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About Antique and Vintage Telephones

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 basic...

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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Early Stromberg Army Desk Dial Phone Vintage Stromburg Carlson crank desk phone WW2 Military Field Telephone Set with a Morse Code Key Glass Bell Sign from Buffalo NY Stromberg Carlson Salesmans Sample Candlestick Telephone

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Upcoming Events

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Interviews & Articles

An Interview With Antique Telephone Collector Gary Goff

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]

An Interview With Ericofon Telephone Collector Richard Rose

I like mechanical things. I’ve collected outboard motors, things like that in the past. I got into the telephones probably 15 year… [more]



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Telephones Videos



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Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

The Telephone Archive

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]

Ericofon.com

Ericofon.com

Richard Rose's tribute to the Ericofon, a colorful, stylish concept phone introduced in Europe in the 1950's and th… [read review or visit site]

Kelloggtelephone.com

Kelloggtelephone.com

Mike Neale's fantastic collection of scanned PDFs showcasing the history and products of the Kellogg Switchboard an… [read review or visit site]

Old Telephones as Entertainment

Old Telephones as Entertainment

For those who want highly detailed information on specific Western Electric antique and vintage telephone models su… [read review or visit site]



Clubs & Associations: Telephones

Discussion Forums: Telephones

Other Great Reference Sites: Telephones

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Recent News: Telephones

Source: Google News

MARK BENNETT: Bookmobiles still filling a void in era of budget cutting and ...
Terre Haute Tribune Star, September 5th

TERRE HAUTE — The spin of a rotary phone would seem like an eternity, these days. Today, two clicks on a cellphone can connect you with a friend in less...Read more

I Believe: 'Our large country could learn a great deal from our small state'
BurlingtonFreePress.com, September 5th

Burlington Food Bank, hospitals and nursing homes, even the St. Micheal's College Theater Department (hats from the ¤'40s and vintage phones, anyone?)...Read more

Far-fetched — but you never know
Mormon Times, September 5th

Some friends think I still use a rotary telephone. Guys like me think the Golden Age of sports was 40 years ago, and television began to go downhill the day...Read more

Lists: A highly selective list of awesome things Lady Gaga has worn on her head
Washington Post (blog), September 3rd

It's a little impractical (who uses rotary phones anymore?), but for Gaga, it's a rare moment of literalism. Like most Gaga hats, this one is a weird mix of...Read more

Arts and Entertainment calendar
Montgomery County Courier, September 2nd

Everyone is invited to stop by and view Morris Bateman's collection and display of vintage telephones. A reception will be held in his honor on Sept...Read more

Miami Dolphins QB Chad Henne must drive passing lane
MiamiHerald.com, September 1st

All of a sudden the ``running teams'' were antiques, rotary phones next to a Blackberry. They were ideas literally being passed by...Read more

Firm dials up mould to make vintage phones
Stuff.co.nz, August 30th

By CHARLIE GATES - The Press HOT LINE: Bruce McKenzie, technical manager of Alto Plastics, holds one of the old-style telephones they have produced for the...Read more

Gmail Users Get Free Phone Service, But Is There A Price?
NPR (blog), August 25th

As publicity, Google will install red phone booths with an old fashioned rotary phone, which is connected to the gmail phone service...Read more