Author Topic: Very Strange Feeling (Read 12359 times)

Adam · « **Reply #15 on:** November 11, 2010, 12:13:35 PM »

My holy grails are a little bit more contemporary. I'd love to own an older-button-style rotary dial Western Electric Call Director. If it was red, then I could die happy. Someday, I'd also like to own a Western Electric card dialer, and a Western Electric 16-button autovon phone.

Dave F · « **Reply #16 on:** November 11, 2010, 02:30:54 PM »

Obtaining an item that has been tops on the want list is a real emotional roller coaster, even more so if it has been on the list for a long time and has been driving you nuts, seemingly forever. For me, the AUTOVON Card Dialer fits that category to a tee. I had been searching for one of these elusive phones for literally more than 40 years. Came close once or twice in the past, but never managed to score until last year. When it finally happened, I could hardly believe it, even as it stared directly at me from across the table. The number of these phones that I positively know exist can be counted on just one hand. Truly a rarity. I'm still in awe of the amazing set of events that led me to it (and the large dent it made in my bank account). But now that some time has passed, it feels like "just another phone in the collection", and I'm ready to obsess about something else (my avatar, e.g.).

Let's see, what could possibly be next? Hmmm.... How about a clear 302, pink 2565 Keyset or Card Dialer, mahogany 554 or AE 34. For every item we manage to cross off the list, two or three more are sure to get added. Nope, we'll never get bored.

Quote from: masstel on November 11, 2010, 12:13:35 PM

My holy grails are a little bit more contemporary. I'd love to own an older-button-style rotary dial Western Electric Call Director. If it was red, then I could die happy. Someday, I'd also like to own a Western Electric card dialer, and a Western Electric 16-button autovon phone.

Dave, here's one I dug up just a couple of months ago. Not red, but still a winner! PS: Card Dialers appear frequently on eBay. Unless you are waiting for a rare color, you shouldn't have a huge problem crossing that off your list.

Dave F.

Brinybay · « **Reply #17 on:** November 11, 2010, 06:15:18 PM »

Quote from: bingster on November 10, 2010, 05:27:28 PM

For me, I think a set of color 302s would be high on my wish list at the moment. Even higher would be a collection of metallic painted 102s/202s, but since they're so rare, the 302s are a more realistic aspiration.

Quote from: Brinybay on November 10, 2010, 02:14:36 PM
Can't quite tell, but the one in the movie definitely had an E1 or E1-style handset with the spit cup. It was the first movie in the "Thin Man" series and it was at the beginning, when the lady was talking on her phone.

Exactly right. It's a B-mount with an E1 handset. These show up very frequently in movies from the 1930s and '40s.

Yep, that's it, except the lady was much younger and prettier than that grouchy-looking guy. So I take it these are entirely painted, like my WE Old Brass? How often do they show up in the collector's market, I wonder? An ivory 302 that is genuinely ivory would be equally nice.

deedubya3800 · « **Reply #18 on:** November 11, 2010, 06:51:04 PM »

Quote from: Brinybay on November 11, 2010, 06:15:18 PM

An ivory 302 that is genuinely ivory would be equally nice.

I'd settle for one made of white chocolate.

bingster · « **Reply #19 on:** November 11, 2010, 07:00:58 PM »

It was in the pretty girl's apartment. The grouchy guy was there confronting her and getting ready to call the police to report her embezzling.

Yes, they're entirely painted, just like the metallic sets. At the time, they also came in light grey paint. I can't recall ever seeing one come up on ebay, although I don't pay nearly as much attention as I used to. Dennis has an original ivory one and it's quite a pretty phone.

Dennis Markham · « **Reply #20 on:** November 11, 2010, 07:16:23 PM »

The one I have can be seen here:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=599.msg7019#msg7019

The handset cord is frayed where it enters the handset, but could be pulled inside. I've done nothing to it since I got it a few years ago. From the "Bob Loeser" collection. Bob is a long-time collector that was selling off much of his collection a few years ago.

The leather bottom on this is in excellent original condition. The transmitter is a "bullet" transmitter.

Shovelhead · « **Reply #21 on:** November 11, 2010, 08:10:06 PM »

I got mine this year, a 233G.

Some day a mushroom phone, a dial butt set, and a 354.

In no rush, when the mood strikes or one falls into my lap.....

Doug Rose · « **Reply #22 on:** November 11, 2010, 08:14:42 PM »

Quote from: Dennis Markham on November 11, 2010, 07:16:23 PM

The one I have can be seen here:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=599.msg7019#msg7019

The handset cord is frayed where it enters the handset, but could be pulled inside. I've done nothing to it since I got it a few years ago. From the "Bob Loeser" collection. Bob is a long-time collector that was selling off much of his collection a few years ago.

The leather bottom on this is in excellent original condition. The transmitter is a "bullet" transmitter.

Dennis....I have never seen a 4J dial before. I had always heard that they were out there, but I have never seen one. Really cool. That is a fantastic phone. Bob Loeser taught me how to bleach my Ivory 302. Great phone....Doug

JimH · « **Reply #23 on:** November 11, 2010, 08:50:39 PM »

Here's my Call Director I received about a month ago. I'd been looking for one for years, and one finally came along on Ebay that was reasonable. When I got the box and it was sliding around inside, I knew it was over. They'd packed it with a few sheets of crunched up newspaper. The paper lining the bottom of the box was dated 1969. I think they shipped it in the box it was stored in. Oh well. Yes, I got a full refund (Thanks to Ebay! The seller never even responded!) Now the search continues!

Dennis Markham · « **Reply #24 on:** November 11, 2010, 08:53:12 PM »

Thanks, Doug. I've not seen another 4J. I'm surprised with all of your years at this that you haven't come across one.

Jim, what a shame. Unbelievable.

Adam · « **Reply #25 on:** November 11, 2010, 08:56:13 PM »

Oh, Jim! About four months ago, I won a bitchin' NORTHERN ELECTRIC Call Director, beige. It arrived in almost the same condition. I have it in a box in the closet, it hurts to much to take a picture of it.

Sorry, Dude! I know how you feel!

Dave F · « **Reply #26 on:** November 11, 2010, 09:50:53 PM »

Quote from: JimH on November 11, 2010, 08:50:39 PM

Here's my Call Director I received about a month ago. I'd been looking for one for years, and one finally came along on Ebay that was reasonable. When I got the box and it was sliding around inside, I knew it was over. They'd packed it with a few sheets of crunched up newspaper. The paper lining the bottom of the box was dated 1969. I think they shipped it in the box it was stored in. Oh well. Yes, I got a full refund (Thanks to Ebay! The seller never even responded!) Now the search continues!

What a shame! Seems like we're all in the same rotten boat here. Last year, I had a rare 602C Data Phone arrive in pieces just like your Call Director. Only a few flimsy pieces of paper for a piece of equipment weighing several pounds. It never had a chance. I'll probably spend the rest of my life trying to find a replacement housing. Each time a package arrives, we all pray that the seller actually read our pleas for good packing, and that he/she put in at least some effort to do it right. Before I committed to buy the AUTOVON Card Dialer, I had numerous communications with the seller about packing. Fortunately, in that case it actually did some good. The phone was wrapped with such loving care and dedication I thought I would never get it out of all the bubble wrap.

JimH · « **Reply #27 on:** November 11, 2010, 09:58:09 PM »

Dave, you should've gotten a refund! I don't know what you paid. Well I weighed looking for a new housing shell (that would almost be impossible), or glueing it together and sanding down the edges and spraying it green...it just wouldn't be the same. Then when the seller wouldn't even answer my emails, I decided the full refund via ebay was the right path. Now they have the beautiful Call Director (in pieces) back! I would've taken a 50 percent refund and fixed it.

Dave F · « **Reply #28 on:** November 11, 2010, 10:12:46 PM »

Quote from: JimH on November 11, 2010, 09:58:09 PM

Dave, you should've gotten a refund! I don't know what you paid. Well I weighed looking for a new housing shell (that would almost be impossible), or glueing it together and sanding down the edges and spraying it green...it just wouldn't be the same. Then when the seller wouldn't even answer my emails, I decided the full refund via ebay was the right path. Now they have the beautiful Call Director (in pieces) back! I would've taken a 50 percent refund and fixed it.

Jim,

I contacted the seller, who was sympathetic and very sorry. He just couldn't understand how it possibly would have gotten damaged. After all, he had been selling on eBay for years, and nothing like this had ever happened before. And, this paper had always been good enough packing in the past. (I bet this was the first one of these he had sold!) Anyway, he did give me a 50% refund, and I'm left with a jigsaw puzzle of plastic to keep me occupied on some rainy night in the far future.

Dave

Adam · « **Reply #29 on:** November 11, 2010, 10:45:08 PM »

In my case, fortunately, although painfully for my great deal, I didn't pay a lot. So, I didn't pursue mine further. The seller had actually wrapped it nicely in bubble wrap, it was totally the post office's fault.

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