Vintage Phones

[Mike K.]

Sue

I thought that style was called the jukebox phone.

 

[billysmom]

Yes, it's also known as the "Jukebox". Automatic Electric 50.

 

[Mike K.]

Those are great. I really need to get one for my place.

 

[Forgotten Man]

Say Billysmom...

This may look better next to yer A.E. 50 Then the R2-D2 juicer ya have

 

[billysmom]

It certainly would - if it were a juicer. What you're seeing is a Macap M7KR coffee grinder. Goes with the Elektra A-3 espresso machine. :coffee:

 

[John in Covina]

While I do like those old candlestick type phones and so many are really neat, I find that the Western Electric 202 and similar oval styles really catch my eye as "the" phone to have. I am hoping to acquire one soon for my office remodel.

 

[docneg]

I find that the Western Electric 202 and similar oval styles really catch my eye as "the" phone to have. I am hoping to acquire one soon for my office remodel.

You'll never go back once you do.

 

[Gene]

I've got a 202 and a 300-series Western Electric phone, but my favorites are the TP-6-A Signal Corps "Toaster" phone:

and I love my non-dial Kellogg "Red bar" phone:

 

[John in Covina]

You might want to try Semi-Chrome polish, it comes in a tube and a good auto parts place or motorcycle shop should have it. It can really clean up a lot of dulled surfaces either metal or plastic. Many fountain pen restorers use it to polish old pens back to a brilliant shine. I think there is a good chance it would work on those old phones. I just used it on a metal lamp from the 40's and it worked well and have used it on old straight razors both blade and handles (scales) to bring back the shine.

 

[Forgotten Man]

It certainly would - if it were a juicer. What you're seeing is a Macap M7KR coffee grinder. Goes with the Elektra A-3 espresso machine. :coffee:

Oh in that case the Sunbeam can do that...

And this!

Pretty slick huh?

And for the espresso? Try this on for size!

I find that the Western Electric 202 and similar oval styles really catch my eye as "the" phone to have.

I agree John! The W.E. phones of the early 30s are my favorite! The similar oval styled type are 202's, the round base is a 102 model. My favorite part about the 102's and 202's are the E-1 handset. They are so unique and they are very nice to hold.... heavy, but nice!

I've seen some nice ones on ebay as of late... and they're not going for too much as they have in the past... good luck John!

 

[Forgotten Man]

Yesterday, I went hunting in Pomona. I stopped by a favorite shop of mine and he's always had good deals. We go in and the first thing I saw was a model 202 W.E. It's a hotel or extention model, no dial; however had a good E-1 handset and was in overal good shape.

He was only asking $50 bucks for it... I jumpped! So, now I have two 202's one with and one without the dial.

Photos to come shortly.

 

[Bingles]

While I do like those old candlestick type phones and so many are really neat, I find that the Western Electric 202 and similar oval styles really catch my eye as "the" phone to have. I am hoping to acquire one soon for my office remodel.


I have one, but with the chrome base. I LOVE it.

 

[Forgotten Man]

Here's my weekend catch from a long and fun day on "the hunt".

What's neat about it is that the cords are original, and the line cord still has the connectors that would have gone to the ringer box! I'm not sure what I'll do with it yet, maybe another extension phone for the other room... we'll see.

 

[John in Covina]

That's a cool looking phone. "Front desk?! Get me KLondike 9771!"

 

[Forgotten Man]

Thanks John! Let me clue some in on a little secret... there are many great looking restored telephones out there on eBay or from collectors who sell restored/renovated telephones.

Now, what I have learned from other phone enthusiasts is that if one wants a telephone that is original that hasn't been tampered with, they should find a phone that hasn't been restored. Reason being is that most of the time when they are "restored" most of the original components are removed and replaced by many modern parts. So, when you listen, it's crystal clear or better then new sound and the dials are too smooth and don't have that nice zip, tick, tick, tick, sound when it returns. Also, the old "tin can" sound is lost which for me, is part of the fun of an old telephone.

So, you'll see some beautiful phones out there that are asking $200 to $400 for a restored or remodeled telephone... get a fix'er upper on the cheap and order some parts from Phoneco and have your self a learning experience! After all, there's much to learn here in this thread or from other loungers!

For those who don't care about the old sound or any of the nostalgia connected to restored VS remodeled, then by all means enjoy the phones you may purchase!

Just figured I'd tip off some of you out there that may want a more original telephone.

 

[Bingles]

I would love to use the old rotary phone in my grandma's basement as a land line if/when I decide I need more than my cellphone, but my understanding is that starting sometime this year rotary phones will no longer function - in my neck of the woods, atleast - because the phone companies are switching over to a, uhmm, I think digital signal, that wont recognize rotary dialing.

Hodgepodge: I have been worrying that when I by the time I can afford my own place (when I actually get hired as a full time teacher) that my WE 202 phone will not be able to work with the increased use of digital lines. I just stumbled across this device today, which converts the pulse signal to a tone dial to use on the new digital lines. Here is the link: http://www.oldphoneworks.com/pulse-to-tone-converter.html

Thank God for phone geeks out there to keep these antiques working!!!

 

[PoohBang]

make sure you hook 202's to a ringer box or the modern phone line will ruin your receiver!

 

[Bingles]

make sure you hook 202's to a ringer box or the modern phone line will ruin your receiver!

I didn't think they could function without the ringer box??

 

[Forgotten Man]

make sure you hook 202's to a ringer box or the modern phone line will ruin your receiver!

How would the digital line ruin a receiver without a ringer box?

I didn't think they could function without the ringer box??

Oh, they do work without a ringer box! My 202 is pluged right into the wall... I have a model W.E. 302 that rings plenty for the other phones I have in this small house! lol

 

[Heather]

How difficult would it be to modernize the plug on a vintage phone? I guess they call that retrofitting?[huh] I apologize if this has already been asked...