Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Telephone Talk => Candlestick Phones => Topic started by: wds on March 21, 2022, 04:42:18 PM

Title: 20B candlestick with white receiver
Post by: wds on March 21, 2022, 04:42:18 PM
Did anyone see this phone go through Ebay?  Nice 20B, with a white ost receiver.  The insides were still brown, but the outside was very white.  Any ideas how this receiver turned white?  Could that be a factory created white?  I almost bought it for the receiver.


< edit 03-22-22. : images removed, rotated, reattached >
Title: Re: 20B candlestick with white receiver
Post by: tubaman on March 22, 2022, 04:06:38 AM
Ebay link - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1904-Nickel-Plated-American-Bell-Candlestick-Phone-Western-Electric-229W-ANTIQUE-/294834888245

Very curious as it doesn't look painted.
I like the hookswitch lock too - is that an original accessory or a homemade addition?

Title: Re: 20B candlestick with white receiver
Post by: FABphones on March 22, 2022, 04:23:05 AM
Thanks for adding the link tubaman.

Am also curious to know more about the receiver and lock...

Additional images from listing added.

:)
Title: Re: 20B candlestick with white receiver
Post by: Doug Rose on March 22, 2022, 08:00:56 AM
my best guess is it is coated. Looks almost like porcelain. The cap is perfect right to the threads.  The top where the terminals are looks perfect. I do not think it would fade perfectly. Paint would chip. I watched and could not justify the price for a 20B even though I would love to hold that receiver in my hands....Doug
Title: Re: 20B candlestick with white receiver
Post by: FABphones on March 22, 2022, 08:36:21 AM
Quote from: Doug Rose on March 22, 2022, 08:00:56 AM
...Looks almost like porcelain...

There is a glaze used in pottery which would give this effect. The piece would just need to survive the firing. Does anyone have any idea what temperature Bakelite can withstand to make it intact through a (in effect second) glaze firing?

*There may be a hairline crack to the endcap.