Vintage Phones

[Lillemor]

Get just one, for you. Let him have the others.

Brilliant! But if what I just read that JEEP wrote is true, then that's not even an option I have.

 

[Josephine]

Brilliant! But if what I just read that JEEP wrote is true, then that's not even an option I have.

Make a call on the regular phone, then switch over to the vintage one. There's always a way!

 

[DeaconKC]

Many systems will still allow the pulse phones to work. Check with your local company. But even if it won't dial out, you can still answer and talk on the vintage phones.

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

And there are small thingies that do nothing but produce the right beeps, specifically for pulse phones. (They've been around since the eighties or earlier, and were sold to people who wanted to control their answering machines from public phones.)

I'm not sure about the common term, but googling "tone dialer" (with the quotes) should give a first hint.

 

[Lillemor]

I just want a simple 1950s bakelite phone. Nothing fancy. But I just remembered from talking vintage costume jewelry with my husband, that he hates bakelite with a passion. He's an electro-technician (and a HAM geek) so he's acquianted with these materials and he refuses to have any bakelite in our home because it's such a "tacky/fragile material". Maybe I'll have to find something fancier than bakelite from the same era.....I'm not giving up this easily!

I need a vintage HAM who can be a diplomatic negotiator between hub and I

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

low volume

The problem with my WE 202 phone is that both listening and, according to people I talked to, speaking is very low-volume. I don't think it's the line, as modern phones work alright here.

Does anyone know a remedy? There's a network inside, and I don't think it's that, because I had it replaced and the problem's still there.

 

[LizzieMaine]

The trick to using a 202 is to remember to always talk *directly* into the mouthpiece -- it has no directionality at all, so if you're even slightly off-angle it won't pick up properly. You might try adjusting the angle of the spit-cup to catch as much sound as possible at the angle you use the phone -- that will also help.

And you also have to talk louder -- the transmitter isn't as sensitive as you'd find on a later model.

As to the listening, it could be that the magnets are weak in the receiver -- or it could be that the metal diaphragm is bent or dirty and not making proper contact with the poles. Or it could be something as simple as the earpiece cap not being tightly screwed down. If the magnets are bad, the element will need to be replaced, but the other problems can be easily fixed.

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

Thanks a lot, I'll have a look into all of that, except for the spit cup - I have one of those fancy modern (1938) F1 handsets.

 

[Forgotten Man]

I just want a simple 1950s bakelite phone. Nothing fancy. But I just remembered from talking vintage costume jewelry with my husband, that he hates bakelite with a passion. He's an electro-technician (and a HAM geek) so he's acquianted with these materials and he refuses to have any bakelite in our home because it's such a "tacky/fragile material". Maybe I'll have to find something fancier than bakelite from the same era.....I'm not giving up this easily!

I need a vintage HAM who can be a diplomatic negotiator between hub and I

First off, I don't want to sound rude but, your husband can't know real Bakelite... he must have it confused with the soybean stuff they were making in the 40s during the war. Bakelite on these old phones is very tough! It will crack if you throw it against a wall... but, it holds up very well under normal use.

The standard phone of the 40s or early 50s is the Western Electric model 302 such as this one:

That model was introduced in 1938... it was made of metal first, up till 1942 when they started to make them out of a very hard durable plastic... Bakelite! The Bakelite they used was black... every Western Electric model 302 was black unless painted by the owner a different color. The 302 was made into the 50s and was still Bakelite. If you're looking for a fun and good working phone, pick one of these Western Electric 302's up... you can find them for under $100 bucks in ready to use condition! And if you find a metal one, then you're happy to have a phone and your husband is happy that it's not plastic. And if you want a later model from the late 50s, then they came in a different plastic by then, and in different colors.

 

[Forgotten Man]

The day has come...

Just the other day, I received my very first Western Electric Candlestick!

I traded some things for it with a close friend of mine... I just have to order the receiver cord and line cord... then, I should be in business!

This is a dial-less model, it's fine with me because, it is going to be used as an extension in my bedroom just so I don't have to get out of bed when someone is rude and calls me before 10am lol

 

[Mike K.]

Pulse to tone converters here

http://oldphoneworks.com/pulse-to-tone-converters/

...along with just about everything else too!

 

[Lulu-in-Ny]

Always glad to hear my work is enjoyed!

If ya like it, I could send you the larger format... I do custom art work on the side... my prices are very reasonable.

Wow- how bad is it that it took me three months to see this? I would love to see some of your work! I'm always looking for unique things to hang around the joint...

 

[Forgotten Man]

Wow- how bad is it that it took me three months to see this? I would love to see some of your work! I'm always looking for unique things to hang around the joint...

Send me a PM and we'll chat... I can email you more of my work.

 

[Mike K.]

Hooray!!

I finally picked up a Western Electric 302 telephone, nicely restored and a decent price!

Also managed to procure an all-bakelite Automatic Electric phone that needs some minor restoration work. I plan on ordering up the chrome trim pieces and making this one my "fancy" phone.

 

[Forgotten Man]

I finally picked up a Western Electric 302 telephone, nicely restored and a decent price!

Also managed to procure an all-bakelite Automatic Electric phone that needs some minor restoration work. I plan on ordering up the chrome trim pieces and making this one my "fancy" phone.

Nice phones there! But, the Automatic Electric.... I'd leave alone... it's very rare to find one that's all black like that. I own one that belonged to my Dad's side of the family... it has the chrome finger wheel and receiver bands. But, the case is all cracked due to my father droppin' it a mess of times when he was a kid... lol

Keep your eye out for an AE that has the pieces you like... and trade that all black model in for the fancier model you want... that's my advice. By the way, was the AE a bad phone? It looks as if it's goin' to be cooked up for dinner bein' on the stove like that! lol

 

[Darhling]

Maybe mine is more retro than vintage

But sadly I cant use it, people have a hard time hearing me in it. It worked when I bought it though from this guy http://www.ericofon.com/

A white Ericofon with touchtone face.

 

[DeaconKC]

Just got this one today at a yard sale. An Automatic Electric. Not working right now, I think the cord is the culprit. Gonna attack it later. Oh well for a buck, it will be fun!

 

[Forgotten Man]

Question:

I'm right now trying to hook up a new receiver cord to the Western Electric Candlestick I have... I'm not sure how to do it... I unscrewed the cap at the bottom of the receiver and then, saw four little screws... I unscrewed them and nothing came out... there is a very fragile looking plate that the magnate is sitting on under the diaphragm. And I don't think that there is an end cap to the WE receivers... looks solid.

How do I hook up the new receiver cord to the receiver?

 

[Scuffy]

Well this is just depressing! I just posted pix of my office supplies in the corresponding thread... and most of which were phones. Rather than re-post them check out the desk/office thread! And if you'd like I can post them here as well, just figured I'd save the space!

Scuffy

 

[Lucky Strike]

Here's a pic of a Wehrmacht phone, made by Siemens, as found: