Posted 14 years ago
TeresaD
(252 items)
Do not no much about this phone its RED WHITE BLACK
On the bottom is reads
C/O 500 1-70
BELL SYSTEM PROPERTY
NOT FOR SALE
Western Electric
Any help will be good
Thank you
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Help I need so Info. Anyone
Well I will tell you this. It is a Western Electric Model 500 Telephone. It was made in January of 1970. It was built in color -114 which is "Bright Red" but someone put a different model "G" hand set on it "-3" Which is Black. The caps of the model "G" hand set unscrewed so they may have put white one's on it.
The 500 is the most iconic phone of all time. It was my first phone and they are getting harder and harder to come by.
Back in the day before 1984 when the Bell System was broken up "Divestiture" the phone company would not sell you a phone they would only rent them to you. that is why it says "not for sale" that way they controlled everything from their offices to the wiring in your home to the phone.
Very cool phone I love it!!!
Thank you I had no clue I do remember having them back in the day is there any value or is it just history behind it
Well as far as value there isn't a whole lot. You can still find an adapter to convert the 4 prong plug plug to a std. RJ11 plug to see if it works. The value of these phones depend on color, age and condition. Values range from 20 dollars to 300 dollars. They started making these phones in the late 50's until the 80's. I have seen Blue 500's from the 1950's go for 350 dollars and tan 1980's 500's go for 15 dollars. My guess with the mismatched parts and being from 1970 it would go closer to the 60 to 75 range if it was cleaned up real nice and tested to be working (that included the ringer and the ringer volume adjustment lever on the bottom).
But you never know it is real cool in the color combo that it is and you may find a buyer that would pay more for the look.
Any other questions please let me know.
Charles
@csrussell
Re: "They started making these phones in the late 50's..."
The Western Electric 500-series was actually introduced in 1949 (basic black), two-toned color versions were introduced in 1953, and full-color versions in 1954.
References:
http://www.paul-f.com/we500typ.htm
http://www.porticus.org/bell/telephones-500.html
http://www.paul-f.com/color.htm#WEcolors (scroll down a bit to 500-series)
http://www.porticus.org/bell/images/we-color-chart1.jpg
http://www.paul-f.com/wecolors.htm
Regards