A Call For Humor!

[Boris Badinov]

 

[Boris Badinov]

 

[Boris Badinov]

 

[Boris Badinov]

 

[Boris Badinov]

I remember when they allowed you to start buying your own phones. I put in so many for people. It was like some big mystery the phone company had created. I also added new phone lines for more phones on the same number. I mean you ran the 4 conductor bulk phone cable and connected red and green. Somehow over the long years when only the phone company was officially allowed such things everyone imagined it was more than that. I also remember when people would pay someone to add the extra phones when it was not allowed. So many people would say things like, "don't have both receivers in use at the same time, the phone company will find out and disconnect us."

Those old Western Electric phones were built like a brick house. When others started selling phones lots of those were flimsy crap.

 

[mhardy6647]

When this house was first "on line" and we were only up here on weekends...

Those old Western Electric phones were built like a brick house. When others started selling phones lots of those were flimsy crap.

I remember some '80s (most likely) comic lamenting the flimsiness of even the then-modern phones, quipping:

Remember in 'forties movies, when a phone could be used as the murder weapon?

... or words to that effect.

 

[Waxx]

 

[Waxx]

 

[jp4573]

I have a Western Electric on my wall and small collection of wired phones with a Princess on my land line. ATT is going to abandon the copper lines. This is not so good in and around my rural neighborhoods. That will leave us with satellite as our only option (some have cable). Here are some of my finds and if you see a cool one at a garage sale or thrift shop maybe pick it up as prices are climbing.
View attachment 347100 View attachment 347102

There were also Smart phones in the old days:

 

[Neddy]

When this house was first "on line" and we were only up here on weekends...

I remember some '80s (most likely) comic lamenting the flimsiness of even the then-modern phones, quipping:

... or words to that effect.

One of my favorite YT channels. Subscribe to help them out - that's one amazing (working) museum!
I know more about tel.exchanges now than I did back in my blue/black box days....

https://www.youtube.com/@ConnectionsMuseum

 

[mhardy6647]

One of my favorite YT channels. Subscribe to help them out - that's one amazing (working) museum!
I know more about tel.exchanges now than I did back in my blue/black box days....

https://www.youtube.com/@ConnectionsMuseum

My wife's father was a "telephone pioneer", working for "the phone company" starting (IIRC) in 1927, as a teenager.
He spent his career with AT&T.
In his retirement, he was the president of the tiny rural phone co. in the little town they retired to -- the same little town to which we retired, too, albeit many years later.

There's a telephone museum in Warner NH, just about 45 minutes from here.

New Hampshire Telephone Museum

From its humble beginnings, the telephone has shaped the modern world in too many ways to count. At the New Hampshire Telephone Museum, you can see the evolution of the world's greatest invention, experience life as a switchboard operator and learn

www.nhtelephonemuseum.org

 

[digitalfrost]

 

[Waxx]

 

[Waxx]

 

[Boris Badinov]

 

[Boris Badinov]

 

[Boris Badinov]

 

[Boris Badinov]

 

[Boris Badinov]

 

[Boris Badinov]