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AE Colors (draft)

©2002-12 paulf. All rights reserved.

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Revised: April 17, 2012

The color code can generally be found in the code stamped on the bottom of the telephone.

The 4th & 5th digits are the color of the telephone when it was manufactured.
(Housings were often painted or replaced as phones were refurbished.)

Example: NC802100 CSA = NC802 (model) 10 (color: beige) 0 CSA (dial & ringer)
See bottom of this page for more on -- AE Codes.

AE80
DESK

A
E
9
0

W
A
L
L

P
A
N
E
L

STARLITE
DESK

S
P
A
C
E
M
A
K
E
R

S
T
A
R
L
I
T
E

WALL

S
P
E
A
K
E
R
P
H
O
N
E

S
T
Y
L
E
L
I
N
E

Color

Color
Code

Letter

NC-
80

80E

85

85E

90

95

NB-
182A

NC/D
182A

182
B

183

192
A

192
B

880
A/B

980
A

980
B

Black

00

A

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Beige
(sand)

10

B

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Dawn Gray

11

C

*

*

*

x

*

Green
(avocado)
(jade)

12

D

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Ivory
(classic)

13

E

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Red
(Garnet)

14

F

*

*

*

*

*

Turquoise

15

G

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Dark Blue

16

H

*

x

Yellow
(autumn gold)
(lemonade

17

J

*

*

*

Note 1

Note 1

*

*

*

Pink
(camellia)

18

L

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

White
(basic)
(gardenia)

19

M

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Antique
White

21

N

*

*

*

*

Espresso
Brown

22

Y

*

*

*

*

*

*

Tropic
Green

23

AA

*

*

Electric
Blue

24

AS

*

*

Tangerine

25

AC

*

*

Candy
Apple

26

AD

*

*

Porcelain
Blue

27

AE

*

*

Sunny
Yellow

28

AF

*

*

Autumn
Gold

29

AG

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Blue (forget
me not)

30

K

*

*

*

*

*

x

*

*

*

*

Beige

31

AH

*

*

avocado

32

T

*

*

*

*

Desert
Sand

35

*

Terra Cotta

36

*

Forest
Green

37

*

Clear

Note 2

x

x

Woodgrain

Note 3

x

* Found in GTE/AE documentation
x Observed on sets in collections
( ) Alternate color names sharing the code – usually for different models

Notes:
1. used “17” as Autumn Gold
2. Found sets in clear have color codes based on dial and cord color (e.g. 00 for black or 10 for beige). Any others out there?
3. Found sets in woodgrain are believed to be trials that were never assigned color codes or put into production.

Initial data and chart layout courtesy of Gary Stathatos
Additional data from Keelan Lightfoot, Jim Stettler, Terry Biddlecombe, John Carson and Bill Wright.

Sources:
GTE Station Equipment Repair Handbook # CHB-125 issue 3 (11/82)
GTE Station Installation and Maintenance Handbook CHB-120 issue 13 (8/83)
AE Catalogs: 1957 and 1973

AE “stocklist” codes

Example: NC802100 CSA = NC802 (model) 10 (color: beige) 0 CSA (dial & ringer)

Most codes are model-specific. See documentation for details.
Here are some common codes:

Prefix:

AE80 and 90
NA = Manually adjusted set with a potted transmission unit and a Type 81 handset
NB = Self-compensating set with either a potted or a Type WA-1120 printed wiring board transmission unit and a Type 810 handset.
NC = Self-compensating set with a Type WA-1154 printed wiring board transmission unit and either a Type 810 or 811 handset.

Starlite
NB = Type WA-1120-A transmission network
NC = Type WA-1154-A transmission network
ND = Type WA-1154-A transmission network, 6’ handset cord
NF = Type WA-1154-A transmission network, modular plug on line cord

Base number:
Digits 1 & 2: Model
Digit 3: Handset Cord (2=retractile)

Suffix:
Digits 4 & 5: Color (see chart)
Digit 6: Optional Equipment (model-specific)
Letter 1: Dial marking
A = numeric only
B = no dial (manual set)
C = “metropolitan” (numbers and letters)
Ringer code: (2 characters)
SA = Straight-line with adjusting wheel
SL = Straight-line with no adjusting wheel
nn = Ringer frequency

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