Vintage Telephone

Vintage telephones are becoming very popular as collectible items. If you want to start an antique phone collection, you should be familiar with the various styles these models come in.

The Wood Wall Phone

The wood wall phones were manufactured beginning in 1876 and remained in production until World War II. These phones are quite rare. Some of the models that belong to this group are the Centrel tandem, SC McKinley and WE 98 fiddleback. Other phones n this group are the 1878 and 1879 coffins and the SC grave marker.

The Candlestick Phone

These phones were developed during the 1890s. They remained in production up to the 1920s. Among the most remarkable candlestick phone models are the North elbow perch, Century split shaft, SC roman column, WE oilcan, Wilhelm potbelly and Strowger dial.

The Desk Set Telephones

The desk set phones make up most of the phones manufactured during the 1930s onward. These desk set phones have rotary dial numbers. Depending on the model, they may or may not have ringer tones.

Some of the popular models belonging to this group are the Trimline, Princess and Ericofon. The Ericofon phone models include the Cobra rotary phone and the Black Ericcsson.

The Trimline phone was among the earliest of the vintage telephones to have push button dialing. Among collectors, the desk set phone is the most sought after.

Facts about Antique Phones

The rotary phones were manufactured during the late 1800s. In the 1870s, numerous phone models came out. Many used buttons, while others relied on dials.

The inventor Almon Strowger was the first to patent the rotary telephone dial. His phone was the first not to require a switchboard operator and in 1892, the new system was in place. Part of the reason why the rotary dial was invented was due to some people’s belief that switchboard operators were sabotaging their calls.

By 1943, every state in the United States was making use of the rotary telephone. The candlestick phone has the distinction of being the first commercial device used in residential homes (this was in 1919).

The first candlestick made consisted of a long device with a projecting earpiece. By 1927, the handset was already being developed. Eventually the rotary phones became commonplace as they became easier to use.

Other Facts

During the early days, oval base, handset and candlestick were produced. The phones came with ringer times. By the 1930s, the components were all inside the phones.

Numerous kinds of rotary phones with various new features were invented. These included wall mount, office key set, number dialer and the office message data phone. During the war, weather proof and explosion resistant models were invented.

The rotary phones started to disappear during the 1980s as newer models came out. Although push buttons are now standard, some homes still have rotary phones.

With the advent of smartphones and cellular phones, vintage telephones were rendered obsolete. But for collectors, the rotary phones, candlesticks and the other antique phones still hold a certain charm. People fascinated by the history of communications devices would do well to get familiar with these phones.