Red GPO 150 candlestick phone c1930 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

threefatgits · 1st Jun 2016, 12:56 pm

Hi all

New to all this!

My dad is a collector of old phones and is looking for a RED GPO 150 candlestick phone- I've searched high and low but cannot find one- do they exist in that colour?? If they do how rare? How expensive? His 85th Birthday is on the way and I'd love to find him one. Thanks for any help/info you can give me.

AC/HL · 1st Jun 2016, 4:26 pm

I suspect he'd be the one to know, unless it's a surprise.
The red ones here are obviously modern: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ca...w=1280&bih=870

jjwayle · 1st Jun 2016, 4:40 pm

There's one currently for restoration on Ebay under collectable telephones. No connection with seller just spotted it a couple of days back.

Pellseinydd · 2nd Jun 2016, 9:21 pm

I've never seen an original red GPO Telephone 150 in nearly 60 years of 'playing ' with phone since before I worked with GPO Telephones in 1950/60's. There were many 'candlestick' [hones in service in those days. Looking in a 70+ year old copy of the GPO's 'Vocabulary of Engineering Stores' which lists everything including every telephone you could order with descriptions, there is no mention of different colours for 'pillar' telephones (as it describes the Telephone 150 and other candlestick types). Bakelite phones - yes colours are listed - but not for 'candlestick' phones. The one on eBay will have been painted by some-one since its acquisition many years ago. Can't even recalling seeing an original non-GPO old candlestick in red either.

1st Jun 2016, 12:56 pm	#1
threefatgits Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Diss, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 1	Red GPO 150 candlestick phone c1930 Hi all New to all this! My dad is a collector of old phones and is looking for a RED GPO 150 candlestick phone- I've searched high and low but cannot find one- do they exist in that colour?? If they do how rare? How expensive? His 85th Birthday is on the way and I'd love to find him one. Thanks for any help/info you can give me.

1st Jun 2016, 4:26 pm	#2
AC/HL Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 9,642	Re: Red GPO 150 candlestick phone c1930 I suspect he'd be the one to know, unless it's a surprise. The red ones here are obviously modern: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ca...w=1280&bih=870

1st Jun 2016, 4:40 pm	#3
jjwayle Tetrode Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Bromley, London, UK. Posts: 66	Re: Red GPO 150 candlestick phone c1930 There's one currently for restoration on Ebay under collectable telephones. No connection with seller just spotted it a couple of days back.

2nd Jun 2016, 9:21 pm	#4
Pellseinydd Heptode Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Flintshire, UK. Posts: 707	Re: Red GPO 150 candlestick phone c1930 I've never seen an original red GPO Telephone 150 in nearly 60 years of 'playing ' with phone since before I worked with GPO Telephones in 1950/60's. There were many 'candlestick' [hones in service in those days. Looking in a 70+ year old copy of the GPO's 'Vocabulary of Engineering Stores' which lists everything including every telephone you could order with descriptions, there is no mention of different colours for 'pillar' telephones (as it describes the Telephone 150 and other candlestick types). Bakelite phones - yes colours are listed - but not for 'candlestick' phones. The one on eBay will have been painted by some-one since its acquisition many years ago. Can't even recalling seeing an original non-GPO old candlestick in red either.