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Mercy purchase

Started by Pourme, February 23, 2017, 06:52:37 PM

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Pourme

I watched as this one went through several auction cycles on EBAY. You may have seen it as well. Chipped spit cup, 2 chipped corners, cracked handset, worn cords & dirty. I don't recall what the original price was but when it was entered for $12.99+ shipping...I bought it. I love these Kellogg 900 Pyramid phones. Kellogg had to do something to compete with Western Electric and they hit a home run with the styling! The stepped base... the curved cradle... rounded trans and receiver, hand set! Easy to pick up and carry. the phone has a good feel when you use it. The "soft" ring is as distinctive as the hard solid ring of the Red Bar.

I guess I felt sorry for it, it needed a home. After I took the hook switch apart and cleaned & lubed it the phone works as well as any phone I have. If this was a car of the same vintage it would be called a survivor. They are only original once.  Other than clean the switch, all I have done was clean the buildup of dirt with soap, water & a tooth brush. I'm thinking about leaving and displaying it as is. I think I smell cigar smoke, reminds me of my Grandfather, he always had a cigar. Does every phone have to be restored?

http://tinyurl.com/zx3jjq2
Benny

Panasonic 308/616 Magicjack service

andre_janew

You bought it, so you do whatever you want with it even if you do nothing with it.

HarrySmith

Agreed. It's your phone and whatever you want to do with it is the right thing to do. Many people keep their cars & phones as they are found. As you stated, only original once!
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

Jim Stettler

I am only a keeper of telephones, I seldom do anything to them, including clean them. I make exceptions for my favorites.

Restoration is a separate  discipline. I prefer to acquire, enjoy, relinquish and acquire something different. Most of my phones pass hands as  acquired.
Just my way,
Jim S.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Pourme

There is something to be said for that, Jim S. I seem to be stuck on acquiring them...Haven't been able to sell one yet! Ha!
Benny

Panasonic 308/616 Magicjack service

LoveOldPhones

Pourme.... you did your good deed.  that phone definitely needed a home.  lol  it is an interesting piece.... and now you have it working.
i think thats great.  i totally understand why you bought it.

i felt the same way about some old geological reference books  I found in a trash can on my college campus one night .... that someone had thoughtlessly thrown out.

one very old book had lots of stunningly  beautiful color plate illustrations with tissue papers on either side of each print.
the last thing i needed was ANOTHER book..... but I rescued them because I felt I had to.

since I had been a geology major.... I just couldn't bear to see them trashed.

that was 30 years ago.... and I still have them.
sometimes you just have to do things like that.

RotarDad

Benny - I agree with your assessment.  Leave it as is.  I normally restore my phones both functionally and cosmetically, but I do like the worn original look, especially if you've ensured it works properly.  A mix of phone conditions in a collection adds interest in my opinion....... I like it!
Paul

Pourme

Loveoldphones, so you know how I felt!....It just feels good knowing you have preserved something for prosperity.

Roterdad, I have been closely connected to the car collector hobby, the thought is that if every old car is restored there will be a generation that will never experience a "original" piece. This one works like new and it looks comfortable on the display wall representing it's place in history. I,think it has found a new home!

Benny
Benny

Panasonic 308/616 Magicjack service