As a Newbie with the Old Phone Bug I've been looking around and narrowing the parameters of my dream collection to the phones that really "sing"to me. Feel free to chime in with any other ideas or input. I'll post pics and descriptions of the phones as I acquire them.
1. Western Electric, Northern Electric, Automatic Electric and

2. Pre-1960. (I'm a model 1957, personally)
3. Any color as long as it is black.
4. Metal dials only.
5. Decent working condition, but willing to tinker, clean and lubricate, put on new cords, etc.. I'll let Ben service the dials if needed.
I'm willing to take a few calculated risks for inexpensive bargains on Ebay that aren't well documented. Maybe find a few pleasant surprises that way.
Am currently seeking:
(as a newbie I may not have all the model numbers quite correct)
Western Electric:
WE 500, the older the better.
WE 554
WE 302
WE 352
WE 211
WE 202
WE Candlestick
And I'd kill (well, not quite) for a WE 520 "explosion-proof".

Northern Electric:
NE Signal Corp
NE Galion desk
NE wall
Automatic Electric:
"Jukebox" wall phone
If anyone wants to chime in here, add anything I've missed, or make any suggestions please feel free. I'm a newbie just absorbing.
I plan to slowly acquire the phones, clean them up and eventually hook them all up all over in my hobby trailer (a big old classic art deco birch interior 1954 Roadmaster...drool). I guess I'll know when the phone rings! That ought to make the cat jump!

Thanks, -Matt