Auction 42 - 1958 Western Electric 500 in Light Beige

[bingster]

For our next auction contest, we have a 1958 soft plastic 500 in light beige.  It gives something of the appearance of the rare rose beige, but that color had been discontinued by the time this phone was made, so this one has probably darkened a bit with age.  Still, it's a highly sought after soft plastic color.  What do we think this one will bring?  Get your guesses in before the auction's final day, and you could be the next contest winner!

> '58 WE 500 in Light Beige <

S C O R E B O A R D

$105.50 - jsowers
$125.00 - finlover
$135.00 - bingster
$143.91 - Dennis Markham
$146.16 - Brinybay
$147.96 - Dan (WINNER!)
Sold for $155.90
$163.77 - Dewdrop
$179.95 - Dan/Panther
$195.80 - Bwanna
$229.97 - Bill Cahill
$230.33 - ntophones
$200.00 - McHeath

[Dan]

This auction is a great presentation overall. This is a hard original colour to get. I luckily got one @ a flea market for $10 last year.

I'll go with 147.96

[Doug Rose]

I was under the impression the Rose Beige sets had white letters and numbers, but its been a long time since I had 500 sets.  Without the handset off, its tough to see if this is the color or a discolor from age. Beige is beige....My guess is $22.76.....Doug

[Dan/Panther]

The photos at the auction show the inside of the transmitter cap, and it sure looks a pinkist shade to me. He appears to be a collector, I hope he had sense enough to check the dial color code.
I'll say $179.95.
D/P

[finlover]

It's definitely yellowed Light Beige.  It's a desirable year, but in the least desirable color in my experience.  Nice cords though.  Frankly I'm surprised it's already at $86 with 4 days to go.  I'm gonna guess $125 though I feel like that's too much (said the man who sold the '50s Moss Green 500 for $570 )

[Dennis Markham]

Eleven bids (so far), two bidders.  How high will they go?  Doug, Rose Beige does have white numbers/letters.  I think that the seller should have put a dial card in the finger wheel.  It would really improve the looks, especially if it were time-period correct.

I agree that it's already higher than it should be but these two aren't finished.  $143.91.

[McHeath]

Nice looking phone, I have a light beige, not soft plastic, and it's a pleasing mellow color.  (I wouldn't want a dozen of them however)

Certainly is a bidding war going on, I'm gonna say that the final price will be 200 clams. 

[Jim Stettler]

It is a hard 6-holer, A tough specialty to locate. I have a red and light blue as Tele-trainer phones.  I am not after a collection, but it would cause me to up my bid if I was bidding. The more colors I accumulated, would cause me to go higher on the missing colors. Beige is probably one of the easiests colors.

Just My Observation,
Jim S.

[Greg G.]

$146.16

[jsowers]

I agree with Jim, that it's not one of the harder colors to find in soft plastic. It does appear darker than normal in the auction, but at least it's an even color inside and out. It was common for the beige cords (and especially pink) to lighten over the years on the soft plastic sets. Light beige was made from late 1957 to mid-1959 in soft plastic, so it wasn't made very long, but it was very popular.

This phone has been cleaned and polished, and a number card would make it look a lot better, as Dennis said. Phones like this are nice, but all the "fun" has gone to someone else. Bringing it back to a nice looking phone is what's fun. But a finished phone does appeal to a certain segment, hence the high bid, as with our friend Finlover's phones. The sky's the limit.

But I'd say $105.50 would just about do it.

[bingster]

My guess is $22.76.....Doug

Doug, the bid is already at $85.90, did you mean 122.76?

[Dan/Panther]

I think Doug just bid low early.
D/P

[Doug Rose]

Correct....I did bid early and obviously way too low. I stand corrected.....Doug

[Dewdrop]

Here's my wild guess of $163.77

Debbie

[Bill Cahill]

Wow! Almost skin toned! I LOVE that color!!
The cash registers at the JL Hudsons my father worked at in the 50's were exactly that color!
Wish I could afford it!
I'll say 229.97.
Bill Cahill