Telephone History

Ron DeMarco, head of props at Emerson University, had these images on a CD he shared with me showing a visual history of the telephone. It’s great for research! Click on any of them for a larger view.

A visual history of telephones from 1876 to 1976
A visual history of telephones from 1876 to 1976

The next image is virtually identical to the previous, but it includes some additional models.

Telephones from 1876 to 1965
Telephones from 1876 to 1965

I can’t wait for that picture phone! Finally, here’s a quick history of public telephone styles:

Public telephones from 1890 to 1985
Public telephones from 1890 to 1985

If you have a play that requires a public telephone in a contemporary setting… what play are you doing? Just kidding; though rare, you can still find payphones in many cities these days.