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Another Orchid AE 40 on eBay

Started by AE_Collector, February 13, 2017, 12:12:05 AM

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AE_Collector

The bands go missing when the phone shrinks. They just fall off. That last one really did some shrinking and warping.

Terry

TelePlay

Quote from: AE_Collector on February 14, 2017, 10:23:21 PM
It does seem unusual that it changes colour so evenly so that in the end it is still a very nice colour.

Just a guess here but after looking at all of the images in different states of color change, I'd say that Orchid's final state is the Blue seen on a few of these phones, that is, all of the orchid given enough time will change to the blue and then stop changing. The final state of orchid after changing is that light blue and it then stays light blue forever. So, the phones that are entirely blue have totally reached their final state in the color change process. Those that show orchid and blue and some percentage of the way toward becoming all blue. That's why the bottom of the handset where it sits on the cradle still shows a bit of orchid, it was sheltered from the color change agent and as such has not completed the process to pure blue. Everything that is unstable when created will eventually reach its stable state (lot of jokes there, I know).

unbeldi

#17
Quote from: AE_Collector on February 15, 2017, 02:09:39 AM
The bands go missing when the phone shrinks. They just fall off. That last one really did some shrinking and warping.

Terry

This last orchid set is from early WWII period, possibly the first couple of years of the model line. The plastic used at that time was probably cellulose triacetate, similar to the type first used by WECo in that period (1940-42), which is subject to severe shrinkage.  Although CAB (cellulose acetate butyrate) was already known and available about that time, it was not used until the late 40s/early 50s, and those sets clearly do not shrink anymore, as is also demonstrated by the 500-series telephones by WECo. While the rings don't fall off anymore, the orchid dyes still didn't hold up over time.

In this war-period AE 40, the orchid dye appears to be turning into gray.  This is fading and not discoloring. Fading is the vanishing of color into a neutral, gray or white, appearance, an effect of bleaching by light or oxidants.

Jon Kolger

#18
Here is a photo of an AE 1A set in Orchid that for some reason has NOT discolored.  It is the only AE Orchid set that I have ever seen that still retains it's original color.  I have not sanded or polished this set in any way except with Novus.  However, as you can see by looking at the rubber base ring, the plastic has shrunk in diameter by about 1/4 inch.  All the handsets pieces have shrunk also.  When you collect these vintage colored telephones, you have to be willing to accept some compromises, because most of them will have some issues due to aging of the plastic.

AE_Collector

That is an absolutely gorgeous telephone. Hard to believe that such amazing looking telephones were available at a time when almost everyone had a clunky black phone of one type or another. And look at many of the trash telephones that are currently produced in comparison.

Nothing stamped on the base of that one?

Thanks for sharing Jon!

Terry

andre_janew

I did see a trash phone that color once.  I think they called the color Passionate Purple.  The style of the phone resembled that of a Trimline desk model.

Jim Stettler

Quote from: andre_janew on February 15, 2017, 06:30:54 PM
I did see a trash phone that color once.  I think they called the color Passionate Purple.  The style of the phone resembled that of a Trimline desk model.

I have seen a violet color plastic  WE trimline (fat mod). It was offered and sold for around $500.00, It did not have matching cords. One collector had the base, another had the handset, A third collector  bought the parts from the other 2 and created the phone. I was interested in buying it, but the $ was a little high for me. The previous owner is a member of  the forum.
JMO,
Jim S.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

AE_Collector

#22
I know who bought the Orchid 40 that TelePlay posted in reply 14 of this topic. The one that was also
(Auction Contest #78).  Bill is "Dycom" here on CRPF. Before and after pictures below. I asked him about the restoration and here is what he said:

My orchid was the cheap one and it was a lot of work.  I did sand it and they can handle it-- I believe I started with 280 went to 320/400/ and a light bit of 600.  After the 600 I used my 1800 rpm buffer with a 6 inch wheel and blue compound on the wheel. It turned out fine.  The spots that were good (underside of handset etc.) were just polished with the buffer.  Most of this phone was past the blue and into a grey colour. I built a jig for the warped base and used clamps and heat to get it straight again--the handset was shrunk enough that I had to ream the interior to get the rec. and trans. elements to mount--also had to cut the handset rings and silver solder them back together and then sent them off to get gold plated--a fairly extensive effort.

Jon Kolger

No Terry, No, nothing marked on the bottom, but I don't remember if I put a different baseplate on it or not.  If the baseplates are too badly corroded, I generally will change them out.