Find of the Month - May 2015

[AE_Collector]

Post your "Find of the Month" for May 2015 here.

A "Find of the Month" is a telephone or a related item that you acquired during the month that you are particularly excited about either because of its rarity, the difficulty you had in trying to find it for your collection or the exceptional "deal" that you got on it.

The "Find of the Month" contest is focused on the collection of telephones rather than on their sale for a profit. To be eligible for the "Find of the Month" contest:

- The finder must have personally acquired and actually own the item.
- The item can be acquired for free but it can not be a gift or present from anyone.
- The item (or any of its components) cannot be put up for sale during the contest period.
- Only one "Find" per owner can be in a "Find of the Month" contest.


A Nomination Should Include:

1) at least one picture of the item.
2) the price & shipping cost.
3) where and/or how it was found.
4) the forum link if discussed in another topic on CRPF.
5) the eBay link if won there.
6) and other information of importance about the find.


Ideally your item would be posted in its own thread elsewhere on the forum such as "Auction Talk", "Flea Market/Yard Sale Finds" or "Collectors Corner" Board. Then you or anyone else can nominate your "Find" to the Current "Find of the Month" thread by posting at least one picture and other details including the price paid, any shipping costs and a link to the original discussion on the forum. It is not a requirement that your find be posted elsewhere on the forum but the more details the better.

Nominations of phones listed in other forum discussion topics, by members that do not own the item but realize it is indeed a "find" worthy of being nominated as a "Find of the Month" candidate, are always welcome.

Please pick your best "Find" to submit for the month limiting your entry to one phone or one "Find" that might include multiple items. If you have already entered for the month and come up with something even better either submit your new find indicating that it replaces your previous entry OR you can enter your new Find in next months contest.

TelePlay has grabbed pictures of all of the "Find of the Month" winners since we started this back in 2010 and he has put them into albums on PhotoBucket. Thanks John.

To check them out, click --> HERE <--

Terry

[cello973]

OK my first submission its a 3/56 soft plastic Western Electric 554 and a 4/57 soft plastic 6041 key found absolutely for free in an old basement shop in Lyndhurst, NJ while on an install rescued it on 5/1/15 from the demolition crew just sorry I didn't get a picture of the original location but when you are relocating history you cant make it too obvious .
The pics are in my garage in PA it is now in use once again and for many years to come...

[.....]

I picked up this 202 with attached N515H subset at an local auction.
Paid $65.00 CDN plus 13% tax for a total of $73.45
The late owner had worked for Bell Canada and had a few telephone related items at the auction.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=14308.0

[zaphod01]

D-170901 variant of a 302. This was $29.99 BIN on ebay. Shipping was $16.36.

www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-WESTERN-ELECTRIC-OPERATOR-PHONE-DESK-TOP-Hard-Line-Excellent-Cond-/151673815426

Base:        D-170901 (also marked with SC for Signal Corps)
Inductor:    D-161107 (dated S-1-45)
Ringer:      D-161769 (dated 5/45)
Capacitor:   D-171658 (assumed, standard size, rubber covered)
Transmitter: D-173387 (dated 4/45 and marked 'FUNGUS TREATED')
Speaker:     D-141924 (dated 4-10-45 and marked 'FUNGUS TREATED')
Line cord:   D-170905
Dial blank:  D-162447
Body:        4 25 45  (additional marking of 75268)
Handset:     Marked   'Western Electric Company U S A' and 'FUNGUS TREATED MAY '45'

There appears to be a document (wiring diagram?) on top of the rubber-covered capacitor. I haven't tried to get at it. I'm afraid of it being stuck to the rubber after 70 years! I'd really like to see it. Has anyone else ever run across a document like this?

I put up a website so I could show more photos. Looks to be original and unmolested, even down to the correct line cord.

http://tinyurl.com/m6zg6aw

[wds]

I'm going to nominate my AE 34 with the carry handle cut out.  $129.95 + $6.39 s/h.  Got this off of Ebay - I had just purchased a pair (2) of AE 35' from the BIN, when a second later this AE 34 popped up from the same seller.  After I picked my jaw up from the floor I hit the BIN button as fast as I could. 

http://tinyurl.com/n7hunes

[HarrySmith]

Looks like the 302 is up in eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VERY-Rare-D-170901-Variant-Prototype-of-Western-Electric-302-TP6A-/281694017793?

[Doug Rose]

I think the 302 was for the War Effort in Asia. I am not sure its a variant, just a fungus controlled 302 set for the humid jungle climate. Made in 1945....Doug

[wds]

I think he means since it's for sale on Ebay maybe it shouldn't be here as a find of the month?

[Partyline4]

Hmm....

Heard about those sets, but never until now seen one.

Pretty interesting!

Still unique, and probably worth a buck or two!

[Sargeguy]

I am going to nominate wds's early B-1 with 2HB dial that he found on eBay for an $85 BIN:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=14380.0



It's a definite keeper!

[AE_Collector]

D-170901 variant of a 302. This was $29.99 BIN on ebay. Shipping was $16.36.

Yeah, looks like it doesnt qualify for the Find of the Month competition unfortunately due to the rule that a find cant be re-listed for sale during the month or duringte voting.

A nice find though, looks to be in like new condition.

Terry

[wds]

Thanks for the nomination of the B1, but I think I can only have one phone at a time on the Find of the Month, and I already had the AE 34 nominated.  If it weren't for that I would also nominate my pair of AE 35's with the matching dial number cards!  With these three finds, this was probably my best month ever. 

[LarryInMichigan]

I might as well nominate my Mediterranean Blue WE 500 which I got at a garage sale for $50.

Larry

[Doug Rose]

Dave....those finds are a good year!!! Outstanding...Doug

[wds]

I actually have one more good find coming, hopefully tomorrow.   A Kellogg candlestick with the old original Kellogg dial.  Four great finds all in May.