New forum members are very welcome and encouraged to take a guess. After all, there are no wrong guesses, just one lucky one. No one knows the winning bid on any auction until it ends. However, it is important to get your guess in before someone else grabs your guess.
Listed earlier today in a 7 day auction with no reserve and starting at $49.99 is something different, what appears to be a rare and interesting telephone with the correct handset. Could even be the first wall toaster ever listed on eBay, if you will, for lack of another term. If anyone knows of this phone, comments can be placed in this topic created specifically for discussion of this phone.
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=16071.0
The seller has posted a few photos but none of them are internals so the listing has a few unknowns. The phone needs cosmetic work but it would look great next to a desk toaster. The phone has yet to receive an initial opening bid so who knows if it will sell and for how much? If the phone does not sell, which would be unusual, the auction will be cancelled with no winner. So, anyone think they know what this phone is worth in this market?
NOTE: we will use a $2.00 gap rule between guesses to prevent crowding. As such, keep your guess at least $2.00 away from prior guesses for this contest.
The seller listed it as an "Vintage Telephone Western Electric US Army Signal Corps TA-166/U Rotary Phone", the item condition as "Used" and " - - - " and with the auction listing description saying simply "Looks to be in overall good condition. Untested."
http://www.ebay.com/itm/111971422400
It's another chance to move up a rung or to get onto the CRPF -> Contest Standings <- (http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=4198.0) list,
. . . for as twocvbloke said, ---> "You gotta be in it to win it !!!" ;D "
If you want to see the phones of past Auction Contests, click -> HERE <- (http://s1331.photobucket.com/user/CRPFACL/library/?sort=4&page=1)
S C O R E B O A R D
$ 49.99 - wds ( 5 )
$ 51.99 - Dan/Panther ( 12 )
$ 54.99 - Sargeguy ( 9 )
$ 59.99 - Russ Kirk ( 7 )
$ 62.49 - andre_janew ( 6 )
$ 65.75 - TelePlay ( 11 )
$ 69.00 - kleinkaliber ( 10 )
$ 75.00 - skyrider ( 1 )
$ 81.00 - Fabius ( 8 )
$ 90.00 - tallguy58 ( 3 )
$ 100.00 - 19and41 ( 4 )
$ 149.99 - Mr. Bones ( 2 )
Early Morning Auction Status
04-16-16 Listed $ 49.99
04-17-16 0 bids $ 49.99
04-18-16 0 bids $ 49.99
04-19-16 0 bids $ 49.99
04-20-16 0 bids $ 49.99
04-21-16 0 bids $ 49.99
04-22-16 0 bids $ 49.99
04-23-16 0 bids $ 49.99
04-23-16 Ends at 15:21:07 PDT
$75.00 Thanks
$149.99 for me, please...
Thanks!
Best regards!
$ 90
I don't think it will make the $49.99 starting price, it seems to be corroded. While not common, this is not a hard to find phone. JMHO.....Doug
Doug, you are probably right. If it does not sell, and we do not get a winner here, at least the phone is now well documented on the forum for posterity. unbeldi put up some very good information at the phone's topic (link in the first post above) and the photos in the contest help define the phone. Seems the dial bezel is cracked in two places, the plungers have issues and who knows what is inside the phone. From unbeldi's information, seems this phone uses a back board for wall mounting which is not included.
One question I have is can parts from a TP-6 desk version be used to restore this TP-166.
$100.00 Please.
Was that phone supposed to have 2 hook buttons?
$49
Quote from: wds on April 17, 2016, 12:51:56 PM
$49
wds, not a bad guess at all. I have a feeling this auction will go down to no bids until the last second snipes and if only one, you may win.
I put your guess in at $49.99, the minimum bid, so if you do win, you will have hit the selling price on the nose.
$62.49
59.99
$81
$54.99
$69
$65.75
$51.00
D/P
=================
EDIT: Adjusted the guess to $51.99, using the $2 gap rule for this contest using the lower guess of $49.99 [/i]
$ 49.99 - wds ( 5 )
$ 51.99 - Dan/Panther ( 12 )
$ 54.99 - Sargeguy ( 9 )
Is anyone going to win this contest?
If the seller unloads it, they will. :D
Quote from: andre_janew on April 23, 2016, 11:30:42 AM
Is anyone going to win this contest?
I think I will....Doug
The reason I bid $51.00, was because the closest was $49.00. I wondered about that .99.
Getting old is Hell. Why does that sound familiar ?
D/P
Quote from: Doug Rose on April 23, 2016, 12:09:56 PM
I think I will....Doug
Yes, Doug was the winner because the phone didn't sell. But we learned a lot about the wall toaster in its discussion topic.
Since it did not sell, this auction contest cancelled in its entirety and moved to the cancelled auction page.
Thanks to everyone for playing. My error in using a
dog "worthlessthananybodywaswillingtopayforit" phone for the contest.
Quote from: TelePlay on April 23, 2016, 06:25:29 PM
Yes, Doug was the winner because the phone didn't sell. But we learned a lot about the wall toaster in its discussion topic.
Since it did not sell, this auction contest cancelled in its entirety and moved to the cancelled auction page.
Thanks to everyone for playing. My error in using a dog "worthlessthananybodywaswillingtopayforit" phone for the contest.
Recount!
I believe Doug should get winning credit for accurately calling the auction.
In the future, no sale should always be an option.
Quote from: paul-f on April 23, 2016, 06:42:33 PM
I believe Doug should get winning credit for accurately calling the auction. In the future, no sale should always be an option.
I can live with that. However, saying something won't sell is different that placing a dollar guess and since no one knows what the phone would have sold for, if at all, if started at $0.99, guesses below the listed starting price are meaningless. But, members (as many that want to for one auction) can offer a guess of "Won't Sell" and I will from this point on include them at the top of the score board for each contest. And if the phone or item does not sell, those who "Called It Right" by saying it won't sell will be added to the Brand New List at the bottom of the auction contest standings page.
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=4198.0
Scroll down to the bottom of the first topicAnd to commemorate the beginning of this new list giving credit where credit is do for calling it right, Doug Rose is the first to take a place on that list.
Congratulations Doug . . .
I'd never seen a phone like that one. It must've been a part of the DoD's scramble for materiel at the outset of the Korean war.
Quote from: 19and41 on April 23, 2016, 07:46:19 PM
I'd never seen a phone like that one. It must've been a part of the DoD's scramble for materiel at the outset of the Korean war.
I hadn't either and that's why I thought being rare would sell for more than listed price. Unfortunately, its condition was the choke point.
When everyone looks at these auctions, do you bid to be the winner? Just a question. I bid on the value I place on it and nothing more. If I had found it, the opening bid would have been $19.99 and hope that the novelty of a not that common phone would over rule the problems with the phones condition. Maybe a paint job could salvage it. If I held it in my hand at a flea market, this would be a $5 because of the condition. I do like the handset cords on, like a WE that is half curly and half straight that I cannot remember the name.....Doug
I had no idea these existed before seeing its'auction. I made my guess based on how common the item was. Also factored in was the knowledge that a bid from another party is all it takes to foster a competition and a irrationally high outcome.
its back!! at twice the price....Doug
http://tinyurl.com/zoq24or
I see it has the Make Offer feature too.
Is that in fact a Western Electric, or Automatic Electric ?
D/P
Quote from: Dan/Panther on April 24, 2016, 11:32:16 AM
Is that in fact a Western Electric, or Automatic Electric ?
D/P
No, it's not WE, or an AE.
Seems the seller is not that knowledgeable on phones becasue it says right on the handset and back of the housing that the phone was made by Conn. Tel. & Elec. Corp. but put Western Electric in his listing title, both times now.
(http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=16072.0;attach=140444;image)
I made an offer of $40.00 on it. It was declined. The seller sent me a message telling me his other 2 sold for $70.00 and $126.00. He also told me he has the desk set to go with it and asked me if I had a cap for the handset as his is missing one. I do have a Conn. handset but I will not be selling the caps!
Quote from: HarrySmith on April 24, 2016, 05:01:40 PM
I made an offer of $40.00 on it. It was declined. The seller sent me a message telling me his other 2 sold for $70.00 and $126.00.
Now that's funny. Just happens to be two (2) sold wall toasters on eBay that went for $126 and $71 (plus shipping on each) but each was sold by a different seller, each living in a different city and state (New York and Nebraska) and each in much better condition.
If you are in contact with him again, tell him you are in need of a bridge and see if he has one to sell you . . . ;)
Hudson, New York ($126.49 plus $20 shipping):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Telephone-Western-Electric-US-Army-Signal-Corps-TA-166-U-Rotary-Phone-/281943692715
South Souix Falls, Nebraske ($71 plus $12.95 shipping):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Telephone-Signal-Corps-U-S-ARMY-TA-166-U-/201527708964
Interesting. He did say the first one was not sold on eBay but the second one was. I now have a counteroffer of $49.99 plus shipping. Do you think it's worth that?
Do you think you can free up that hookswitch plunger that is corroded in place? The bottom most one in the close up.
I cannot believe that people were willing to pay $126 for the phone with the stripped paint, incorrect handset, and missing dial center. Mine is looking more like a bargain.
Probably the biggest selling point of this model is that it is about the most military looking office phone around. The shell is also bullet-proof :).
Larry