Telephones

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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 basically fall into three groups. Wood wall phones, which were produced from 1876 up through WW2, 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 1920's 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

An Interview With Antique Telephone Collector Gary Goff

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 t…  [more]

An Interview With Ericofon Telephone Collector Richard Rose

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 tele…  [more]



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…  [more]

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…  [more]

Kelloggtelephone.com

Kelloggtelephone.com

Mike Neale's fantastic collection of scanned PDFs showcasing the history and products of the Kellogg Switchboard an…  [more]

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…  [more]


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Recent News: Telephones

Source: Google News

Lament for a rotary phone

Nanaimo Daily News,  Canada - Nov 29, 2008
She asked it in such a way that it was apparent she saw rotary phones as something cavemen would use to warn each other of mammoth stampedes. ...

Sending mixed text messages

Dahlonega Nugget, GA - 7 hours ago
For those of you who still own a rotary phone, texting is the act of, well, you should really know what texting is by now. But it's the equivalent of ...

Major Telephone Developments

The Lincoln Tribune - Nov 17, 2008
Profile America — Monday, November 17th. We still use the word “dial” to refer to the act of calling someone’s phone number — even though several ...

Finney's Auction Service

Antiques and Arts Weekly, CT - Nov 30, 2008
... 346, CV73, 74, 403, 3 Tobey Mugs, Tiffany Style Hanging Chandelier w/Turtle Back Glass, Wall Oak Telephone, Candlestick Telephone, Stangel Plates, Vict. ...

A groove only vinyl provides

Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, IN - Nov 30, 2008
Why not 8-track tapes or rotary telephones? Proponents of vinyl say the sound of a high-quality vinyl record is just better. And recording artists are ...

Familiarity Inbreeds Contempt During "Die in a Fire" Week

Deadspin, NY - Nov 29, 2008
We predict he'll call Al at his rotary phone within six months, begging to be let back into the asylum. Unfortunately, aspiring to SEC head coachhood ...

Down to the wireless: telephone landlines going the way of the ...

Foster's Daily Democrat, NH - Nov 11, 2008
... trend away from landlines is being driven by young people who have grown up around Blackberry and other cell phone devices and not rotary telephones. ...

Drivers with suspended licenses stung driving away from courthouse

San Francisco Chronicle,  USA - Nov 17, 2008
He removed numerous items as the tow truck arrived, including an old rotary phone, some fishing reels and a power saw. Dunakin said some drivers arrested in ...

Motown as social history

Cincinnati.com, OH - Nov 23, 2008
... where Martha Reeves, later leader of the Vandellas, once worked as a receptionist, is a Teletype machine and a trio of rotary telephones. ...

Top eBay Auctions    (get weekly Telephones email)

Status       Display       How this works
Skeleton Eiffel Tower Ericsson Phone $750.00 Ends in 3 hours 1 bid
Gray Pay Station, Restored, Working $450.00 Ends Saturday 16 bids
Rare 1899-1905 Deveau Candlestick Telephone $404.00 Ends Monday 8 bids
Candlestick Telephone W.e. 50 Al Original $200.00 Ends Sunday 2 bids
Antique Wooden Wall Telephone $125.01 Ends Friday 6 bids
Genuine Pay Telephone, Public Phone, Coin Phone $109.50 Ends in 9 hours 4 bids
Antique Wall Mounted Wood Telephone $103.00 Ends Sunday 4 bids
Western Electric 202 Antique Telephone $101.00 Ends Thursday 4 bids
Two (2) Bang & Olufsen Beocom 1 Phones B&o $100.00 Ends Monday 1 bid
Antique Phone Booth With Operating Phone $99.00 Ends Tuesday 1 bid
Old Vintage Candlestick Telephone $94.55 Ends in 13 hours 11 bids
Antique Pay-phone $77.00 Ends in 1 hour 15 bids
Western Electric 102 Round Base Cradle Telephone $65.00 Ends in 22 hours 1 bid
Vintage 1950 Western Electric Pink Princess Phone $64.97 Ends in 29 mins 16 bids
Authentic Antique Kellogg Wall Phone 1901 $61.00 Ends Tuesday 3 bids

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Telephones

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