Author Topic: Is It Aqua or Is It Turquoise?? (Read 24364 times)

Perry · « **Reply #30 on:** February 18, 2009, 11:32:40 AM »

There is currently a seller on eBay who has sold several aqua and turquoise "color change kits" for 554 phones:
http://tinyurl.com/turquoise-554-shell

I bought one myself, as I couldn't resist an NOS shell in turquoise. It arrived yesterday, and consists of a body shell, handset shell, cord, and dial plate. It's everything I need to turn a shabby 554 into a shiny new-looking turquoise 554. All I need now is a shabby 554. Actually, I have never had a wall phone of any kind. I guess I will also need to figure out a place to mount it...maybe I should avoid perusing the phone section of eBay.

The shell is labeled "Northern Electric" rather than WE. Oddly, the receiver cap has 6 holes. Otherwise, it is similar in style to my 1971 turquoise 500, non-modular, and with a matte finish on the dial plate, unlike the smooth, shiny finish on the dial plate of my other 500s.

The same seller still has at least a couple more of these for about $20. I wish there were some for 500s...

Dennis Markham · « **Reply #31 on:** February 18, 2009, 11:52:57 AM »

Perry, I had seen those kits from that seller. They look nice. That dial ring supports one of the later dials, maybe the #9 dial. A #8 has just two half-moon tabs on the inside circumference of the hole and attaches with a little three-prong clip. I believe Northern Electric of Canada made the caps with 6 holes much later into the years than Western Electric.

Maybe if you e-mail the seller he has some 500 kits too.

Since the handset and cord shown is hardwired, is the cover also hardwired, or is it notched for a modular connection?

Perry · « **Reply #32 on:** February 18, 2009, 12:27:07 PM »

The body shell isn't notched for a modular plug. I guess I could ask about 500 shells. In fact, he is selling a yellow 500 shell. I think the only solution to restore my 2-tone phone from earlier in this thread would be something like that. I don't have lot of motivation to do it, because I already have a nice turquoise 500, so I'm not sure what I would do with another one.

Dan/Panther · « **Reply #33 on:** February 18, 2009, 02:00:14 PM »

My 1958 500 is Turquoise, but in photos it looks more like Aqua, how can you be sure on ebay etc. without buying a dozen phones to get a real Turquoise phone.
D/P

Dan/Panther · « **Reply #34 on:** February 18, 2009, 02:58:09 PM »

I used to use Armoural, but I found if you stop the damagereturns quickly, "Son Of A Gun" seems to be a better product, made by STP I believe.
D/P

Dennis Markham · « **Reply #35 on:** February 18, 2009, 06:53:06 PM »

Dan, Turquoise wasn't introduced until 1964 (thru 1978) with Aqua Blue coming out in 1957. Perhaps your Turquoise has later dated plastic built on a 1958 chassis?

According to Paul Fassbender's Site.......
http://www.paul-f.com/we500typ.htm#Colors

Dan/Panther · « **Reply #36 on:** February 18, 2009, 07:22:13 PM »

Dennis;
Here is another shot of the same phone under different light.
D/P

Dennis Markham · « **Reply #37 on:** February 18, 2009, 07:36:23 PM »

Dan in your posting from 2:00PM you asked how to tell the color from eBay phones without buying a bunch of phones. SOMETIMES the color code on the back of the dial will let you know--IF it has the original dial. Your phone does look Turquoise but my point was that if it's from 1958 it can't be Turquoise because they didn't make it until 6 years later. So if it is Turquoise, there's probably a date equal to or later than 1964 on the plastic. If the plastic is dated before 1964, it's Aqua Blue.

Dan/Panther · « **Reply #38 on:** February 18, 2009, 08:21:28 PM »

Dennis;
Something doesn't add up here.

The attached photo is of my recent purchase of an all matching number Princess phone dated 6-60, you can see plainly the it's either Aqua, or Turquoise whichever you prefer, YET, on Paul's site, it states that Aqua, and Turquoise were not introduced in the "Princess", line until 1962, and 1964 respectively. Inside of the caps, marked 6-60, inside the handset, Marked 59, the strain reliefs are marked 59, and 60 respectively, The body has no markings I can see ??
So I'm very confused, not completely convinced the color charts are 100 accurate.
Once again I'm not trying to be difficult, it's just the stated facts, do not reflect what I see in the real world. According to the color chart listed, my Princess phone was not made until between two and four years after it's dated.

D/P

Dennis Markham · « **Reply #39 on:** February 18, 2009, 08:40:51 PM »

Dan I know you're not trying to be difficult, nor am I. As I read this I was thinking about what I posted on the other topic about the cordless/rotary phone. Our premise is that the color chart is accurate. I will e-mail Paul and see what he says about that. Your photo of the Princess didn't come thorough, or I'm not seeing it. Did you attach the photo? There is no mold stamping on the inside of the Pricness shell? Paul usually responds right away, so I'll report back.

Dennis Markham · « **Reply #40 on:** February 18, 2009, 08:58:10 PM »

When I look here: http://www.paul-f.com/color.htm#Princess

The color code page for the Princess phones, it appears to me that beginning 1959 two of the colors produced were Aqua Blue and Turquoise. The color chart for the model 500's indicate the date of 1964 for Turquoise. So it appears as though Princess phones were made in these colors as early as their inception in 1959. Aqua Blue was made for the model 500 in 1957 so it did appear two years before the Princess but the Princess phone in Turquoise appeared five years ahead of the model 500. Screen Shot of the above page attached.

Unless you saw something different about those two colors, I couldn't find where it said they weren't produced in those colors in the Princess line until 1962 and 1964 respectively. Maybe you can furnish me with that link. If there is a conflict I'll contact Paul. He does have a disclaimer saying it's possible that he is inaccurate but I think he strives for accuracy and is respected for same. So he would like to know about discrepancies in his information.

Dan/Panther · « **Reply #41 on:** February 18, 2009, 09:53:11 PM »

Dennis;
In my haste to post, I guess I forgot to put the picture up.
Here it is.
D/P

Dan/Panther · « **Reply #42 on:** February 18, 2009, 10:03:40 PM »

Dennis;
My bad so they say, I was looking at those numbers as dates.
D/P

Dennis Markham · « **Reply #43 on:** February 18, 2009, 10:07:45 PM »

Dan, that's a nice looking Princess. Looks Aqua on this end.

McHeath · « **Reply #44 on:** February 19, 2009, 12:09:06 AM »

I bought a new in the box aqua Western Electric G handset the other day, still in the wrapper. It's a nice blue, and gives me a good view of what aqua means, it's kind of baby bluish really.

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