Rotary Payphone *SOLD* on eBay, With a Small Backstory

UPDATE: This item sold, and is no longer up for grabs on eBay.

This restored Bell System rotary dial New York City payphone looks like a beauty. But the backstory lies in the detail of the seller’s images. In years past this payphone appears to have once the house phone at an Army/Navy store in Jackson Heights, Queens. The number shown on the rotary dialer, 718-429-8508, appears on this page of the New York City payphone data museum, which also reveals that at least one other payphone inhabited the Brown’s Army & Navy store at 83-18 37th Avenue. That payphone, 718-429-8358, is no longer in service. The number shown on this old payphone continues to be the phone number for the Army/Navy store. I love when my ancient listings of old payphone numbers and locations connect with something in modern times.