WE Bedroom Set Prototype

WE Bedroom Set (Princess Prototype)

©2002-15 paulf. All rights reserved.

(What's this copyright notice?)

This phone was on display at the November 2002 Hartford phone show.
I managed to get these few quick shots as the show was closing Friday night.

These units were used in Field Trials and differ from the later production sets.

On this page: Internals Instructions Colors

Return to the Development Timeline

WE Bedroom Phone Prototype - front

In all the photos I've seen in the past, it looked like the prototype was about the same as the production model, except the switch for the light was on the bottom front, instead of the later placement on the back. The standard G3 handset is used.

There's more to the story!

WE Bedroom Phone Prototype - back

The handgrip ridge goes all the way across the front and back of the housing.

WE Bedroom Set bottom view

The bottom plate is clearly different. The mat on the bottom is larger, and there is a ringer adjustment -- but it's a switch, not a mechanical lever. It's marked OFF - H - L..

The marking on the bottom is F-51910 (just above the "619").

WE Bedroom Phone Prototype - right
Looking from the side, the top surface is clearly a sepatate piece that was glued on to the seperately-molded base

Looking inside (below), it's easy to see why. The dial is a standard #6, and it's mounted just as in a 302 or 5302. It's attached to the housing and connected by wires, not mounted to the baseplate, as in the production version.

There is an interesting clear plastic window at the dial's 7 0'clock position to let the light under the dial plate. The inside was partially painted black to prevent the light from shining through the housing.

WE Bedroom Phone Prototype - inside

The network coil is on the left. There are two circuit boards, containing the network and ringer circuitry. A coil on the right is apparently used in the ringing circuit. The "ringing signal" comes from the handset receiver.

The hookswitch is grossly overdesigned. Pushing on either arm activates the switch independently. This is a mechanical "OR" gate for you logic fans. They spent a lot of time cost-reducing this before production!

WE Bedroom Phone Prototype - hookswitch detail

Note the "F" numbers on several of the internal components.

WE Bedroom Phone Prototype - coil for ringer

[WE Bedroom Phone Prototype - network
The instruction sheet below was found folded and tucked inside. Unfortunately, no wiring diagram was included!

The color codes were:
A - Aqua Blue
B - Rose Pink
C - White
D - Beige

F-51910 BEDROOM SET TRIAL INSTRUCTION NO. 101
ISSUE 2, MARCH 29, 1957

WE Bedroom Phone Prototype - instructions

In 2013, a few friends got together to compare notes.
Between us, we had four colors, including pink, aqua and beige from the list above.
We didn't have a white set like number 619 above, but had several that were definitely ivory.
All sets were dated in 1957.
Ivory was apparently added after the instructions were printed in March,
with found sets dated 7/57 and with relatively high numbers between 1308 and 1409.

Bedroom Set Colors

Please send comments or photos of your favorite phones to: