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Received a Really Nice Telephone in the Mail Today

Started by benhutcherson, September 15, 2008, 05:49:32 PM

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benhutcherson

Sorry folks, but I just had to do a little bit of bragging about my latest acquisition.

For a while now, I've been on the lookout for a really early 500 set. While the "holy grail" would be a '49 date-matched set, I decided that, at least for now, I'd settle on anything old enough to have a straight handset cord.

Well, last week, after stalking all the local possible sources(flea markets, antique malls, auctions, etc), as well as Ebay, I finally spied this one

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160278671979
     --> (  dead link 7-18-17 )


As you can see, I was able to grab it for $20, although I took a bit of a gamble since only a small section of the base is shown.

Well, after receiving it today, I was not disappointed. Everything is 5/52 throughout. The condition is a bit rougher than it appears in the pictures, but still overall very nice. I expect it to clean up and display very nicely. Also, the dial is sluggish, but that's nothing that a good service shouldn't fix.

Also, this one is a 500T as opposed to the (apparently) very common 500 C/D. From what I've found, the 500T is a single line only phone. Perhaps the unusual thing about it, though, is that it has a terminal strip right inside of where the handset cord comes in where the handset cord attaches.

In any case, I'm really happy with what I ended up with. I'll post some pictures once I get a chance to make it a little bit more presentable.



Mark Stevens

Wow Ben, that's a beaut!  By all means, upload some good pics of it when you get the chance. 

McHeath

You did good!  I saw that phone and mused over it for a moment or two, it's even better than the description with all the dates matching.  Does anyone have a 500 from 1949? 

bingster

Very nice! I think that's the earliest 500 I've yet seen.
= DARRIN =



Dennis Markham

Nice job on that phone Ben.  I came close to pushing the button on that one.  I think the $19 shipping charge scared me away.  With the split network, you may have a different ringer and dial than the later phones too.  Sometimes in phones from 1952 the ringer is a C2A ringer rather than the more common C4A.  It should be stamped in red right on the ringer.  Also if you look at the back of the dial it may have a 7A dial which was the earlier predecessor of the 7C and 7D.  Nice catch!

I do have a model 500 from 1950 however the handset cord is not original and is not dated 1950.

Again reference Paul Fassbender's site you can look here for all of the model designations:

http://mysite.verizon.net/paul-f/we500typ.htm     --> (  dead link 7-18-17 )


You will note from my photos that in 1950 the date and model number was printed on the front end of the phone as opposed to up along the edge near the ringer volume wheel as they were later.

I understand that phones from 1949 are very rare.  I have not personally seen one but I know they're out there among the collectors.


benhutcherson

Thanks for the compliments.

Dennis,

I too was nearly scared away by the high shipping prices, and I think that that's why the phone sold as low as it did. I had it shipped parcel post, which didn't take too much longer than priority mail would have(probably would have gotten it last Friday if it had gone Priority), and only cost $12.

In any case, this one does definitely have the 7A dial. I don't know whether it's from the lack of service or the different design, but the dial definitely sounds different than the 7Cs I have.

The network in this one is a 425A. It's all one block, and looks fairly similar to the 425Bs/425Es in most of my other phones. The terminal layout on top is different, however.

And, yes, the ringer is a C2A. I hadn't noticed that on my earlier examination.

Also, a couple of other oddities I've noticed, as compared to my other 500s:

The ringer gongs are marked only "A" and "B", as opposed to 54A and 55A. I haven't hooked it up and let it really ring yet, but, when pinged with a screwdriver or the clapper, they sound identical to the standard gongs. Also, one of them(the B gong) has the number "12" stamped in ink on top of it.

I do already have a really nice original set from '55, however this set is different enough internally from that one that it's made examining really fascinating.


Anyway, thanks again for all of the compliments.

BDM

Common or not, it's part of the fun discovering what small differences you may have. Especially when they're rare ;)
--Brian--

St Clair Shores, MI

benhutcherson

Another oddity about this one:

Every other hardwired 500 I've taken apart, including a half dozen or so with a G-1 handset, has had lip molded onto the bottom of the transmitter cup to retain the cord and provide strain relief.

On this set, the strain reliever is molded as part of the handset body itself.

benhutcherson

#8
As promised, here are some more photos.

1)  The first is of the phone after spending some time removing the paint speckles and some basic polishing. I installed an original celluloid, as well as an original dial card I had in my parts bin-one of these days, I'll print one up that either has the correct area code for central Kentucky(502), or from its city of origin(Mesa, AZ)



2 & 3)  The next two shots are of the insides, showing the terminal strip for the handset cord, and the 425A network. Notice that the date on all parts visible is 52, including the retainer on the original line cord.





4 & 5)  And, finally, the a few photos of the handset. Much to my surprise, the handset shell and caps are all three date coded. I'm also including a photo of the cord retainer molded into the handset(as opposed to the bottom of the transmitter cup).





I also serviced the 7A dial-it now works very smoothly.

I'm still very excited about my purchase, and feel like I got a really good buy.

McHeath

You did get a great buy.  I really like this phone!

Dennis Markham

Nice photos.  Nice phone.  That's a keeper for sure.  It's hard to imagine that it's 56 years old!  Those transmitter cups were used on the early models.  You have to be careful removing the cord from the little fork that holds it.  Once while trying to pry the cord out of there I snapped off that little two pronged "fork" (for lack of a better description).  Thanks for sharing those!

JimH

Nice find!  About six months ago I got one just like it at a garage sale for the unbelievable price of $4.  It was literally covered with mud on the outside!  The man told me he found it in his crawl space.   When I got it home and took apart the plastics to clean, the condition was unbelievable!   When the mud came off, it looks New Old Stock.  I think a telephone man or something from 1952 left it laying in there and it was in there for 56 years!  It is my best 500.  Just goes to show you, you never know where you're going to find a gem!
Jim H.

Mark Stevens

Quote from: JimH on September 26, 2008, 08:18:49 AM
About six months ago I got one just like it at a garage sale for the unbelievable price of $4.  It was literally covered with mud on the outside!  The man told me he found it in his crawl space.   When I got it home and took apart the plastics to clean, the condition was unbelievable!   When the mud came off, it looks New Old Stock.  I think a telephone man or something from 1952 left it laying in there and it was in there for 56 years!  It is my best 500.  Just goes to show you, you never know where you're going to find a gem!

Do you have any photos you can share?  Best of all... any before and after pics?!  If you can provide such photos, I'll wave your annual membership fee!  :D

JimH

RE: Mark Stevens:

I wish I'd taken some "before" pictures of my crawl-space find.  Problem was, I did not know the outcome of the cleaning process was going to be so startling, so I didn't bother to take pictures.  I'll post some "after pictures for all to see.
Jim H.

Mark Stevens

Quote from: JimH on October 03, 2008, 07:47:37 AM
I wish I'd taken some "before" pictures of my crawl-space find.  Problem was, I did not know the outcome of the cleaning process was going to be so startling, so I didn't bother to take pictures.

Boy, that's the story of my life. Whether it be cars, motorcycles, phones...I've always neglected to take before pictures! Just too excited to get to work, and don't want to stop and get the camera.  :-\