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People started collecting phones shortly after Alexander Graham Bell patented them in 1876. Some of those early handmade wood telephones from the 1880s (e.g. those marked Charles Williams Jr. or American Bell) are among the most prized finds for telephone collectors.
Collectible antique and vintage telephones basically fall into three groups. Wood wall phones, which were produced from 1876 up through World War II, have lost much of their appeal (except those earliest models) as few collectors still remember growing up with them. Candlestick phones, produced from the 1890s through the 1920s, are still in great demand, especially the earliest turn of the century nickel-plated models.
Desk sets, including most phones after 1930, are the bulk of the hobby today, and range from early 1920s models with ringer boxes to the groovy 1960s and 70s Ericofon, Princess and Trimline models. The most commonly found phones are rotary dial models such as the Western Electric 202s (1930s), 302s (1940s-50s), and 500 sets (1960s and 70s)...
While Western Electric is the big name for many American collectors, makers like Automatic Electric, Kellogg Switchboard and Supply, Stromberg Carlson and others are also in high demand. Many telephone collectors also focus on related items such as telephone signs and switchboards.
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Interviews & Articles
Antique Telephone Collector Gary Goff Talks Candlesticks and Desk Sets
How did I get started collecting antique telephones? As a kid I always liked phones, using them, talking on them. As a teenager I … [more]
Uncovering Lost Treasure - Antique Art Deco Telephones In Storage Since 1945
Every collector dreams of being the person to uncover cities of lost gold, the next Tutankhamen's tomb, or if not that, an overgro… [more]
Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)
The Telephone Archive
If you're into old phones, check out this 600-page repository of images and historical information. Includes an ext… [read review or visit site]
Clubs & Associations: Telephones
- Antique Telephone Collectors Association
- Telephone Collectors International
- Telecommunications History Group
- Telecommunications Heritage Group (UK)
- Australasian Telephone Collectors Society, Inc.
Discussion Forums: Telephones
Other Great Reference Sites: Telephones
Top eBay Auctions
Beautiful Rare Early 1900's Schmitt And Bruckner Candlestick Phone Telephone
Early Overland Telephone W/extra Receiver 
Antique Vintage Western Electric Candlestick Potbelly Telephone Phone Base
Antique/vintage Western Electric 3-slot Pay Phone-rare-originally From Ny/nj 
Automatic Electric 3-slot Coin Payphone Model Lpc 82-55
Art Deco Vintage Western Electric 102 Antique Vintage Rotary Telephone
Western Electric Dial Candlestick Telephone.....restored And Working...nice!!!!
3 Slot Rotary Vintage Pay Phone
Automatic Electric Three Slot Payphone - Coca - Cola Bottling Company
Automatic Electric Three Slot Payphone - Classic Black With Chrome Trim
Vintage 3 Slot Vegas Old Frontier Payphone Mid -1900s Northern Electric Ne233qf
8 Candlestick Telephones For Restoration
Professionally Refurbed At&t Bell Western Pay Phone Payphone Public Telephone
Antique At&t Candlestick 1920's Western Electric 51al Working Now
Vintage Antique Kellogg Hand Crank Wall Mount Telephone Early 1900's
Candlestick Telephone Antique Nickel/bakelite
Antique American Bell Company Candle Stick Phone For Restauration Or Parts
Vintage Rare Red Public Cion Telephone From The 50"s 
Fancy Script Stromberg Carlson Candlestick Telephone, Kansas City Phone
Western Electric 77-a Repeating Coil Transformer
Western Electric 77-a Repeating Coil Transformer
1920s Candlestick Dial Desk Phone Works Well
Great Antique "stromberg Carlson" Wall-mount Telephone -bells Ring - Pat'd. 1884
Industrial Retro Red 802 Telephone Rotary Dial Vintage Funky Working Table Phone
Antique Early 1900's Wooden Western Electric Wall Telephone Oak Hand Crank Rare
Original Nokia 8910i Mobile Cell Phone Unlocked Titanium Cover, Useless In Usa
Pre Wwii 1940 Metal Western Electric 302 Dial Desk Phone With An F1 Receiver
Vintage 1950's Automatic Electric Co. Payphone 3 Slot Rotary
Automatic Electric 3-slot Coin Payphone Model Lpc 82-55 Probably Made In 1970s
Beautiful Art Deco Western Electric B! 102 Telephone, Restored And Working Phone
6 Western Electric 202 Desk Telephones For Restoration
Antique Oak Telephone From 1920s
Bell System Western Electric 212g 3 Slot Black Pay Phone
An Antique Western Electric 233g 3-slot Payphone
Vintage ~~ Candle Stick Telephone & Bell Box
Vintage Bakelite 411 At Pmg Telephone / Phone With Key Control
Beautiful Working 1923 Western Electric Dial Candlestick Phone With Ringer Box
Gorgeous 1928 Western Electric Dial Candlestick Phone With Ringer Box
Antique Solid Oak Stromberg-carlson Crank Wall Telephone Pat Dates 1894-95-96
Antique Vintage Western Electric 202 B-1 Telephone With Ringer
Old Telephone Sales Man Sample Western Electric Ma Bell Trimline Princess Look
Antique Original Western Electric Gold Model 102 Cradle Telephone
Early 51 Al Dial Western Electric Candlestick With 634 Anti-side Tone Ringer Box
Vintage Monophone Phone
Western Electric 500 Yellow Phone Vintage Speaker Telephone Rotary Bell Systems
Vintage 1962 Black Western Electric Rotary Metal Dial Desk Phone C/d500 
Art Deco 1930's (d1) Western Electric 202 Desk Telephone With Fancy E1 Receiver
Vintage Art Deco Western Electric 302 305 Antique Vintage Rotary Dial Telephone
Art Deco Automatic Electric Ae40 Antique Telephone Vintage Desk Phone 
Original Vintage Candlestick Phone - Western Electric
Vintage Western Electric Telephone Antique Phone '50"s Retro
Antique Vintage Rare!! 1909 "vote Berger" Wall-mount Hand-crank Telephone Phone
Iskra Eta Rare Vintage Modern Rotary Dial Yellow Phone Moma Design Collection 
**nos** Brand New Payphone Pay Phone Elcotel Series-5 Very Nice
Antique Oak Monarch Telephone Wall Phone
Rare Telephone Collection Of (7) Stromberg Carlson 1950s Desk Phones 1443 & 1543
Western Electric 202 E-1 & Subset. Commemorative Bell Telephone
* Strong* 150v+ Kellogg Telephone Crank Magneto Part - High Output
Vintage Ericsson Skeleton Eiffel Tower Telephone
Illinois Wisconsin Indiana Michigan Ohio Bell Ameritech Payphone Sign Collection
Recent News: Telephones
Source: Google News
Five Step Plan To Attract Next-Generation Manufacturing Talent
Manufacturing Business Technology, May 24thReminds me of when my kid saw grandma's rotary phone last year and asked, “what is that?” In most of our customer visits, decisive action is being taken, evident through the fact that they are deploying (or have deployed) modern, state-of-the-art...Read more
CM wants Sarawak Museum to be in sync with changing times
The Borneo Post, May 23rdREKINDLING MEMORY: Taib (middle) reminisces the good old days of using this antique telephone model as he browses through the exhibition booths prior to launching the event. At left is Ibrahim. — Photo by Chimon Upon. KUCHING: The time has come...Read more
Review: Pump Room
ChicagoPride.com, May 23rdThe entrance hall is lined with photos of the various celebrities that dined in the famous "Booth One", and as a tribute, a replica of a vintage phone is still found next to said booth. But, that's about as nostalgic as it gets. The new Pump Room is...Read more
The Evolution of Hand Gestures: Why Do Some Die Out and Others Endure?
The Atlantic, May 22ndAmong my friends, this gesture has supplanted the hand-cradle, pinky to mouth and thumb to ear; the imaginary cups to ear and mouth; and the finger twirling the air, as if dialing a rotary phone. Today, we may be more likely to move our fingers across...Read more
Flip 'em or trade 'em, baseball cards remain at the heart of the old game ...
Plain Dealer, May 22ndSomeday, there might be 3D holograms instead of baseball cards. But while some paper products go the way of gaslight and rotary telephones, baseball cards -- even after the grimy, sweaty, greasy fingers of childhood "doctored" those cards the way...Read more
BKLYN Designs returns with rotary phone lamps, reclaimed wood everything
Mother Nature Network (blog), May 13thEssentially, this involves designer Tyagi Schwartz transforming flea market junk — cigar boxes, plastic trucks, gas cans, tins, electric mixers, CB radios, and old rotary phones … lots of lots of old rotary phones — into whimsical lamps. Each...Read more
Apple to Classify iPhone as 'Vintage' Phone
Indiatimes.com, May 3rdFollow @indiatimes · Indiatimes Login Facebook LoginTwitter Login. Search. Shopping Home News Entertainment LifeStyle Technology Boyz Toyz Sports Top Lists IPL 2013 · Home Technology Mobile Apple to Classify iPhone as 'Vintage' Phone. Comment...Read more
Rotary phones and other ancient stuff
Escanaba Daily Press, April 25thRotary phones and other ancient stuff. April 25, 2013. By Andy Heller , Daily Press. Save | Comments (2) | Post a comment |. FLINT - Now that we're past 50, I've noticed that the world wastes no opportunity to let the lovely yet formidable Marcia and I...Read more