December 3, 2008
Porcelain telephone signs became common in the late 1800s, as the public needed to be directed to the nearest pay station. Typically blue and white with the Bell System logo (or a red shield for independent telcos), these signs generally featured the name of the local phone company (e.g. New England Telephone) plus a brief mention of their connection with long distance. Porcelain telephone signs are highly collectible, depending on rarity, condition and attractiveness.
How did I get started collecting advertising antiques? My dad was a lecturer and tutor in graphics and art fr… [more]
How did I get started collecting antique telephones? As a kid I always liked phones, using them, talking on t… [more]
I like mechanical things. I’ve collected outboard motors, things like that in the past. I got into the tele… [more]
If you're into old phones, check out this 600-page repository of images and historical information. Includes an ext… [more]
This classy looking British site features hundreds of high resolution photos of antique porcelain pre-war (enamel) … [more]
If you're the type who pulls over when you see a 'historic marker ahead' sign, you'll love this site. Orchestrated … [more]
Richard Rose's tribute to the Ericofon, a colorful, stylish concept phone introduced in Europe in the 1950's and th… [more]
This group artistic effort to catalog the signs of Pittsburgh captures many vintage signs (porcelain, neon, wood, t… [more]
Mike Neale's fantastic collection of scanned PDFs showcasing the history and products of the Kellogg Switchboard an… [more]
Ralph and Carol Falvo's excellent collection of automobiles, petroliana, jukeboxes, soda, and general store items. … [more]
For those who want highly detailed information on specific Western Electric antique and vintage telephone models su… [more]
Sam Baker's excellent collection of vintage Ford porcelain and neon signs and related memorabilia from the 1920s an… [more]
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