Vintage Telephone Styles

Wood Wall Phones

• Wood wall phones were made starting in 1876 and were available through World War II. Because most collectors no longer remember growing up with such phones, this category, with the exception of the very earliest models, is less popular than are the other two.

  The WE 98 fiddleback, SC McKinley, and Centrel tandem are some of the models in this category. Some have suggestive names, such as SC grave marker 1878 coffin, and 1879 coffin.

Candlestick Phones

• Candlestick phones were introduced in the 1890s, and continued to be made through the 1920s. The Century split shaft, Strowger dial, Wilhelm potbelly, WE oilcan, SC roman column, and North elbow perch are some of the models.

Desk Sets

• Vintage desk set telephones include most telephones made from 1930 on. Most often, collectable desk set telephones are rotary dial models. Some of the older telephones in this class have ringer boxes. Ericofon, Princess, and Trimline a few the model lines.

  Ericofon phones include the Black Ericcsson, and the Cobra rotary phone.

  Princess phones are distinguished by their color.

  Like Princess model phones, Trimline vintage telephones are primarily identified just by their color. Unlike most vintage telephones, Trimline models have push-button dialing.

  The desk set telephone style enjoys the greatest amount of interest among today's collectors.

Manufacturers

• Some phone collectors specialize in manufacturers such as Western Electric, Automatic Electric, Kellogg, and Stromberg Carlson.

Other Collectibles

• Collectors of vintage telephones may also be interested in related items as pay phones, switchboards, telephone signs, and telephone advertising.