Telegrafverket Ivory Color Oslo Desk Wall Mount Telephone with Color

Telegrafverket Ivory Color Oslo Desk / Wall Mount Telephone - with Color Cloth Cords - Phones like this were used in movies by actors in elaborate settings. The 3 big U.S. companies tried a limited number of colors in the 30s and 40s with challenged success. Plastic wasn't quite well developed and the 1940s and early 1950s Western Electric desk phones suffered warpage. I'm not so sure that more recent plastic was great either. It seems that there were stages of evolution with the production of celluloid, then Bakelite and slow evolving of phenolics. This phone (this Ivory color) 1940s – 1950s Oslo telephone seems to have been a well developed cross between bakelite and plastic, leaning into plastic being the dominant. However, it has the look of bakelite, but doesn't seem to be as hard and brittle. I wish some of you Scandinavians would either correct me if I'm wrong or approve of my opinion. I would like much to offer opinions that more accurately represent this item. It would not surprise me but that this phone was made in the early 1950s. Nor if it was made in the 40s or earlier. It uses khaki colored cords (that have discolored over the years) and the handset cord is curly – a rarity in itself and a cord like this can fetch $20 just by itself. The line cord has the original plug. I have jacks by which to plug these in but I fear trying to find them. One thing that compliments the aristocracy of this telephone is that the numbers in/on the dial are brown (almost red). Since 1971, messing around with old phones, I had never seen another phone with this keen color scheme (tan, ivory and brown colors uniformly enhancing such a telephone). Another thing that makes this phone unique is that the company who made them – probably in Scandinavia – made only three known colors. 5% or so were ivory, 20% or so were gray and the rest were black. This lends credibility to the theory of earlier plastic that restricted the variety of colors they were made in, the further into the past you go. It lends credibility to there having been made prior to the 1960s or further back. The style was the same: wall or desk, either way you wanted to use it, the accommodation was there. Another unique and old fashioned feature are 2 ¼” brass bells in the ringer. It's about the only “modern” rotary phone I know of that used such large bells. They (the bells) adapt well to use on a wood wall crank phone. On the front is a place to put your phone number In August 1980 Bob Prosser proposed to begin selling out to me. He started with a building that was almost a city block long full of old telephones. In it were about 6,000 old payphones which I began selling for $21 each. In one corner of the building were these old Oslo phones (mostly black). In around a year I engaged my employees to “refinish” them for $3 each to dealers. I didn't mess with ivory or gray ones; but here we are 40 years later and now offer them. They came from that large creamery building to Phoneco and just recently;  in an effort to move out of the building they were at the door of a 53 ft. semitrailer which was moved out here (our house) in October 2020. They are easy to grab, so here is one offered. They didn't seem difficult to make workable – but even though they resemble the 1935 – 1953 Leich “convertible” (with either wall or desk) they aren't popular of the stigma of being “foreign” I have always enjoyed dolling things up to bring out the best in beauty. Walnut, butternut, and old Appalachian cherry wood are examples.  I did not check or test it for work ability but can do either for additional $. Let us know. If it works, it could be used on a cell line; you don't need a land line. Call me afternoons or evenings I'll tell you about it, check our seller id. It is difficult to imagine that this phone was made as recently as the 1960s. No visible cracks or chips, Used - Untested. Please be sure to read the description Sold As IS; and if you have any questions please call us at Phoneco. No returns. We are not responsible for your mistake for not reading our description. Review images for representation of item(s) you are purchasing. If you would like combined shipping, please wait until you have received your final invoice before making payment . If you have any issues with item after receiving, please contact us before leaving negative feedback. Your business is greatly appreciated! Shipping applies to the lower 48 States, please send an email if you have questions or to request shipping charges for International shipping, and shipping to Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico which will cost extra as determined by weight and size. Orders outside the United States will be shipped the most economical way available to us, and costs may be higher than the shipping cost shown on this listing.