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Ma Bell CollectiblesWhat with land-line phones rapidly becoming an endangered species, it's not surprising that the standard phones of both the recent and distant past are evoking a large measure of nostalgia and growing interest among collectors. Not surprisingly, the earliest examples are the rarest. The oldest Bell phones in general use, which were mahogany boxes, date from 1877 and have little chance of being found outside museums. But soon after that, a variety of wall models, some with ornately carved oak boxes, and some table models, came on the scene. The stand-up desk sets known as candlesticks debuted in 1870 and endured for more than 40 years, still very much in evidence in vintage screwball comedies, detective flicks and especially in the films featuring fast-talking reporters of the period phoning in their stories. Among the most desirable of these are the Western Electric and DeVeau potbelly candlesticks (one particular rarity is the 1898 Western Electric version with a glass mouthpiece that was added during the 1918 flu epidemic) and "Oilcan" candlesticks made by several companies. Variations included the "Wonder-phone," the "Select-o-phone" and the "Hush-a-phone." The automatic dial telephone, which eliminated the use of a switchboard operator, was invented by a Kansas City funeral director named Almon B. Strowger in 1891 and came into general use around the turn of the century. In addition to these instruments themselves, collectors also seek out the bulkier switchboards and phone booths, tables and lanterns. Also desirable are the various kinds of advertising and paper ephemera generated by the different phone companies, such as promotional mirrors, signs, buttons, stickpins, phone books, stationery and blotters. Art Deco-style phones made primarily by Western Electric (Bell System) and the Automatic Electric Company (General Telephone) from 1925 from 1955 are in demand partially because of their wide range of colors — in particular, Nile Green, Chinese Red, Jade Green, Maroon, Orchid (extremely rare), Mahogany, Walnut, Old Ivory and Royal Blue.
Comprising a special category unto themselves are blue bell paperweights. First issued in the early years of the 20th century, these bell-shaped glass weights, whose function was to prevent the papers of employees from blowing off their desks, came to be widely used for advertising purposes by individual phone companies, including the Bell System, Southwestern Telephone & Telegraph, Western Electric and Missouri & Kansas Telephone Co. In particular, they saw extensive distribution at the time of the opening of the first transcontinental telephone line in 1915. They can sell for as high as $900. Pop culture aficionados also keep an eye out for modern models, like the Trimline series made in many colors, and character phones featuring such icons as Mickey Mouse, Kermit the Frog and Snoopy (with Woodstock), as well as figural novelties like phones shaped like pianos (with the piano keys serving as the dials) and cars. There have also been special sets produced in silver, gold, ivory and clear plastic. Western Electric had a "one in a million" gimmick, whereby one in every million of its phones was plated in gold and given to an employee of the company. Here are some representative vintage telephone prices as reported in the most recent editions of Schroeder's Antiques Price Guide: Automatic Electric Type 21, candlestick with ringer box: $600 Farr No. 6 oak wall type, c. 1905, 32 inches: $475 Stromberg Carlson wall-mounted walnut 2-box with nickel trim: $375 1940s Connecticut TP6-A desk model, chrome and plastic, rotary dial: $325 Western Electric Trimline, clear plastic, rotary dial, 1967: $300 Western Electric Pay Station, wall-mounted, metal, 1960s: $260 Sterling Electric magneto crank wall type, 2 bells, oak case: $235 Leich Electric desk model, black Bakelite, rotary dial, 1940s: $185 Linda Rosenkrantz has edited Auction magazine and authored 18 books, most recently "Beyond Ava & Aidan: The Enlightened Guide to Naming your Baby" (St. Martin's Press). Visit her baby names website at http://nameberry.com. She cannot answer letters personally. To find out more about Linda Rosenkrantz and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com COPYRIGHT 2010 CREATORS.COM
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