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Pink 1554

Started by kleinkaliber, January 24, 2014, 12:28:59 PM

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kleinkaliber

I grabbed this 1554 off of Ebay last week. Arrived yesterday ;D. What suprised me about it was the chrome back plate. I'd never seen that before. It's my first 1554, so I don't know if they are all that way, but my early 2554's are not.

John

jsowers

I looked on the backs of the two I have out on display and in lots of pictures (I have a friend with an almost complete collection of them) and all the 1554s seem to have the same textured chrome finish on the back. The 2554s I looked at all seem to have a duller metal finish on the back. All the 1554s also had the thumbwheel ringer adjust on top. I've seen 2554s with either the thumbwheel or the clear lever adjuster on the right, which came later.
Jonathan

Contempra

The hook seems to be from metal. if so, its a little bit quality than the plastic hook....anyway its a nice one even if its a bit discolored.

paul-f

#3
I agree with Jonathan on the backplate color.  1554s were available with the ringer adjustment on the side as well (later production).  ISTR Vern was looking to upgrade to the earlier variations a while ago.

   Found a reference:  http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=5550.msg67390#msg67390

Pink seems to be a challenging color to find in a hardwired wall set.  Good catch!
Visit: paul-f.com         WE  500  Design_Line

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WesternElectricBen

Nice find!

This model was before modular so they just ran a wire out the back, rather than the more stranded back plate today.

Ben

WEBellSystemChristian

Nice find! I really like the earlier chrome switch hooks, they look better than the clear or the same color versions.
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford

jsowers

Quote from: WesternElectricBen on January 24, 2014, 04:54:36 PM
Nice find!

This model was before modular so they just ran a wire out the back, rather than the more stranded back plate today.

Ben

They did sometimes run the station wire into the large hole in the back, but also there was a spot on the bottom left designed for the station wire to enter. A mousehole of sorts. You can see the original station wire sticking out of it on this pink 1554.

Paul, thanks for the info on the ringer adjusts. For whatever reason, I don't have a late model 1554 with the side adjuster.
Jonathan

paul-f

You're welcome, Jonathan.

For reference and comparison, here's the back of a 1554B with P1 ringer (side adjustment).
Visit: paul-f.com         WE  500  Design_Line

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kleinkaliber

What did these 1554s use for a mounting plate? I see the 2554s have the same mouting holes as the 1554 but the 2554 seems to have mainly used the modular wall plate, which the 1554 has no mounting slots for.

poplar1

Quote from: kleinkaliber on January 26, 2014, 02:05:14 PM
What did these 1554s use for a mounting plate? I see the 2554s have the same mouting holes as the 1554 but the 2554 seems to have mainly used the modular wall plate, which the 1554 has no mounting slots for.

Originally, a 1554 was installed on a plastic backboard for most installations. (Some locations did not require a backboard.) 2554s were all non-modular from 1968 to c. 1973, but many of these were later converted to modular by adding a 229 adapter plate. New wall phones from c. 1973 on had a hole in the backplate for intalling a 523A modular plug.

I have only the earlier type (c. 1973) modular adapter plate here, but the  2554 attaches to it with screws in the same position as the screw holes shown on this 1554. So while there may be additional holes on 2554s, the 2 large holes shown here carried over.

Even 354s can be modularized by using the same 228 or 228A plate that is used for 554s. That is because the 554 was made to be backwards compatible so far as mounting on the same 172-type backboard. 354s and 554s have the same footprint (length and width).
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