Auction 333: WE Early Red 302 (possible prototype) - Ended 06-08-18

[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:  1 Jun 2018
Auction Duration:  7 Days
List Price:  $20.00
Current Bidders:  5
Current Price:  $311.00
Watchers:  31
Contest Tip from:  AE_Collector
Forum Discussion:  http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=20601.0


eBay Link:  http://www.ebay.com/itm/253662878841


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


Seller Listing Title:  "Rare RED Thermoplastic Western Electric 302 Rotary Dial Desk Telephone"
Condition:  "Used"
Condition Qualifier:  "vintage item"

Listing Description:  "UNFORTUNATELY WAS KEPT IN A HOT ATTIC -- COLOR LOSS! -- GOOD FOR PARTS"


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   ( Starting with Contest 328, this contest's topic will be locked with 24 hours left to go )     Players: 16 

$    420.00 - tallguy58  ( 14 )
$    596.00 - Fabius  ( 12 )
$    604.00 - JorgeAmely  ( 3 )
$    635.00 - tubaman  ( 13 )
$    750.00 - compubit  ( 2 )
$    888.88 - Jim S.  ( 11 )
$    906.00 - AE_Collector  ( 6 )
$ 1,011.00 - skyrider  ( 4 )
$ 1,100.00 - 19and41  ( 9 )
$ 1,200.50 - FabPhones  ( 1 )
$ 1,500.00 - wds  ( 7 )
$ 1,990.00 - HarrySmith  ( 5 )  -> WINNER - Final Selling Price $1,863.00
$ 2,077.77 - Dan/Panther  ( 16 )
$ 2,725.00 - Pourme  ( 15 )
$ 3,000.00 - WEBellSystemChristian  ( 8 )
$ 3,800.00 - kleenax  ( 10 )
$ 4,500.00 - TelePlay  ( 17 )


Early Morning Auction Status

06-01-18      Listed     $     20.00
06-02-18      3 bids     $     32.00
06-03-18      8 bids     $   311.00   ( 5 bidders & 31 - #8 )
06-04-18      9 bids     $   355.00   ( 6 bidders & 32 - #6 )
06-05-18      9 bids     $   355.00   ( 6 bidders & 37 - #7 )
06-06-18      9 bids     $   355.00   ( 6 bidders & 38 - #7 )
06-07-18    10 bids     $   666.00   ( 7 bidders & 39 - #5 )
06-08-18    10 bids     $   666.00   ( 7 bidders & 40 - #5 )
06-08-18    10 bidders, 14 bids  Ended at 10:03:26AM PDT

[FABphones]

$1200.50

[compubit]

$750.

Jim

[JorgeAmely]

$604 for the 302.

[skyrider]

$1011.00

[HarrySmith]

$1,990.00

[AE_Collector]

$604 for the 302.

Then I'm going $906...you got my Area Code before I did.

Terry

[wds]

$1500

[WEBellSystemChristian]

I saw this early on. I noticed the earlier font on the dial plate, then the short ears and 'MANUFACTURED BY" on the handset, then the field trial base. Definitely blows away my perceptions of colored 302s...

$3000

[19and41]

$1100.00  Please.

[kleenax]

$3800

[Jim Stettler]

$888.88

[Fabius]

$596

[tubaman]

$635

[TelePlay]

I asked the seller about the plungers and this is her reply:

     "I think they were clear, but they look dark."

Will see if I can get a photo of them, or have one posted in the listing.

--------------------------------------

TCI Listserv Conversation concerning this Housing: ( 6-12-18 )

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Could this red 302 be red Bakelite and not red plastic. The first trial 302's were made of black Bakelite. Paul Vaverchak had a black Bakelite 302 trial phone- it had the thick side walls like this red 302. This also is a early 302 because the 101 net has rounded corners.

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I doubt that as you can't get a translucent red like that in Bakelite (Phenol Formaldehyde). It would have to be a different material from that used to make the black prototypes

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I owned pail Vaverchak's black Bakelite 302 for a time. This phone is indeed a rare early 1936 colored prototype phone. On the base you will find it is stamped 3206. It is believed this number represented a serial count for early prototypes and is similarly found stamped on other metal, "early" clear plastic (Lucite) 302's and the one Bakelite known to exist. Also, note the last picture in the auction shows the unique internal molding that allowed the body to slip onto the base protrusions unique to these early plastic/Lucite/Bakelite 302 prototypes. For further reference, see TCI article "Clearly a Very Special Bell Telephone" June 15, 2012 and TCI article "Bell Labs Alternate Materials Experiments" December 2015.

This is the first I have seen of these early phones in red, but it does have the characteristics of the Bakelite and clear sets outlined in the above articles. BTW, the bases are not interchangeable with the metal prototype bases. Read the articles to see why. - John Fehl

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Is there a record of the material?