Western Electric 302 red manual set

[Waterland]

This is a very nice, very clean example of a red 302 with dial blank for manual service.  Most components are marked '50, with a few marked '49.  Looks like it was well taken care of; the description said it was owned by a Bell System employee and then stored away after being removed from service.  It was probably only in service a couple years before being replaced by an early 500 set.

I can see this going pretty high:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281555918807

[Doug Rose]

WOW!!!!

[Waterland]

The coiled cloth handset cord and line cord is what gets me, they look brand new.  One tiny snag in the handset cord is the only flaw I see in either.

I wish I could afford this right now, this would be a great addition to anyone's collection.

[HarrySmith]

WOW! That is a very nice looking phone. I don't think it has been used much from the looks of it. In looking closer at the cords they appear to have the older rubber insulation on the wires, not the newer plastic stuff.

[Mr. Bones]

What a beautiful phone!

Drool-a-licious!

Best regards!

[TelePlay]

For posterity.

[poplar1]

Ebay listing pictures:

[WEBellSystemChristian]

That is one fantastic phone, it looks brand new!

It's weird (but not at all surprising) that an original manual 302 in full color was worth less that a dial version when it was new, but a manual 302 is now worth almost double than its dial counterpart.

[Waterland]

I just noticed it has a seamless handset as well.  Right now it's up to $255, 5 bids, 5 different bidders, 5 days left.  I have some pretty nice phones, but nothing this clean and well preserved.  Anyone here going to try for it?

[unbeldi]

I just noticed it has a seamless handset as well.

No.  All plastic 302 handsets are seamless. It has the requisite closure plate in the underside of the handle, as usual.

The cords are nice on this phone, but otherwise it is no better than most unbroken Tenite 302s.  It does show all the usage scratches on the surface as most do.  I don't see it as so unusual, with the exception of course of it being a manual phone with the apparatus blank.  This makes it worth an extra penny, but not that much more than a good dial instrument.

There has been a glut of Pekin Reds on eBay lately, and from my observation it has depressed pricing.

[Doug Rose]

I think this is an exceptional phone. Really exceptional. The cords are amazing. The dial blank looks really nice as they have a tendency to warp. I think this is an amazing set and I agree with Christian that the manual sets are much more difficult to get than the dial sets.

I thought there might have been a contest on this beauty, as I would not be surprise to see this go over 1K. I would welcome it in my collection.

$1150 would be my guess..Doug

[Babybearjs]

.... and what would happen if this was sold by someone who was new to ebay.....started the bidding out at $9.99 and no one bid on this item....except one.....the only person who caught it....@ $10.49.....

[TelePlay]

Sold for $482.79 with 20 bids being offered by 10 buyers.

[HarrySmith]

Seems to be about par for a color dial set.

[Doug Rose]

Seeing Pekin Red 302s with dials go in the $700s regularly, where this is in very nice condition and I thought it would go much higher. JMHO....Doug