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Clear Trimline Package

Started by HarrySmith, March 16, 2018, 06:31:08 PM

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HarrySmith

I stumbled across this on ebay just now. Unbelievable package with a clear Trimline. I have never seen a phone with that label on the bottom, Displays & Exhibits Dept. No idea what the Speaker Bureau is either. In the box with original documentation and a slide presentation! The seller is correct, uber rare! I don't know if it's $5,000 worth of rare but still an amazing find!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/292481178434


PS-for some unknown reason I am not able to get a screenshot of anything on my work PC. Sorry!
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

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

AL_as_needed

Could that have been a worlds fair piece? Or maybe they trained sales persons at the bell stores with similar items?

Very cool set, very well kept.
TWinbrook7

paul-f

Quote from: HarrySmith on March 16, 2018, 06:31:08 PM
... Displays & Exhibits Dept. No idea what the Speaker Bureau is either. ...

Western Electric and many of the operating companies had groups within Marketing that managed the company's participation in trade shows and other public exhibitions. They typically coordinated the design of the display - including booth, furniture, equipment mounting, signs, etc. Once developed, they packed all the components in shipping containers, transported everything to the show location, set it up and tested everything. One frequent challenge was installing stuff in union halls, where company employees were not allowed to unpack or set up the display. All had to be done by hall staff (with union cards).

They also maintained a stock of loaner equipment to be used at less formal shows and demonstrations and to be loaned as props.

Many of the F-coded display sets with few internal components we have discussed in the past were loaned out by these groups.
   http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=11022.0

A Speaker's Bureau was a loose organization of employees -- usually middle management -- who were trained to give canned presentations to community groups. Speeches were often based on top management's annual report presentations and product announcement publicity. The goal was to leave a positive image in the community and encourage local decision makers to be receptive to continuing the Bell System monopoly in its service area.

A Speaker's Bureau coordinator maintained a library of presentations and demo equipment that could be checked out by a presenter for a planned and approved event.
Visit: paul-f.com         WE  500  Design_Line

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jsowers

Below are more pictures from the auction. I was glad to see this one Monday after it was first listed. The letter that came with this phone illustrates what I think these clear phones really were used for, namely education and presentation purposes and not primarily for a static display of "color phones" in a phone center store or a business office. The letter that came with the phone explains a lot. These phones were used in presentations where their clear case made it so the presenter didn't have to take the phone apart to show what was inside and he or she could explain the features easily. Now it makes sense (at least to me) what the clear phones were for. I'm sure some were also presented to retirees and used on special occasions and in the case of the 302, used at the 1939-40 World's Fair. They had many uses over the years.

The seller is right about this phone belonging in a museum. It's so rare that all the paperwork survived like that.
Jonathan

HarrySmith

Yeah, the paperwork is what caught my eye. I have seen many clear phones but this is the first with actual provenance that I am aware of. I figure at that price it will end up in a museum, namely JKL.
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

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

Jim Stettler

Quote from: jsowers on March 16, 2018, 09:08:34 PM
Below are more pictures from the auction. I was glad to see this one Monday after it was first listed. The letter that came with this phone illustrates what I think these clear phones really were used for, namely education and presentation purposes and not primarily for a static display of "color phones" in a phone center store or a business office. The letter that came with the phone explains a lot. These phones were used in presentations where their clear case made it so the presenter didn't have to take the phone apart to show what was inside and he or she could explain the features easily. Now it makes sense (at least to me) what the clear phones were for. I'm sure some were also presented to retirees and used on special occasions and in the case of the 302, used at the 1939-40 World's Fair. They had many uses over the years.

The seller is right about this phone belonging in a museum. It's so rare that all the paperwork survived like that.
I checked with the seller. He looked at over 40 of the slides and found none with clear phones. So I think the phone was an added go-with. Consider it a bonus artifact.
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Regarding clear phones in general. I have studied the subject for years and have come to the following conclusions:


I have always said  that clear phones had many purposes. Among these were purposes were educational sets . These would be things like  clear teletrainer telephones, I have a clear AE buttset that was created for educational purposes. Most educational sets were produced for school age kids. This particular set I would call educational, however it was intended for an adult audience.
There were marketing phones. These were used in print ads.
There were display Phones made for the phone stores typically a clear example of a production phone
, these would be clear "color" 302's and (in my mind) the clear F# 500's  from 1958. in the 1970's the phone stores had clear 500,2500, trimlines and pricess telephones.
There were sample plastic telephones. These were produced with plastic samples from salesmen. most will not have matching dial rings or handset caps
There were retirement sets. These will typically be real heavy on matching dates
There were "security" sets these were made of clear plastic to help protect against electronic bugs.
There were enginerring sets. These were made to visually gauge "fit" and tolerance.
Special events like the Worlds fair. AE and WE both produced worlds fair sets.
Steven Rogin "designed" a clear SC 500 with clear cords. I think this was a salesman gift. Great Norther wire and cable gave away clear 2500 Goldstar sets in 1984. .

SC produced the 1197, 1198, 1212 in clear as salesman samples.
Different clear sets had different purposes.

Based on my research, I think the clear F# 500's from 1958  was for phone company displays.

There were most likely other reasons as well.
JMO,
Jim S.
Feel free to disagree, but please base it on your own  research not just on your initial  opinion. I have been collecting clear telephones and associated stories for years, I feel justified in my statements regarding clear telephones.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

HarrySmith

It's back! Seller states this is the bottom line price. Dropped it to $1,000.00

https://www.ebay.com/itm/292531658794
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

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

Jim Stettler

Quote from: HarrySmith on April 20, 2018, 06:37:01 PM
It's back! Seller states this is the bottom line price. Dropped it to $1,000.00

https://www.ebay.com/itm/292531658794

It is probably his (close to) bottom line price. I have been in contact with him after this topic started. I pointed out $1,000 was probably the most realistic high end price he should expect. I made a lower (conditional) offer for the auction. He turned me down, but he is willing to accept $1,000. I consider it on the  high side of  retail.

The clear phone is worth $500.00 +/- $200 depending the buyer. The slides and script make up the rest of the value. The sticker on the phone adds value in relation to the script. I suspect there are some good slides in the package. $1,000 isn't bad, however it isn't a great price either.
If you pay $1,000 and hold it for 10 years you ended up with a good deal.

JMO,
Jim S.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.