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E1 Handset - Red Star - Has Anyone Seen One Before???

Started by Dennis Markham, April 27, 2010, 07:06:50 PM

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Dennis Markham

While working on an E1 handset today I noticed a small red star on the transmitter end.  I've not cleaned a lot of E1's but never saw this before.  Can anyone enlighten me?

It's a Western Electric, circa 1935.

Phonesrfun

Maybe it's like a golden ticket.  You just won the Willie Wonka Chocolate Factory Sweepstakes.

-Bill G

JorgeAmely

Dennis:

You just found a very rare phone sold by WE to the Soviet Union. You didn't know about this?  ;) ;)
Jorge

Dennis Markham

I thought maybe it was made to use at a Texaco gasoline station.  I guess I have the peanut gallery stumped so far.

Jim Stettler

You can trust your call to the phone that wears the star.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Dan/Panther

Based on seeing the star in two other instances, I'm going to stick my neck out and say, I'll guess it's property of Illinois Bell.
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Dennis Markham

I don't recall seeing a red star before on any of the W.E. sets (or any for that matter).  But that could be Dan.  Did Illinois Bell put red stars on their stuff?

McHeath

#7
1935, hmm, I think you have a Lenin special issue E1 handset, sold in limited numbers to the Leningrad phone company as part of a little known deal where Bell was trying to expand it's sales into foreign markets.  Ultimately it failed when the Soviets hijacked the design and produced 750 million copies, none of which actually worked as the bakelite was made from leaves and brittle and the handsets all snapped in two upon use.  The Soviets ended up using the mountain of handsets as awards for collective farmers who exceeded their quota of wheat production for two months running.  Since none of the collective farms had phone service until the late 60's the handsets mostly ended up being used as potato scrapers, goat milking aids, and veggie strainers.  

Or something like that... ;)

JorgeAmely

#8
McHeath:

I believe you are right. I read it on the internet.

Jorge

Dan/Panther

I have only seen it three times, on 500 sets, but a small star was embossed on the bottom of the set, and all 3 were Illinois bell property, I've never seen the star on any other of my 500 sets. I know that's a stretch, but Like I said, It's purely a wild guess based on 3 instances.
I have the sets packed away, I'm slowly converting to my numbered box system, I'll skip through a few boxes tomorrow to see if the handsets might have a red star.
Neither of my E1 have the star.

D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Dan/Panther

#10
Dennis;
I'd go with Heaths explanation. Didn't they use the spit cups for vodka shot glasses
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

rp2813

I wonder if the red star means the same thing as this blue star?
Ralph

Dennis Markham

Interesting Ralph.  What's the date on that capacitor?  Is that thing from 1930???

JorgeAmely

#13
I can faintly see a 29 there.

PS: D/P, I was referring to the capacitor, right in the center of the assembly.
Jorge

rp2813

D/P, I think Dennis was asking about the information on the capacitor in the center, but you are correct with OCT 30 followed by the blue star.

The capacitor info reads:

129A
PAT APP
FOR IN USA

There is no other date on this transmitter other than the 10/30 as far as I know. 

Ralph