5/50 500

[loblolly986]

These days I primarily focus on earlier telephones, but I do still take a look when I see a 500 with a straight handset cord. This one is pretty early, with the reverse-painted dial with curved "OPERATOR", and clear hookswitch plungers (which I understand were used on the earliest shells as well as much later ones). Could be some leftover 1949 components in the mix here. Despite the seller's blunders ("550"? "Wall Telephone"?), a bunch of other folks also saw it for what it is. Would've been happy to have it myself, but alas, this appeared right when I couldn't spare the money for a suitably-sized bid.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/334903394125

[Kellogg Kitt]

There is always something new (old) to see!  I had never seen "operator" in a half circle around the zero on a rotary dial phone.

[tubaman]

That's certainly a very early one with that 'Operator' format. Not sure about the plungers as I thought the consensus was that the very early early ones had clear plungers but they were flat topped, which these are not.

[loblolly986]

The only such consensus I'm finding is that flat clear plungers were correct for Dan/Panther's 1948 prototype/field trial set. As for early production sets, it's hard to be sure of this one's originality without seeing the housing date, but see below:

http://www.paul-f.com/we500_Early.html#Housing - 3-31-1949 housing date, rounded clear plungers.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2689.0 - 5-10-49, same.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=23545.msg237329#msg237329 - 10-26-49, same.

[TelePlay]

The bezel on Dan/Panther's 1949 WE 500 has "Z" operator format.

The "operator" bezel on this subject phone is the next version followed by the "oper" version sometime later.

[MMikeJBenN27]

I was looking at that one too, hoping nobody who is "in the know" would see this one, but no such luck.  It soon became too rich for my blood!

Mike

[Brian-Eifert-1999]

I tried bidding on this one but lost it unfortunately. I had a feeling maybe I'd see a post like this on here after the auction. I kinda thought maybe someone on here won it.

[tubaman]

The only such consensus I'm finding is that flat clear plungers were correct for Dan/Panther's 1948 prototype/field trial set. As for early production sets, it's hard to be sure of this one's originality without seeing the housing date, but see below:

http://www.paul-f.com/we500_Early.html#Housing - 3-31-1949 housing date, rounded clear plungers.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2689.0 - 5-10-49, same.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=23545.msg237329#msg237329 - 10-26-49, same.

Fair points indeed. Hopefully it is the real thing as it's in very nice shape.
 

[FABphones]

If a member won it, please reveal! More photos would be good.

[RDPipes]

One things for sure, I bet the seller almost fell off her chair when the bidding ended.
I'm still having a hard time with the going price, rare or not, LOL!

[david@london]

$305 was quite a bargain... have a look at this auction from 2014:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=13046.0

[RDPipes]

$305 was quite a bargain... have a look at this auction from 2014:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=13046.0

Somebody has way too much money to throw around, I could have lived off that for 2 months LOL!

[TelePlay]

This late 1950 phone in need of help sold for $240 seven years ago. That would be about $305 today (inflation adjusted).

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=16524.msg170917#msg170917



Price depends on condition and if all phone could be compared in equal condition, then the selling price would be an inverse logarithmic curve with late 40's phones being in the thousands, early 50's phones being in the hundreds and mid to late 50's on phones being under $100, with the curve flattening out over those years after a really steep drop in price from, say 1949 to 1950 or 1951.

[TelePlay]

This fits the exponential drop off on price for newer 500s.

This 1952 WE 500 in nice condition sold 6 years ago for $48, that would be about $60 today.

Quite the drop off, but, keep in mind the are one off auctions, not average auction, average market prices.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=17727.msg183157#msg183157



Pre-1952 WE 500 phones seem to sell at a premium.

[TelePlay]

Still waiting for the date and price range acceptable to loblolly986.