The Old Telephone Company,  Essex, England
Established in 1986
Exclusively old telephones and parts for over 20 years
I have personally restored and sold over 3000 old telephones

  Ring back memories with Home Page    an old bakelite telephone

 
 

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The Queens' Silver Jubilee Telephone

As a limited edition, it is by far the rarest telephone I offer for sale.

Jubilee telephone and bell set 64d

 

 

 

 

 

The Queens' Silver Jubilee Telephone was introduced in 1977 to commemorate the 25th year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Second.

View of underside showing original stickers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Detail view of the dial label.
It is embossed with the crest and emblems raised and highlighted with a bright silver effect. The base colour is Balmoral Blue.

(Balmoral Castle in Scotland is owned by The Queen)

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • For further Information and History Click Here
    • The Queens' Silver Jubilee Telephone was the first telephone designed and manufactured by The GPO (The British Telephone Utility). It was a commercial failure.
      Until then, the GPO collaborated with a cartel of manufacturers in the design of their telephones. 
      The GPO factory, at Cwmcarn  in South Wales, primary function was to renovate for further use existing telephones and equipment.
      In the mid seventies, a team was set up to design a new telephone which would be made "in house" at Cwmcarn.
      The design brief, was that it would fit on a narrow shelf, such as a windowsill in a hallway or kitchen. This presented problems to the team. The telephone would be too small to accommodate a bell set, so an external one had to be made. As the telephone without the bell mechanism inside to weigh it down was liable to move when dialling. A special low inertia dial then had to be developed.
      In 1977 a limited production run of the type 4271 Queens' Silver Jubilee Telephone was set in motion. It was made in Balmoral Blue, (Royal Blue) and had the distinctive dial centre shown above. Some were issued as gifts by the GPO and others were rented or sold to the public.
       The public did not readily take to them. The rounded design with a dial, not push buttons, looked old fashioned and dated. The separate bell set seemed a retrograde step. The concept was flawed, in that few people by then were using the telephone in the entrance hall, and kitchen telephones were usually wall mounted. Although the Jubilee Telephone was also made in a wall mounted version, its design was clearly a compromise. 
      After 1977, a number were still in store and although a few were kept back for replacement purposes, it is believed that most of the remaining stocks were soon scrapped. The few that I have, were the last from store in 1986.
      In 1987, the design briefly re-emerged as the type 776 "Compact" telephone, recognisable by its plain dial centre and different colours. It was not popular with the public, and was quickly discontinued.
      The Queens' Silver Jubilee Telephone is now recognised as an extremely rare collectable telephone and is now highly sought after.

     

I can offer The Queens' Silver Jubilee Telephone 
In mint unused condition complete with bell set 64d at £148
or in good used condition with bell set 64d at £100
The original blue bell set is available as a no cost option.

 

 

 

Come to Battlesbridge Antiques Centre, the largest in Essex
Credit/Debit Cards are preferred.

If you wish to place an order, or have an enquiry, please read all below.

Please call (Gavin Payne) by telephone if you wish to place an order, or have an enquiry.  I can usually be reached 9.00am to 5.45pm including weekends. Calls in the evening are not appreciated and could make me very grumpy. The number is 01245 400601.

I am in the shop most Saturday and Sunday mornings between 10.00 and 12.00. Conversions and repairs are often carried out while you wait.

If you have a telephone that you want to know more about, or have it repaired or converted, please have it right next to you when you call. Please also have a selection of small flat bladed screwdrivers to hand.
 I do not give advice for DIY repairs or conversions or valuations of any kind over the telephone or by email. Please bring the telephone to my shop for assessment, but always call me first before bringing it in.

Emails to gp@theoldtelephone.co.uk .

By post to The Old Telephone Company, Battlesbridge Antiques Centre,
 Battlesbridge, Essex SS11 7RE.  

The Old Telephone Company respects your privacy, and will not divulge any information about you to a third party.
Copyright © 1996 to 2010 by The Old Telephone Company
 

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