Help Needed in Deciding to Pursue or Not... Large lot of telephones and parts

[Nick in Manitou]

This next item looks partly as though it was factory made and other aspects make it look like a home made device...

[Nick in Manitou]

Is it a switch/button by the 0 on that dial or a keying slot or maybe even a chip in the porcelain

I took that AE40 with the Siemens dial apart a bit to ensure that I was seeing things clearly and it turns out that what looks like a little button near the '0' on the dial is one of two locating nubs (keying slots) as you suggested they might be.

Nick

[AE_Collector]

Okay, good to know. I don't think I have an AE phones with these dials on them. No shortage of AE 40's and 50's around here with AE dials!

Terry

[kleenax]

Nick;

Here are some pics concerning the TTS-26B instructions.  I have included an actual photo of the front of MY 26B so you can physically SEE how it's configured, because, heavens, I can't quite make heads or tails of Paul's handwritten note to me from about 15 yrs ago! 

All I know is that it works for me; every time just like it is. Oh, and you will need a 48V power supply. And the Green cord that you see plugged in simply terminates at 2 small alligator clips for the pulse-contact screws on the back of the dial.

[Doug Rose]

Ray....what is the clear phone on top? How about a close up of it. ....Doug

[kleenax]

Ray....what is the clear phone on top? How about a close up of it. ....Doug

Eh, good eye Doug!
That is another "experiment" that I am/was working on.  It is actually 2 different phones; it's the 1st casting of a bottom housing-extension for an AE 1A (making a 31B), AND my secret project, an-all clear Western Electric D1 / 202 mount. I'm working on the E1 handset for it now; should have it for display at Lancaster (that's my plan anyway:).

[Doug Rose]

I thought 205, then I saw switches....very nice Ray. I am a proud owner of a clear Kotke 302. Is nine still the number of clear 302s that you made?....Doug

[kleenax]

I thought 205, then I saw switches....very nice Ray. I am a proud owner of a clear Kotke 302. Is nine still the number of clear 302s that you made?....Doug

Wow!  Looks like your's was #8 - of (now) 11 total. I have a birthdate of 2/28/2005; does that sound about right?  You have a teenager Clear 302 now!  ;-)

[Doug Rose]

12 18 53 is me.  My kids are all married with kids. Every time someone sees the Phone Room...they go right to your creation...Doug

[kleenax]

12 18 53 is me.  My kids are all married with kids. Every time someone sees the Phone Room...they go right to your creation...Doug

heh; didn't mean YOUR birthday sir; I meant your Clear 302 ;-)

Thank you for the compliments!  Hope to see you in Lancaster (I KNOW you can make it!), and just "maybe" you will see something new!

[Nick in Manitou]

Ray, Thanks for the info on the using the TTS-26B  I will need it! (And that clear phone combination does look really cool!)

I have shifted my focus a little to take a look at some of the wooden phones that are in the pile of stuff I acquired.

One is a phone that is stamped with PRR on the front and on the lower front edge of the box (visible only when the cover is open). Whether that stands for Pennsylvania Rail Road, or perhaps Pete's Rat Ranch I can't say...

The back of the box is stamped with 300N.

The top front edge of the box is stamped with a code that is hard to read...U79892?  U7989Z? U29892?

I am just getting started learning about these older phones, so any input I can get is appreciated...make, model, use...?

Thanks,
Nick

[Doug Rose]

DUH! What a dope I am....a senior moment....Yes that sounds right Ray. Light dawns on Marblehead! (for MA collectors ONLY).

Still looks perfect....no yellowing. Anyone hedging, they are a work of art...Doug

[Nick in Manitou]

The next off the shelf was a Leich (an assumption I am making by looking at the name on the transmitter).

I have tried to find a Leich catalog in the TCI Library or some other method of being able to determine what model a mystery phone is, but so far have not succeeded. So, if you can tell me what model this phone is, or tell me where to go to figure it out, I would appreciate it! (Edit...I found a Leich catalog that shows this phone in the TCI Library after all. As mentioned in post #105 of this thread.)

There are a few phone memorabilia-type items that I want to mention in case anyone needs to fill in their collection of phone-related stuff...The boxes in the last photo are for phones that were sold by the guy I got this lot from, where the purchasers didn't take the boxes. So, if you have a Star Trek phone or a P-51B telephone and need a box, let me know. 

The vinyl briefcase has a Bell logo on the lower left corner.

The little hardhat is actually a bottle opener. (I took more photos of each of these, but didn't want to bore folks with too many non-phone photos.

Nick

[Nick in Manitou]

A Craycraft-Leich? Again I don't know the model number and am making an assumption based on the transmitter.

The receiver shell says Leich Electric Company on it and feels very hard and heavy - as though it is made of plaster. What is it made of?

Thanks,
Nick

[Sargeguy]

They are usually made of hard rubber although some earlier receivers were made of composite.