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Western Electric 302 -- Northern Electric 302???

Started by Ed D, August 30, 2010, 11:11:14 PM

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Ed D

Hi Everyone,

I am new to the forum, and new to collecting/restoring telephones, so I have a lot to learn!  I live in central North Carolina, near Greensboro.

From browsing through several threads across these forums, I can see that I have come to the right place to find help.

I have a question.  I have seen many WE 302 phones listed on eBay.  I also see references to Northern Electric 302 phones.  Based on the photos, a lot of phones have no markings on the base to indicate WE for certain.  How exactly does one determine whether the phone is WE or NE?  That has me puzzled, and maybe in the end it doesn't matter all that much to someone just buying a used phone for everyday use.  But I think it would matter to a collector.

Any help you can give is appreciated.

Thanks,
Ed

bingster

Welcome to the forum, Ed!  The 500 is a bit easier, since the base is marked as well as the handset.  With the 302, only the underside of the handset bears a mark, and that's how you tell which is which.  However, there's no real difference between Northern Electric and Western Electric sets.  Northern Electric was the Bell System's Canadian manufacturing arm, and Western Electric was the Bell System's American manufacturing arm.  Most of their products were identical, except for the mark. I suppose a collector might prefer one over the other, depending on which country the collector hails from.  To me, though, it makes no difference.
= DARRIN =



Dennis Markham

I have found that the Northern sets are often marked with patent numbers, dates where the Westerns are not.  These are marked inside on the chassis.  Attached are two photos showing what I'm talking about.  The network is from a NE Model 500.  The chassis marking is from a Model 354.

I don't know if the manufacturing process was identical to Western's.  But as I refurbished the model 500 I got the impression that the Northern Electric was not manufactured with the same quality control.  It may have just been some preconceived notion on my part.  I do remember as I reassembled the parts I thought to myself that the screws took more effort to screw into the holes and parts just didn't align a nicely as their Western counter part.  On this particular 500 it was marked from 1957 with a replacement dial from '63.  It was the mating of the parts that caught my attention.  I don't recall that issue with the earlier Model 354.  Just my 2 Cents worth on that.

Prices for Northern -v- Western on eBay seem to have the Westerns selling higher....generally speaking.

Ed D

Bingster and Dennis,

Thank you both for your replies!  I was not aware of the relationship of NE and WE to the Bell System.  Your information was greatly appreciated.  And the photos as well!!!

Other than potential QC issues with NE, and some minor "adjustments" where necessary, it appears that one could interchange NE and WE parts if necessary to effect a repair on the 302 phones.

Thanks again!

Ed

Dennis Markham

Yes Ed, the parts can be mixed and matched.  I have found Northern dials on W.E. 500's.  Same with the earlier phones. 

deedubya3800

I found two Western Electric Company 302's in my antique mall searches today in Memphis that had F1W handsets, snowflake marks, and patent dates stamped on the inside of the baseplate near the back edge rather than the production date near the front of the baseplate like usual. The only way I could determine production date on either of these was the fact that the shell matched the coil within days.