Vintage Phones

[feltfan]

Thanks.

I've always found the 354 a bit dull, aesthetically.
Having looked around a bit, I am finding LizzieMaine's
price estimates to be more realistic. Glad to see my
pursuit will not be too expensive.

Thanks also AET for suggesting the Classic Rotary Phones forum.
I'm posting over there for ideas, too. And maybe a source for a
phone, too. In the meantime, just in case, I picked up a cheap
WE 500 (ITT) in a cool color.

I'll let y'all know what I get.

 

[Bustercat]

Did some research, made some purchases, and got things set up!

See my post here:
How to use real vintage phones on your cell phone line
http://thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?p=1023864#post1023864

 

[Atomic]

I have many scattered through my home.

Nice old Barcol fan you have there!

Are the phones you have there all working? What makes you collect like that?

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Thank you! Almost all of them work, but I don't have a landline. All the ones that don't work, I can make work, it's just a matter of getting around to them.

It's kind of a funny story why I collect them. I just wanted one for my bedroom when I was younger to fit my motif, and one became 3, 3 became 10, and I have somewhere around 60 now!

Nice old Barcol fan you have there!

Are the phones you have there all working? What makes you collect like that?

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Over $100 should get you a "restored" phone, but I'd still think functional ones could be found for less than that -- I have two 302s, unrestored, one of which cost $60 and the other was $35. They were both pulled-from-service units, in as-found condition, and in both cases, all I had to do to get them working was replace the line cord, which cost less than $10 each plus five minutes with a screwdriver. I'm a big believer in doing-it-yourself wherever possible.

Appearancewise, the original finish on these phones is usually fine --

In my opinion, a lot of restorers go way overboard with the glossy powdercoat, when the original WE enamel is perfectly fine.

The wall-mount version of the 302 is the 354 -- they're less common than the 302, and are more expensive, but you should still be able to get a good specimen for $150 or so.

I absolutely concur, those over-restored old phones just look like shiny toys. I love my authentic looking 302s.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Probably the best combination of sound quality and styling would be a WE 302 -- 202s look nice, but especially if they have the original E1 handset they won't sound as good as a 302. You might get away with a 202 retrofitted with an F1 (302 type) handset.

I have one E1 handset on a 1937 302, and it has an adapter to use a 302 style transmitter instead of the "bullet" type. The "Bulldog" transmitters on later candlestick phones also used the 302 type transmitter.

You likely won't be able to balance a 302 handset on your shoulder, though, without one of those attachment things. The flat-backed handset didn't come in until the days of the WE 500.

The E and F handsets were deliberately designed not to sit on one's shoulder. They didn't want people tying up phone lines for long periods.

 

[feltfan]

The E and F handsets were deliberately designed not to sit on one's shoulder. They didn't want people tying up phone lines for long periods.

I didn't know that! Explains a lot.

BTW, the folks at the Classic Rotary Phones forum are
recommending the AE 50. Certainly an attractive wall phone
and it turns out to have good sound. My personal preference
is for an earlier look than that- fewer angles, more fluid curves.
But it's a darn nice phone and unless someone says there's an earlier
phone with equivalent sound, I will start my search.

The thread is here.

 

[Forgotten Man]

Un-earthed AE Monophone.

Pokin' around an antique shop last weekend and found this little number!

Missin' the rubber bumper but, maybe Phoneco has one. It's an earlier Monophone seeing it has the earlier handset. I don't know much about Automatic Electric's but, I like this one... I believe this is the same model that Bogart has on his desk in "The Maltese Falcon"

The darn thing works perfect! Dials out, recieves calls and has a good sound and original handset cord! Just need to figure out how to take the dial button off to insert a dial card.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

What's your handle over there? I'm Atomic Era Tom there as well.

I didn't know that! Explains a lot.

BTW, the folks at the Classic Rotary Phones forum are
recommending the AE 50. Certainly an attractive wall phone
and it turns out to have good sound. My personal preference
is for an earlier look than that- fewer angles, more fluid curves.
But it's a darn nice phone and unless someone says there's an earlier
phone with equivalent sound, I will start my search.

The thread is here.

 

[Atomic]

Pokin' around an antique shop last weekend and found this little number!

Missin' the rubber bumper but, maybe Phoneco has one. It's an earlier Monophone seeing it has the earlier handset. I don't know much about Automatic Electric's but, I like this one... I believe this is the same model that Bogart has on his desk in "The Maltese Falcon"

The darn thing works perfect! Dials out, recieves calls and has a good sound and original handset cord! Just need to figure out how to take the dial button off to insert a dial card.

Cool looking phone! Does that one have a ringer box or is it totally self contained?

 

[Bustercat]

Found a great forum, with good diy repair info, and some great prices on phones. I see some of us already post there!

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php

 

[Argee]

Pokin' around an antique shop last weekend and found this little number!

Missin' the rubber bumper but, maybe Phoneco has one. It's an earlier Monophone seeing it has the earlier handset. I don't know much about Automatic Electric's but, I like this one... I believe this is the same model that Bogart has on his desk in "The Maltese Falcon"

The darn thing works perfect! Dials out, recieves calls and has a good sound and original handset cord! Just need to figure out how to take the dial button off to insert a dial card.

Lucky find. That's an AE34 by the way, and you are correct about it appearing the the Maltese Falcon. To get the dial button off you insert a small flat screwdriver (or similar object) under the inner rim at the #5, rotate the piece inside counter clockwise to the #7, and the whole thing lifts off (in theory).

Edit: and they sell gaskets at Oldphoneworks

 

[Forgotten Man]

Cool looking phone! Does that one have a ringer box or is it totally self contained?

No, need for a ringer box, it's all self contained like a WE 302

Lucky find. That's an AE34 by the way, and you are correct about it appearing the the Maltese Falcon. To get the dial button off you insert a small flat screwdriver (or similar object) under the inner rim at the #5, rotate the piece inside counter clockwise to the #7, and the whole thing lifts off (in theory).

Edit: and they sell gaskets at Oldphoneworks

Oh, an AE34... would the 34 indicate the year perhaps? I don't know much about Automatic Electrics, I'm mostly a Western Electric guy myself but, I found this and thought it would be a neat one to have. It works very well, I like the look of it and have since I've seen them in numerous Warner Brother movies of the era. Thanks for the tip, I'll try that when I have some spare time... and a dial card haha.

I've seen The Maltese Falcon many times (I own the DVD) and have noticed Sam's desk phone... always wanted to know what kind of phone it was, it wasn't till years later I'd figure out it was an AE Monophone.

Just love these old phones!

 

[Atomic]

I have a WE 500 from 1962 that I tried out today. I can get calls and talk and hear just fine, but the ringer doesn't work. Guess its time to start searching that classic rotary forum for solutions and tricks. I'm bummed....

 

[LizzieMaine]

THere's a very good chance it's just a matter of the ringer being disconnected. In the days of Ma Bell, it was common to disconnect ringers on bootleg extension phones that you'd illegally hooked to your household line, so the network couldn't detect them.

 

[Atomic]

THere's a very good chance it's just a matter of the ringer being disconnected. In the days of Ma Bell, it was common to disconnect ringers on bootleg extension phones that you'd illegally hooked to your household line, so the network couldn't detect them.

I'll have to open it up and find out. I'll check that later today or tomorrow. Thanks!

 

[Forgotten Man]

Model 500's are really common... I see them all the time at thrift shops and antique shops for very little. If you can't fix it, pick up another one.

 

[Atomic]

Model 500's are really common... I see them all the time at thrift shops and antique shops for very little. If you can't fix it, pick up another one.

I picked this particular one up for $15. Although I have to say, looking for them only I found them for 35 up to around 80. Ridiculous prices for such an abundant phone. At least mine is a bit older. I'd like to find one from the early fifties if I could.

Here is a pic of the two that I currently have. I realize I haven't posted them yet. The red phone doesn't have a cord and I've still yet to get rid of the sticker residue. I'll get there...

 

[John in Covina]

Goof Off

Regarding stickers, if you want to get the adhesive off you can try a product called "Goof Off" which can be found in home depot type stores and hardware stores. Try it on an inconspicuous area of the plastic first. It disolves the sticker schmutz as well as crayon marks and other stuff. Gets tar off your car too.

 

[Forgotten Man]

If you want an early 50s WE telephone, the most common that were still being made and were in every office and most homes was the 302. They made them out of metal before '42, then plastic from then on.

I know many have 302's but, for me it's one of the most timeless old phones to own.