1950??? I'm crossing my fingers.

[Kenton K]

Hello all,

I just wanted to share a recently purchased  black 500. It hoping its an unmolested early 500, but all I have are seller photos. Its missing the A/B designation which appeared later and looks like a back painted dial face. The strait handset cord, black plungers, and 6 holed caps also look promising. I'm not sure what the 28 in the code stands for though.

Thoughts?

[RotarDad]

Kenton - I think you've got an all-original '50 there!  It looks all correct.  I've seen other early ones with a small font 2-digit code stamped on the bottom like that in various places.  I have an early '51 that is all original, and I haven't yet disassembled it for cleanup. I kinda hate to pop all the screws loose after all those years untouched since it left the factory.  Keep us updated!

[TelePlay]

Nice find you've acquired there.

Where did you buy it and what did it cost? What did you pay for shipping? If an internet buy, do you still have the link?  Curious minds would like to know . . .   

[Kenton K]

Thanks,

I will say this phone has set me back $30. It will be local pickup. It is, as another member calls it, an evil bay purchase.

Here is the link,


http://tinyurl.com/l36b6oj

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Nice find, especially since it has the original straight cord! I've been looking for a '50 for a long time, but they're either in online auctions where the price skyrockets or they turn out to be 1951s!

[Kenton K]

I actually haven't seen many 1949/50/51 sets for sale on ebay, so I'm not sure what their value is. I guess I haven't been looking very hard. I did see a 1951j/k on ebay right now though.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/161431346539?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT


And Christian, how did that potentially early 500 you bought turn out?


Kenton

[TelePlay]

I will say this phone has set me back $30. It will be local pickup.

So, when will you have it in your hands and how soon after that will you have more info and photos posted here?

No rush, just asking . . . 

[WEBellSystemChristian]

And Christian, how did that potentially early 500 you bought turn out?


Kenton

Oh, I didn't update that post? Well don't I feel dumb now?!
Apparently, there isn't a single trace on it that gells me what year it was originally built. Every singe part, other than the base and terminal strip, was replaced in 1956, even the network! Why would someone at Western Electric go into all the trouble of replacing the network, yet keep using the terminal strip?

Anyway, it's still an interesting set, and it shows how far WE went to reuse parts!

[rp2813]

Yeah, that dial bezel looks like the injected type to me, but am hoping the rest of your phone hasn't been messed with.

It's interesting that the only other early production 500 I've seen come out of the Bay Area is mine, and it's a 10/50 too.

I'm anxious to see pictures of all components once you have the phone.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Anyone else notice how the gold 500s have "small font" operator dial bezels too? Could this be because Western Electric used the same molds for the gold ones that they did for dial bezels in 1950?

[Kenton K]

OK guys, I got it. I've got good and bad news.

The bad: its not all matching dates.


The good: the newest date is 10-1950. 

Here is the breakdown:

Base: 10/50
425A Network: 8-49
311A Equalizer: Aug 21 1950
C2A Ringer: 9-50
7A Dial: 10-50 I
Case: 6-6-50-3
U1 Receiver: 10-5-50
T1 Transmitter: 9-50-I
H4BA Handset Cord: III 50
D3BB Line Cord: III 50
The G1 handset is undated.

The faceplate is indeed back painted. The clear layer makes a really cool 3D effect, especially with the dots. And I bet the gold faceplate used the same mold. It would seem the 'large' operator first appeared on injection molded bezels.

-Ken

[TelePlay]

That looks like a left over parts matching date III 1950, or Oct 1950 500. With everything matching or pre-dating the base, I'd say it's original as built.

But, then again, WDIK?

Did you check the handset caps for dates or just the handset?

[Kenton K]

Yah, I was just being silly. 

And no the caps do not have an dates. The handset has does a 40 stamp.

Ken

[paul-f]

The bad: its not all matching dates.

The good: the newest date is 10-1950. 

Ken,

It's all good news.  Don't expect the dates to match.  We've noted this in other early 500 sets.

  http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=9950.msg105858#msg105858

[Kenton K]

I am sure they made a bunch of 500 parts and slowly used them up. I've seen many of the 1950 sets have 1949 networks. Also, based on the topic you linked to, it looks like sep-oct is when they changed the operator orientation to the slanted type. Good to know.

Ken