and after photos.

Congratulations on a great find!

[Doug Rose]

Nora...you have a very desirable Maroon North Electric from Galion Ohio. It is made of bakelite and just a wonderful phone. I have one I found and they do clean up wonderfully as you can see. It is a keeper. Welcome to the Forum....Doug

[poplar1]

Both have 518-756 number cards--Ravena, NY. First phone company where all the phones were color at no extra charge.

[rrnora]

Thanks for the info. Doug, that looks really sharp in the after pic! And how neat that yours and mine both had the same area code and exchange; I hadn't noticed that until poplar1 pointed it out.

[rrnora]

I think if I could confidently get it looking nice and working, I'd like to use it as my main home phone. It's definitely the most interesting looking desk phone I've got at the moment. But given that I haven't really restored a phone before, I'd hate to wreck this one in the learning process, especially if it's somewhat more valuable than what I paid for it ($35). Maybe I need to practice on one of my other phones first...

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Very nice and desirable phone you have, welcome to the forum! I also find it interesting that both yours and Doug's phones have the same area code, they were probably in the same town/city around the same time.

[tallguy58]

Nora, I feel you have way too many phones.

The best thing to do would be to sell it.  To me, of course.

Just sayin'.   

Great find. Congrats..

[AE40FAN]

Find of the month Nora!

[LarryInMichigan]

I think if I could confidently get it looking nice and working, I'd like to use it as my main home phone. It's definitely the most interesting looking desk phone I've got at the moment. But given that I haven't really restored a phone before, I'd hate to wreck this one in the learning process, especially if it's somewhat more valuable than what I paid for it ($35). Maybe I need to practice on one of my other phones first...

Nora,

The phone is worth at least several times what you paid for it.  It shouldn't be difficult to make it work.  You will probably need to replace the cords, and possibly the ringer, but those are easy things to do, and people here can help.  You can detach the shell from the base by loosening the two screws on the two side on the bottom.  Pictures of the inside of the base would be helpful.

Larry

[dsk]

Yes Find of the month.
Brown bakelite phones has never been seen i Norway, so I have had no focus on those, but when I see how Doug's turned out.... I just don't have the words. Its to weak to say "beautiful!!!"

dsk

[Doug Rose]

DSK...I do appreciate it. It was a labor of love. I did surprise myself!...Doug

[rrnora]

I decided to keep the phone...I could make a quick buck, or I could have my very own cool colored phone like I am always drooling over on eBay. If I get rid of this one, it'll probably be a while before I can afford another one. So...I'm going to hang on to it. If in a year or two, I haven't managed to make much progress with it, I'll reconsider then.

I opened it up earlier today and everything I can see inside is dated at various points in 1949.