Continuing the 'phone conversation', here's a table of telling bones, which I've collected over the years. The most expensive by far was the upright cream Erikson which I bought in a beautiful vintage shop in Whitby called Stonehouse.
The rest of the phones were from local car boot sales. They all worked except the American cream push button Bell, probably my favourite phone of the batch. I adored the way they were carried round for miles around kitchens and dens in US TV shows!
The black and grey flatbed phone was issued by Swatch no less. The radio-phone at the front was a hangover from the 1990's and inspired by that icon of the Seventies bed-side, the Goblin Teasmaid I should think. I wonder if you could use the phone as a clock alarm?
Alas, many have these have now left Moonbase for pastures new but all were cared for whilst resting here.
Another beautiful collection of vintage phones Woodsy! It's brilliant to see people like yourself and Paul are also fellow collectors of these little nostalgic treasures :) In an odd way they seem to define their era. Maybe due to their evolving shape, design, colours and materials reflecting the trends of the day? Even now, the Erikson is such an iconic and futuristic design. I'm sure that this style of visionary phone could be spotted as an atomic age prop in many a classic sci fi movie, or TV series?
ReplyDeleteYes, phones are a microcosm of society's trends aren't they Tony. My old late Mum bless her, who would have been 96 today, would have been astounded that everyone carries a phone around with them everywhere they go! Well done for not assimilating by the way! Yes, I bet the Erikson pops up in loads of Sci Fi flicks. Wonder of anyone sends us a pic!
DeleteMoney well spent on the Ericsson Ericofon (aka "Cobra"), which must be one of the most collectable of them all. Countless colour variations makes it even more so.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ericssonhistory.com/products/the-telephones/The-Ericofon--Cobra-1956-1954/
Ha ha, I love that name, Cobra, Arto, can completely see why its called that. I loved the cream colour of it - cream plastic was a phase I went through a while back - and it was £90. Alas, I must have sold it on Ebay along with the other phones I think as I haven't seen it since i took that photo two years ago! It was lovely to use, turn ing upside down and dialling on the base. Really natural movement and easy to speak in and listen to as well. Ergonomic!
DeleteThat's wonderful in its diversity, Woodsy!
ReplyDeleteShame you had to let a few of them go (I do trust you hung on to that Ericsson?). With all those phones you could have one in every room of the house! Where I'm not entirely being funny, for I do believe you could rig up some sort of in-house network (something I once thought to do with the bakelite set after the exchanges went digital here, but never got round to finding out and buying a second analogue phone...).
The Teasmaid connection, is that real or you being fanciful? (I happen to have a Teasmaid somewhere, you see... ;)
Best -- Paul