1958 WE 500 Clear added to my collection.

[.....]

Myself and two other collectors took my truck and trailer to just outside Montreal, Quebec today. We went to buy some telephones and related items from another collector who was selling some of his collection. It was a 11 hour round trip. Left at 6am and got home at 5pm.

Look what I come home with a 1958 WE 500 Clear!

[Pourme]

~

Excellent score, Duffy....Can't wait to see what else came your way in that trailer!

[.....]

There where 4 of us in this deal, 3 of us went. I only bought 4 phones. The other collectors split the rest. I was the moving company.

[Doug Rose]

really nice Doug....other Doug

[Jim Stettler]

I was told these telephones were used in the early color 500 display. I feel it is most likely. I have no proof (yet). The $3,200 auction included a clear G6.
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Re: $3,200 Clear 500 Auction
« Reply #18 on: March 09, 2018, 04:50:34 PM »
Quote
Quote from: jsowers on March 08, 2018, 07:39:36 PM
I would love to see some pictures proving these clear phones were used in displays to sell customers on color phones. Do you have any proof?
I do not have proof. I have heard the story from several collectors, I felt it was most likely true.
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I bought my clear 1958 WE 500 thru Steve Hilsz. The seller said that was the reason the sets were made. When the display changed, he kept the set.
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I was told there is a mid/late 1950's  color magazine ad that shows a phone store display of color 500's along with a clear 500. I don't recall who told me this, but there is a very good chance it was Mark Scola. He used to provide me with lots of early clear/color 500 info.
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This was the early days of eBay (before categories). I searched a lot of early ads for color 500's and clear telephones. I never found that ad, but I did buy a lot of color and clear ads.
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I had heard that the" clear" colored 302's were used in phone store displays to promote the color sets. I have seen a bell system B/W photo of a color 302 display that had a clear color set. this was a go-with that was displayed next to a clear 302 at a show.
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In the 1970's I had seen clear 500's, 2500's, princess phones and trimlines at the retail phone center stores.
________________________________________ ________________________________________ ________
Based on all this, I feel it is safe to "believe" that the 1958 clear 500 was made for phone store displays with color sets.
However I do not have "Proof".

Jim S.

[.....]

It was said today that it was possible that these came from upper Bell management. It looks that it was used as a regular home phone, not mint but I'm happy with it. How it got to Canada is beyond me.

Does anyone know how many were made?

[jsowers]

I was told these telephones were used in the early color 500 display. I feel it is most likely. I have no proof (yet). The $3,200 auction included a clear G6.
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Re: $3,200 Clear 500 Auction
« Reply #18 on: March 09, 2018, 04:50:34 PM »
Quote
Quote from: jsowers on March 08, 2018, 07:39:36 PM
I would love to see some pictures proving these clear phones were used in displays to sell customers on color phones. Do you have any proof?
I do not have proof. I have heard the story from several collectors, I felt it was most likely true.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I bought my clear 1958 WE 500 thru Steve Hilsz. The seller said that was the reason the sets were made. When the display changed, he kept the set.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was told there is a mid/late 1950's  color magazine ad that shows a phone store display of color 500's along with a clear 500. I don't recall who told me this, but there is a very good chance it was Mark Scola. He used to provide me with lots of early clear/color 500 info.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was the early days of eBay (before categories). I searched a lot of early ads for color 500's and clear telephones. I never found that ad, but I did buy a lot of color and clear ads.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I had heard that the" clear" colored 302's were used in phone store displays to promote the color sets. I have seen a bell system B/W photo of a color 302 display that had a clear color set. this was a go-with that was displayed next to a clear 302 at a show.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the 1970's I had seen clear 500's, 2500's, princess phones and trimlines at the retail phone center stores.
________________________________________ ________________________________________ ________
Based on all this, I feel it is safe to "believe" that the 1958 clear 500 was made for phone store displays with color sets.
However I do not have "Proof".

Jim S.

Still no proof, Jim? I don't feel it's safe to assume this particular clear 500 was used in early color phone displays. I have a few questions. Why did they wait from 1954, when the color 500 set was introduced, until 1958 to make these phones? Why would they have included a clear phone, something you couldn't get, in a display of color phones? Where are the pictures of these phones being used that way? That magazine ad you refer to--why is it nobody has ever seen it? I'm not saying you're wrong. I just want to see something proving it.

Duffy, your theory that these were from upper Bell management makes a lot of sense. That clear Trimline that appeared recently in its original box had a letter that told what it was used for--instruction. It wasn't made for display.

As for how many were made, I think these particular clear 500s all have the same F number on the bottom and the same 1958 dates on them, indicating they were made in a special lot for some purpose.  Likely only a small lot was made, judging from how few have turned up.

Congratulations, Duffy, on getting such a rare phone for your collection and thank you for sharing it with the Forum.

[Jim Stettler]

Still no proof, Jim?

AS Stated.

[FABphones]

To my knowledge, originally clear phones were made for teaching purposes. To either show the customer, or students, what was inside a phone without having to take it apart. They could see inside, and see it working too. Easier to understand than a phone in parts on a counter.
Yes, sometimes on display, but as a teaching aid to the coloured phones they were selling. 'This is what's inside and this is how it works, just choose your colour from these other ones over here...' Teach and sell.

(Many other items were also made clear for this same purpose, maybe it was the 'in' thing to do. I can remember clear stuff being handed around at school as a teaching aid. We all immediately recognised what the item was because it was in one piece, and we were amazed to be able to see inside. We could all take a look to see how the item was put together but not lose bits or destroy it by looking too closely at individual parts of it. Some items would come apart in certain places so we could 'rebuild' it).

We cannot track precisely who has previously owned our phones since manufacture. Over time these first clear phones moved on and into the hands of private owners, many of whom used them. Because they worked. Then marketing saw there was a chance to make some money by selling certain models, the later clear models arrived for sale, and the 'clear phone' trend hit the shops.

[.....]

Gentlemen,

I'm not sure if this will help the debate or not.
When I removed the finger wheel to replace the dial card.
I found this on the reverse side of the card.

[FABphones]

Gentlemen,

I'm not sure if this will help the debate or not.
When I removed the finger wheel to replace the dial card.
I found this on the reverse side of the card.

YES!!!  Brilliant! 

To my knowledge, originally clear phones were made for teaching purposes. To either show the customer, or students, what was inside a phone without having to take it apart. They could see inside, and see it working too. Easier to understand than a phone in parts on a counter.
Yes, sometimes on display, but as a teaching aid to the coloured phones they were selling. 'This is what's inside and this is how it works, just choose your colour from these other ones over here...' Teach and sell.

[JorgeAmely]

Gentlemen,

I'm not sure if this will help the debate or not.
When I removed the finger wheel to replace the dial card.
I found this on the reverse side of the card.

Brilliant! (I am making a copy)

[HarrySmith]

Nice! That has to be the nicest clear 500 I have ever seen. I think that dial card explains it.

[Payphone installer]

I have owned at least 5 over the years they made them for a long time across different years. The 5302 in clear is the rarest one. I have only ever seen one.

[.....]

Thanks Guys,

Here are some pictures of it cleaned up and put in the cabinet.