Honest Colour Description

[tubaman]

I'm not sure this is how BT described the colour, but I suppose it's honest.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-BT-8746G-Rotary-Dial-Telephone-in-Poo-Brown-Nice-Working-Condition/133582436115

"Original vintage 1980's rotary dial telephone in what can only really be called, poo brown.
Model 8746G
In very nice vintage condition and fully functional, ready to go.
Please see all photos."

[FABphones]

I've seen these Yeoman phones described by some professionals as BT Chocolate, Caramel or just plain old Brown.

Not sure how many folks will be typing 'poo' into their eBay search engine when looking for a vintage telephone though.

Mind you, having cleaned up more than my fair share of abandoned phones, poo isn't so far off the mark. Although Ear Wax or Nicotine might be a more apt description.. 

[LarryInMichigan]

One UK based member of this forum years ago said that he had a friend who collected vintage toilets.

Larry

[Key2871]

Uhh, toilets?? Really. Huuh, I guess these a collector for everything.

[countryman]

Someone has to do that.

[Doug Rose]

Someone has to do that.

. Sh*tty collection 😱 someone had to say it.

[allnumbedup]

I know it might be a beyond the point the original member was making, but I have gotten a little bit caught up in how certain color descriptions on ebay catch on--like "avocado" for moss green or "yellow" for dirty white.  Beiges are in the multitudes. So recently, I tried an experiment of matching phone colors with Sherwin Williams #d colors. I have seen crayons used too! Of course the color has to be restored and the lighting correct, plus there is no substitute for knowing your stuff-- but I would be interested in hearing from other collectors if this approach gets you anywhere?  Probably not helpful for red or brown which  is going to be an easy date and producer dependent color.   I think it could be very useful for greys and beiges.  (For example, I think the four pronged plug pictured is Rose Beige)

[countryman]

On both German and Austrian ivory "Bakelite" (actually melamine formaldehyde resin) phones I had good luck with RAL 1015 "Light Ivory".

(Phone after and before with only repaired area painted)

[allnumbedup]

Your ivory looks dead=on. The plastics in the photos I color matched above are:  three beiges together, WE 1965 1500, WE 1950's 283b, WE 1970's SE505a, WE 1955 501 and ITT 1970's 554 handsets together, and 1960 ITT MK 500 BA in order.

[kleenax]

I know it might be a beyond the point the original member was making, but I have gotten a little bit caught up in how certain color descriptions on ebay catch on--like "avocado" for moss green or "yellow" for dirty white.  Beiges are in the multitudes. So recently, I tried an experiment of matching phone colors with Sherwin Williams #d colors. I have seen crayons used too! Of course the color has to be restored and the lighting correct, plus there is no substitute for knowing your stuff-- but I would be interested in hearing from other collectors if this approach gets you anywhere?  Probably not helpful for red or brown which  is going to be an easy date and producer dependent color.   I think it could be very useful for greys and beiges.  (For example, I think the four pronged plug pictured is Rose Beige)

The "industry standard" for color-matching is known as PANTONE. This is even what the Sherwin-Williams chart is based on.  https://www.pantone.com/color-finder
This is what ALL paint companies utilize for matching and mixing colors, as well as artists, architects, designers, etc. It serves as a "common denominator" for anything "color". If you are very lucky, you can actually find a Pantone Color Chart and use that to match your colors. The present (they change every year) chart is over 2,161 different colors!

[FABphones]

The "industry standard" for color-matching is known as PANTONE...

This was the chart I always referred to when needing to select colours or colour match. Well worth the mention here.