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Old 30th Jan 2019, 7:47 am   #1
Ryan_1993
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Default Ivory 232, been searching for years to find one this good condition

I picked it up yesterday from Astra Antiques. He had a green 300 series for sale, Tempted but way out of my budget at £950

Normally I buy all my vintage phones pretty cheaply and restore them myself, generally all less than £100. I do have this phone in basic black Bakelite with Bell Set No. 26, but the ivory Bakelite is a bit harder to find, the green and red are even harder. Prices for those two colours are out of my budget though lol.

It seems eBay prices are pretty insane ranging from about £500 to £650 for this particular model in good condition. The cheaper examples are usually in a poor state with cracks and chips etc. It seems to me these phones generally discolouvery badly and getting like a brown/yellow toffee ripple effect in the plastic. They also seem to usually crack in the 164 handset as the metal components expand over the years. Finding one in this good of condition definitely costs quite. I paid £380 for, it which sounds a lot, but it’s beautiful and very happy with it. It’s definitely the best condition colour period phone I’ve seen in the flesh, it could be new old stock its that good.

This particular example is a 1956 232 Built by Ericsson for the GPO. I believe it was restored by Vintage Telephony and I bought it from Astra Antiques yesterday. Its now taken pride of place on my desk, all main components appear to be dated 1956 as well.

One thing I’m curious about is that I’ve read that the coloured bakekite phones aren’t actually bakelite but a more unstable early plastic material and that is why they tend to discolour, fade and are more susceptible to cracking.
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Old 30th Jan 2019, 10:24 am   #2
Lloyd 1985
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Default Re: Ivory 232, been searching for years to find one this good condition

Very nice! You’ll probably find that it’s made of urea formaldehyde, very similar to Bakelite, but could be made in brighter colours. ‘Bakelite collectibles’ is a good book to read on the subject. The Ivory Bush DAC90 was also made of the stuff.

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Old 30th Jan 2019, 4:21 pm   #3
Ryan_1993
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Default Re: Ivory 232, been searching for years to find one this good condition

Thanks Lloyd thats the name I was looking for
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Old 30th Jan 2019, 4:49 pm   #4
Graham G3ZVT
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Default Re: Ivory 232, been searching for years to find one this good condition

The 200 series was the classiest phone ever in my book. I like them just as they are, without the Bellset No. 26

The 300 series was Brutalist in comparison to the sexy 200
(In My Humble Opinion)
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Old 30th Jan 2019, 9:44 pm   #5
Ryan_1993
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Default Re: Ivory 232, been searching for years to find one this good condition

I have to agree. I’m also going to get one of the external Tone to pulse converters for the line cord and use this is my main phone lol. I don’t want a Rotatone though as it has to be installed inside. My black 232 can provide the ringing
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Old 30th Jan 2019, 11:17 pm   #6
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Default Re: Ivory 232, been searching for years to find one this good condition

I agree: the 232 is so stylish. I have a working black bakelite King Pyramid; much more common than the ivory version. It looks good and sounds good. Like you, I didn't pay too much (about £130, I think). However, mine is fitted with a Rotatone and it works fine. It is a reversible mod.
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Old 31st Jan 2019, 9:04 am   #7
Dave Moll
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Default Re: Ivory 232, been searching for years to find one this good condition

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan_1993 View Post
I’m also going to get one of the external Tone to pulse converters for the line cord and use this is my main phone lol. I don’t want a Rotatone though as it has to be installed inside.
I can recommend the Dialgizmo.

No connection other than as a satisfied customer.
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Old 1st Feb 2019, 3:28 pm   #8
Pellseinydd
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Default Re: Ivory 232, been searching for years to find one this good condition

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan_1993 View Post
I picked it up yesterday from Astra Antiques. He had a green 300 series for sale, Tempted but way out of my budget at £950

Normally I buy all my vintage phones pretty cheaply and restore them myself, generally all less than £100. I do have this phone in basic black Bakelite with Bell Set No. 26, but the ivory Bakelite is a bit harder to find, the green and red are even harder. Prices for those two colours are out of my budget though lol.

It seems eBay prices are pretty insane ranging from about £500 to £650 for this particular model in good condition. The cheaper examples are usually in a poor state with cracks and chips etc. It seems to me these phones generally discolour very badly and getting like a brown/yellow toffee ripple effect in the plastic. They also seem to usually crack in the 164 handset as the metal components expand over the years. Finding one in this good of condition definitely costs quite. I paid £380 for, it which sounds a lot, but it’s beautiful and very happy with it. It’s definitely the best condition colour period phone I’ve seen in the flesh, it could be new old stock its that good.

This particular example is a 1956 232 Built by Ericsson for the GPO. I believe it was restored by Vintage Telephony and I bought it from Astra Antiques yesterday. Its now taken pride of place on my desk, all main components appear to be dated 1956 as well.

One thing I’m curious about is that I’ve read that the coloured bakekite phones aren’t actually bakelite but a more unstable early plastic material and that is why they tend to discolour, fade and are more susceptible to cracking.
I've got both an ivory Tele 232 (dated 1957) and a Tele 162 (dated 1935) - both in virtually mint condition appearing to have had virtually no use. Still fitted with original cords. The Tele 162 appears to be Bakelite as it is definitely a different colour and material to the later Urea Formaldehyde Tele 232.

The 162 is a lot whiter in colour compared with the yellower 'ivory' Tele 232 and the 'brand new old stock' Tele 300 types I've got still in their original GPO 'Special Packs' .
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