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Auction 308: WE 1956 Soft Plastic Mahogany Brown 500 C/D - Ended 12-10-17

Started by TelePlay, December 04, 2017, 05:40:23 PM

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TelePlay

All forum members are welcome and encouraged to guess.There are no wrong guesses, just one lucky guess. No one knows the winning guess on any auction until it ends.

Date Listed:  3 Dec 2017
Auction Duration:  7 Days
List Price:  $0.99
Current Bidders:  3
Current Price:  $50.00
Watchers:  13
Contest Tip from:  Duffy

eBay Link:  http://www.ebay.com/itm/253293137431


GAP RULE:  At least $5 between guesses to prevent crowding.


Seller Listing Title:  "Mahogany Brown Western Electric 500 Rotary Telephone - 1956"
Condition:  "Used"
Condition Qualifier:  "Beautiful condition with minor use flaws. Missing line cord. Two small holes in switch hook pin retainer piece."

Listing Description:  "Mahogany Brown Western Electric 500 telephone manufactured originally in December 1956.  Highly sought-after color in beautiful shape and working great!  This color looks like milk chocolate!   The photos were taken outdoors in mid-afternoon natural light on a sunny December day. -- Overview: As you probably know, this phone is one of the original eight dark Western Electric colors of the mid-50s.  Four of these colors are hard to find today, including the Mahogany Brown.  This phone is in beautiful condition with no chips or cracks.  It has been very carefully cleaned inside and out, serviced and polished.  The dial mechanism has been disassembled, cleaned and lightly lubricated.  It spins and returns very smoothly.  The brown coil handset cord is just about perfect with fat, tight coils.  I prefer not to over-restore phones.  For example, I like to retain the more matte original finish on the dial ring, and I don't polish the brass bells. -- Details: This phone has been serviced by the Bell System at some point, as shown by the touch-up paint on the bottom and the remarked "500 C/D", covering the orginal code/date stamp.  The phone does have all 1956 dates, although I replaced the later-dated earpiece and mouthpiece parts with more period-correct pieces.  Date codes are: Network & Ringer: 12-56 (Base was very likely marked 12-56 originally); Dial: 7C-54 (color code 54 is M. Brown) 12-56; Shell (cover): 3-21-56; Handset: 10-56; Earpiece: 10-30-56; Mouthpiece: 4-12-56; Ear and Mouth Caps: 11-56; Handset Cord Strain Relief: IV (4th quarter) 56 -- The phone has its original Area Code 415 (Northern California) dial card and a vintage celluloid, both in very nice shape.  -- Flaws: This phone is very nice, but I did want to point out imperfections that I have noted:  The most significant issue is the 2 small holes drilled in the removable hook switch plunger retainer part.  One hole had a small switch installed (but not wired) when I found the phone.  This part is hidden from view and won't impact the excellent display quality of the phone (see pics 5 and 9).  The phone is also missing its original brown line cord.  I did find an modern NOS dark brown modular cord which I attached spade lugs to, and installed in the phone (pic 11).  The phone does have some marks and scratches from years of use, including some marks at the lower left front corner area (pics 10 & 12).  The left side of the shell also has some coil cord contact marks which are small bumps above the cord "mouse hole" (pic 10) probably due to prolonged contact during storage.  These flaws are all very minor in my opinion and the overall condition of the phone is very nice.  -- Summary: The phone works great, but it will dial out only if your local phone service supports rotary pulse dialing.  I assume the winning bidder will only display the phone safely on a shelf anyway... ;)  The phone will be very carefully packed in a USPS large flat-rate box.   This 1956 Mahogany Brown Model 500 would be a prized addition to any phone collection, and is a must-have for the Western Electric enthusiast."


Another chance to move up or to get onto the CRPF Contest Standings List

Past Contest Phones:  http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=17437.msg180238#msg180238



Guess Deadline:  All guesses and a single allowed revised guess, if needed,
               MUST be submitted at least 24 hours BEFORE the auction ENDS
.


S C O R E B O A R D      Players: 19 

$  280.00 - wds  ( 13 )
$  300.00 - poplar1  ( 9 )
$  325.00 - TelePlay  ( 19 )
$  350.00 - tallguy58  ( 11 )
$  367.00 - Jim S.  ( 3 )  -> WINNER - Final Selling Price $372.99
$  399.99 - Duffy  ( 2 )
$  417.50 - dlvh  ( 4 )
$  435.00 - Sargeguy  ( 5 )
$  440.00 - david@london  ( 16 )
$  445.00 - skyrider  ( 1 )
$  455.00 - K1WI  ( 6 )
$  460.00  -Fabius  ( 14 )
$  475.00 - Pourme  ( 17 )
$  487.00 - Russ Kirk  ( 15 )
$  500.00 - 19and41  ( 12 )
$  525.00 - JimH  ( 10 )
$  549.00 - zapper  ( 7 )
$  650.00 - HarrySmith  ( 8 )
$  777.77 - Dan/Panther  ( 18 )


Early Morning Auction Status

12-03-17      Listed     $       0.99
12-04-17      4 bids     $     42.01   ( 2 )
12-05-17    10 bids     $   157.50   ( 4 bidders & 20 - #17 )
12-06-17    10 bids     $   157.50   ( 4 bidders & 21 - #18 )
12-07-17    10 bids     $   157.50   ( 4 bidders & 23 - #15 )
12-08-17    10 bids     $   157.50   ( 4 bidders & 27 - #14 )
12-09-17    10 bids     $   157.50   ( 4 bidders & 29 - #14 )
12-10-17    10 bids     $   157.50   ( 4 bidders & 35 - #14 )
12-10-17      5 bidders, 12 bids  Ended at 5:02:01PM PST



Jim Stettler

You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.


Sargeguy

Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

K1WI

Andy F    K1WI


HarrySmith

Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

poplar1

"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

JimH

Jim H.

tallguy58

Cheers........Bill

19and41

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke


Fabius

Tom Vaughn
La Porte, Indiana
ATCA Past President
ATCA #765
C*NET 1+ 821-9905