Unusual phones
Back to front - upside down phone from New Zealand (added 11 Feb 2015)
New Zealand rotary dials were "reversed" compared to most of the rest of the world, i.e. the number sequence was 0, 1, 2... etc. where nearly everbody else used 0, 9, 8... etc. I think the only other country to employ this layout was Norway although if you know of others please drop me a line. An interesting article by Dave Dockray offering an explanation of this variation can be found here.
On a recent trip to NZ I picked up this unit. It is a typical, UK designed 746 used by the NZ PO except with the different dial but not only was the dial reversed it was upside down!
Back to front - upside down phone from New Zealand (added 11 Feb 2015)
New Zealand rotary dials were "reversed" compared to most of the rest of the world, i.e. the number sequence was 0, 1, 2... etc. where nearly everbody else used 0, 9, 8... etc. I think the only other country to employ this layout was Norway although if you know of others please drop me a line. An interesting article by Dave Dockray offering an explanation of this variation can be found here.
On a recent trip to NZ I picked up this unit. It is a typical, UK designed 746 used by the NZ PO except with the different dial but not only was the dial reversed it was upside down!
The clue is in the modified cradle. When mounted "upside down" as a wall phone it all falls into place. A very clever way to avoid providing a wall-phone range. Add a screw-on plastic cradle and invert the dial!
Philips 800 series two-way handset (added 1 Aug 2016)
This instrument served as a handset for commercial 2way radio dispatchers and In common use from the late 1960s to 1980s. It was connected by a cable pair to the transmitter at another location. It was based on the standard PMG 800 series telephone and fitted with bell cut off, transmitter cut off and volume controls. As far as I know it was not a PMG/Telecom Australia product but supplied by private radio communications companies.
Beer can telephone (added 1 Aug 2016)
Fully working novelty telephone in the form of a drink can. I have two similar units. The other is the teetotal version (iced tea). The switch-hook is a micro-switch on the base and is surrounded by the 12 push-button "dial".
"Love Bus" telephone (added 31 Jan. 2019)
A gift from my grandchildren! Early 21st century novelty phone manufactured in China for Spectra Merchandising International Inc. Briefly described at: http://www.gifarmer.com/phone/tvehv.shtml
A gift from my grandchildren! Early 21st century novelty phone manufactured in China for Spectra Merchandising International Inc. Briefly described at: http://www.gifarmer.com/phone/tvehv.shtml