Princess Telephones

About Antique Princess Telephones

The Princess was the Bell System's first (and possibly most successful) foray into consumer marketing. Targeted at girls and women, it enabled Bell to sell (lease per month) additional phones for bedrooms etc. The Princess even had a little built-in nightlight. The princess phone's small size and lighted dial were designed to make attractive as a bedside extension.

About Antique Telephones

People started collecting phones shortly after Alexander Graham Bell patented them in 1876. Key varieties include early wood wall phones, candlesticks, and rotary dial ‘desk sets’ made of bakelite, metal, and plastic (e.g. 202, 302, 500, Trimline and Princess). Key U.S. manufacturers include Western Electric, Automatic Electric, Kellogg, and Stromberg Carlson. Payphones and signs are also popular.

Guest Columns and Interviews

• An Interview With Antique Telephone Collector Gary Goff

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