GPO telephone

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vintage cream coloured GPO telephone

We’ve chosen this lovely vintage GPO telephone as our favourite buy this week.

vintage cream coloured GPO telephone with receiver off the hook

Not because it’s particularly rare or valuable, but because it’s always worth highlighting a design classic. This model doesn’t just look good – it’s solid and reliable too… and now manages to conjure up thoughts of tradition and nostalgia.

vintage cream coloured GPO telephone dial showing Wensleydale area code

We like the warm, cream colour… and the original number for Wensleydale – an honest & reliable sounding place to match the phone itself! It’s perfectly usable today of course, although most people opt for the quicker push-button type… and mobile phones of course.

We bought it at auction – and the auctioneer’s young daughter (firmly of the iPhone generation) was very interested to know how such a contraption would have worked. “You have to turn the dial for each number?!” “You can’t move from room to room?!”. It doesn’t seem that long ago to us H is for Home oldies that mobiles weren’t in every pocket – and that this was the only option available.

vintage cream coloured GPO telephone

Anyway, who said it’s not mobile? This model of GPO telephone has its own special carry slot, so you can wander round while you chat. Well, as far as its lead will allow, at least!

Ring, Ring!

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cream coloured vintage telephone with stack of Penguin paperbacks

We bought this lovely cream-coloured vintage telephone yesterday. It was in a bit of a state when we got it – but it’s cleaned up beautifully.

close up view of cream coloured vintage telephone

This particular model is the BT 746 which was manufactured in the 1970s.

orange vintage trimphone with dairy bowl full of oranges

We’re always on the lookout for nice telephones…

close up of vintage cream trimphone  vintage black & grey trimphone

vintage olive green & cream trimphone

…they’re functional items – and they’re also great for adding a vintage touch to home or office.

vintage orange trimphone on desk with MacBook and desk accessories

brown vintage trimphone in home office setting

Phones have proved popular in our shop – we’ve had a variety of shapes and colours…

red vintage telephone yellow & black Ericsson vintage telephone

push-button vintage telephone in cream & black olive green & cream vintage trimphone

…even a fantastic leather clad model.

vintage leather-clad trimphone  vintage leather-clad trimphone

If you’re interested in finding out more about vintage phones, this book is a great place to start – Design Icons: The Telephone