My parents phone number was MU-4-2550, or MUrdoch-4... my mother always said MUrder-4... I just sold this one, brand new in the box. Had it in storage for decades... Still got a couple of cool ones (matter of opinion I guess). They might be a bit modern for this thread. Motorola DynaTAC 8000M. One of the first cell phones. I think you could call in airstrikes with this thing, it's huge. Still powers up... And an Ericsson Ericom 30001. This is the sort of intercom some cigar smoking guy with a wide collar polyester shirt and plaid slacks used to yell into to get his miniskirt-wearing secretary to bring him a scotch...
I have one just like that. They are not old only about 10 years old but are really cool. The company made all kinds of similar pieces . Can still find these on EBay Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Dude, if you don't sell that black space saver, shoot me a pm, I'll gladly buy it MIKE That would make 192 in my collection!
Here is my model W48 phone... Still in use and connected to the land line (had to use a kind of transmitter box between phone and modern digital voip line to make it work properly)
Parents give their son and his buddy four minutes to successfully place a call on a rotary phone. Spoiler: Nope. (I mean, the backwards ball cap kinda gives it away.)
I taught my kids how to use a dial phone when they were very young. A few years ago, my daughter got a summer job at a museum, and the only communication was by dial phone. The director, an older gent, was completely amazed that my daughter know how to dial the phone. Some old-style skills come in handy!
Guess they take the "museum" part pretty seriously! She should have demanded her $8 an hour in silver dollars.
My dad worked for Illinois Bell for 42 years. After WWII into the 80's. He brought home every "new" phone they offered along the way. Back then they gave employees free service(and continued into retirement years). We had all the rotaries, then Trimline, Princess, etc. I still have a few stored away. I'll dig them out and post pic's. I still have a wall mount in the house. When to power goes out and the modern cordless phones die, the old Ma Bell hard wire one works.
I have a "candlestick" like the one pictured as well as a wood wall mount in my "gas station" . When I got them they were set up as an intercom from home to garage. Have kept several of the old dial phones and great grandkids are fascinated because they are only familiar with those modern Immaculate contraptions people use today ! I never expect to own one and no idea how to use one either.
My Dad worked for Southwestern Bell for 30 plus years. I think he kept every phone we ever had including a bunch of his old lineman's rotary phones. I'll see if I can get some pictures as I've just recently been going through them all. Sent from my LM-Q720 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Funny stuff, but it would take me longer to call someone on an !Phone. If it was your phone and you had a stroke or heart attack, you would be dead. How come I've never seen a cellphone user with an owners manual? Born in 1950. Bob
The Jalopy Journal
