Unusual Find - 1955 W.E. Model 500

[Dennis Markham]

A while back there was some discussion about "anything goes" when it comes to these Bell System telephones.

Three years ago last month I bought this Cherry Red Model 500 off eBay.  It flew under the radar.  I thought at the time that it was because of the off-color handset cord.  Probably expensive for the time I paid $47.55 (including shipping) for this phone.  It is dated throughout from June of 1955.  The mounting cord is neutral gray and has a strain-relief crimp date of 55.   The Ivory colored coiled handset cord is also marked '55 on the strain relief.

The housing is dated 06-10-55, handset/caps from 6-55 with the elements dated 6-21-55.  The 7C -53 dial is 6-55 as is the network block.  So all parts are original.  But I wonder why it has an Ivory handset cord.  I'm relatively certain that it didn't come down the assembly line with an Ivory cord.  At the time this phone was made colored phones were sporting neutral gray cords.  I have a Cherry Red from April of 1955 with a gray straight handset cord and gray mounting cord.  I believe the earliest coiled cords were made in Ivory and Mahogany (brown) in addition to black.   I once had a Cherry Red from November of 55 that had the matching handset cord.  I have discussed this phone with other collectors and the consensus is that perhaps the subscriber wanted a coiled cord in color and this was the only color the installer had on the truck.  Since it is similarly dated it may have been added at the original time of delivery.

I would understand more if the Ivory coiled cord had some later date...maybe it was changed in the field because the original was torn, or bad.  But since this is dated 55 as is the rest of the phone, what gives?

For some reason, probably BECAUSE of the Ivory handset cord, this phone is one of my favorites in my collection.  There was a time when I thought of replacing the cord with either a gray or matching red but have decided to leave the Ivory one in place.

I made a posting about this phone on my web site a while ago so you may have seen it before.

Does anyone have a theory about this?  I thought I'd try and stimulate some conversation about what may have taken place in 1955 to bring about this unusual combination of colors.

[Dan]

I must say that ivory cord looks good. If you were a Washington Redskins fan-this would be the phone to have!

[The Operator]

This may be a subscriber mod and there's another phone out there that's white with a red cord that equally puzzles it's owner. The matching dates sure would seem to suggest otherwise, but at the rate new phones were being installed in the mid 50's if you started phone service with two phones it's not unlikely they would be dated similarly, if not to the month. At least in the days before refurb phones were as common. Sure it was Bell property and all, but that wouldn't stop someone with a screwdriver and an idea from making it happen. I just can't picture a Bell service tech having done something like that and it seems quite unlikely it came out of the box that way. So when I consider the probabilities the subscriber with a screwdriver and an idea seems most likely to me. Maybe they were a Redskins fan.

That's a very nice looking phone. I would leave it as is too (and I'm always a purist about things). I like pondering these kinds of mysteries and have seen my share of them. In fixing and restoring cars, guitars, lanterns (and whatever else) out of necessity have probably left my share of them too: "It almost looks like someone took a newly rebuilt alternator and swapped everything into the original '66 Mustang case." ~The Operator

[foots]

Maybe it came with a straight cord and the subscriber didn't like it so the installer gave the subscriber a choice, and an ivory was chosen. Maybe it matched the decor in the room or something?

[JimH]

I agree that the customer wanted a coiled cord and that was the only color available on the truck, and that's what they got.

[McHeath]

Could this ivory cord have been red originally and it faded?

[Dennis Markham]

No McHeath, it's Ivory.  I think I lean toward the theory that it was changed per the subscriber's request.  They wanted one of those newfangled "retractile" cords.

[Greg G.]

Hmmm, this is interesting.  I have a red 500 from 6-62 that has what I believe to be a beige cord that's been painted red.

[JorgeAmely]

Interesting find, Brinybay. I think this could be the subject of reverse-engineering to see if we can do the same with modern chemicals.

[Greg G.]

Interesting find, Brinybay. I think this could be the subject of reverse-engineering to see if we can do the same with modern chemicals.

You mean remove the red paint from the cord?  I was just going to replace it with a genuine red cord.  Judging from the 70 on the clamp, the cord was probably replaced when it was refurbished in 74, although the electronics are 6-62.

[McHeath]

For a moment, as I looked at that last picture, I thought you had some uber rare 500 variant where the dial was directly over the ringer.   

Then I noticed that you had just set it there.

[jsowers]

Dennis, my theory is that WE coil cords weren't standard issue until late 1956 or early 1957, so anything made before that, the retractile cord is an option installed by the phone man when it was put into service. Why I say that is seeing red phones with straight red cords and yellow phones with straight yellow cords from mid-1956. There aren't many of those, but they wouldn't be seen at all if coil cords were standard. And coil cords were an option--I've seen that in many Bell System ads. So it must have happened after that time frame. It's a theory of mine, and I have no written proof.

What probably happened to yours is like many have already said. It was what the installer had in the truck, or someone just swapped it. If you like it, leave it. It makes a good conversation piece and looks very nice. But since I have a red 55 cord for that phone just sitting in a box and an ivory one that needs a cord, I'd probably swap them. And no, I'm not the other collector scratching his head with an ivory 55 phone with a red cord.    I've gotten several phones "of many colors" like Joseph's coat and have spare parts left over from using them for parts.