Antique telephone with wooden box and hand crank

2000.352.2117

Antique telephone with wooden box and hand crank

Object, Telephone

Telephone, antique, wooden box with hand crank, with metal handset and base attached by cord. This type of telephone would have been in use before direct dial in 1952. You would pick up the receiver, crank the handle on the wooden box - for example to make one short and two long rings to reach a certain party. You paid for every call, but if you wanted to "cheat" you could set up a time with the person you're calling and then just do one quick ring to get him. (Memories by Mickey Macfarlan.)