Hobbies & Antiques

I'm not old .... I would prefer the term vintage or antique, thank you 

It's funny when I was younger, items that were 20, 30 or more years old were just called "old" or "junk"..  Sometimes you might be embarrassed (or were embarrassed  to own them or have to use them.. Now that I'm older those same things are called "vintage" "art deco" or "antique".  Back in the day you were poor (or at least not "well to do") if you had old things, now in some cases (depending on what the item is) in order to have antiques you might need to be slightly "well to do"

I have always had a fascination with vintage and antique items of all types.  Don't get me wrong, I love internet, cell/smart phones, 4G, HDTV, Netflix and Dolby surround sound, blue ray and the like, but I have an appreciation for technology and styles of the past.


My first dabbling with antiques and vintage items were some of the cars I owned.  When I was a teenager and in my early 20's I purchased some vintage vehicles (in other words old or clunkers) for my own personal transportation.  I had a car [actually more like a TANK] from the early 1950's and also owned a sharp looking convertible shown below.

Chevy Corvair convertible.  Engine in back, trunk in the front

Early 50's Buick

This car was 20 feet long, weighed 4000 lbs and got 8 mpg.  A Straight 8 Engine and 6V Electrical System

 
These cars were junkers, but I learned a thing or two about auto repair and older technology, and when they weren't in the repair shop. (Which they were quite often), they were extremely fun to drive and were definitely "head turners" !

My more recent hobbies have been Phones, Tube Radios and vintage electric clocks.

I had always wanted an old telephone since my teenage years.  They looked cool and were unique, but unfortunately, the availability and price was just too much to overcome.  A few years ago I rediscovered my interest in old phone and made my first purchase.  This was Western Electric model 202 from the late 1920's/early 1930's.  This phone was a desk phone and had a rotary dial, but did not have an enclosed ringer.  The ringer (and some other parts) were housed in a rectangular box know as a "subset" [or ringer box].  The model 202 phone is shown in the photo below as the phone to the right of the radio.

Western Electric Model 302 and 202 telephones.

Later on after the phone "bug" took hold, I acquired a candlestick phone.

Western Electric Model 151 Rotary Dial Candlestick Phone

At that point I started poking around on some bulletin board specific to old phone.  I found that not only did I like owning them, but I was also interested in how they work.  I focused in on a slightly newer phone the Western Electric Model 302.  This model was the first phone to have an internal ringer and was manufactured between 1937 and 1954.  The model 302 was  my first attempted at a restoration. 

The restoration involved taking apart the entire phone, cleaning all of the components, sending the dial out for maintenance  recovering the leather feet, wet sanding the case to remove scratches, and then polishing, and replacing or cleaning/repairing the wires to the handset and wall.

Before Photo

Partially disassembled

Shell sanded to remove scratches.  Waiting to be polished

Base of phone with cleaned parts re-installed and newly recovered leather feet waiting to be installed

Finished product.  Good as new and ready for another 60 years of use.

My first attempt came out very well.   I have since restored about a dozen phones.  Including the Western Electric Model 554 wall phone and the rotary dial princess phone.

Western Electric Model 354 Wall Phones Circa 1948

Princess Phone Circa 1959

Of all these restorations,  some were donated for charity raffles, some were gifts and others were for my families own personal use.  In all cases the phones were restored to working order at or near their original condition.  It is a great hobby that is very satisfying.

You don't need to restore phones or hang glide to have a relaxing hobby.  Hike, walk, take pictures, do anything but stay active and have a hobby or two.  You'll keep your sanity a little longer if you do.