1954 Mahogany Brown Telephone

[zapper]

Vintage Bell System Western Electric Rotary Mahogany Brown Telephone dates matching 1954

$12.99 With Free Shipping.

eBay item number:  194134084173  (https://www.ebay.com/itm/194134084173 )

[FABphones]

A really good find, and a great price. Well spotted.

Looking forward to seeing more photos once it arrives.

[HarrySmith]

What a steal! Obviously the seller had no idea what he had, just another old dial phone. Congrats! Can't wait to see it cleaned up. There are a few topics here on restoring the handset cord, you can get it back to like new with minimal effort.

[Jim Stettler]

That is a great deal, basically free with cheap shipping.
Jim

[Pourme]

~

Amazing.....they are still out there, congrats!

Find of the Month material there, for sure!

[zapper]

The seller messaged me after I paid stating he made a mistake on the shipping and would cancel the order.  I offered to gladly pay the shipping, just give me the total. He never got back to me and I was surprised to see he shipped the phone on Monday. I have been trying and all week thru E Bay to reach him and no response.  Since I have his address from the label I will send him $$ to cover the shipping.
The Mounting cord is Black dated 55.
I cleaned the handset cord and wound it on a dowel.  Tomorrow I will put it outside in the sun and and then the freezer. 
The dial is slow and the finger wheel is cracked. I will either send it out to Steve Hilsz or use a spare dial I have.
No cracks,
Phone is dirty, dirty, dirty!
The transmitter doesn't work due to crud.
Does have the wonderful smell of cheese
I will get around to cleaning and polishing next week and post photos.
Everyone have a great weekend and happy phone hunting!

[HarrySmith]

The seller messaged me after I paid stating he made a mistake on the shipping and would cancel the order.  I offered to gladly pay the shipping, just give me the total. He never got back to me and I was surprised to see he shipped the phone on Monday. I have been trying and all week thru E Bay to reach him and no response.  Since I have his address from the label I will send him $$ to cover the shipping.
The Mounting cord is Black dated 55.
I cleaned the handset cord and wound it on a dowel.  Tomorrow I will put it outside in the sun and and then the freezer. 
The dial is slow and the finger wheel is cracked. I will either send it out to Steve Hilsz or use a spare dial I have.
No cracks,
Phone is dirty, dirty, dirty!
The transmitter doesn't work due to crud.
Does have the wonderful smell of cheese
I will get around to cleaning and polishing next week and post photos.
Everyone have a great weekend and happy phone hunting!

WOW! Glad you got it! Do not change the dial! Leave the original dial on it. I am sure Steve can make it work like new.
Congrats again!

[david@london]

"The dial is slow and the finger wheel is cracked....Does have the wonderful smell of cheese

Great find zapper. You could source an open centre finger wheel from:

https://www.ericofon.com/catalog/parts/fwheel.htm

Glad to hear that it has that authentic smell of cheese ...

[allnumbedup]

saw this one in ebay "sold listings" which I look at regularly to torture myself I guess. super nice snag and glad you got it

[oldguy]

 Congratulations Zapper, great find & the price amazing price😀

[zapper]

 This is a work in progress. I gave the phone a quick clean up.  The cord was rewound without placing in the sun & freezer, and the dial has been removed, # plate cleaned and will ship out to Steve tomorrow for repair and replacement finger wheel. Thanks for all the kind responses.  Used the return address on the box and sent the buyer $10.00 for the shipping.


< edit 05-31-21 : images removed, rotated, reattached >

[Doug Rose]

This is a work in progress. I gave the phone a quick clean up.  The cord was rewound without placing in the sun & freezer, and the dial has been removed, # plate cleaned and will ship out to Steve tomorrow for repair and replacement finger wheel. Thanks for all the kind responses.  Used the return address on the box and sent the buyer $10.00 for the shipping.


< edit 05-31-21 : images removed, rotated, reattached >

Amazing job on the handset cord! It looks perfect and it was in dire straights..well done...Doug

[Jim Stettler]

Amazing job on the handset cord! It looks perfect and it was in dire straights.

I agree about the handset cord.
I felt it was to bad to fix.
I am amazed at the difference between the before and after photos.
Jim

[zapper]

I originally used a 3/8" dowel, in the sun 3 days in the freezer over night.  When I took it off the dowel it literally collapsed back to the as found condition.
Friday I placed the cord on a 1/2" Dowel. No Sun and No Freezer.  Took it off this morning for pic's and it looks presentable.  I will
go the Sun and Freezer route this week and report the results.

[FABphones]

...I will go the Sun and Freezer route this week and report the results.

My recoil method here (reply #2). Takes about 20/30 mins:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=21890

'After' photos shown on reply #5.