Browse Items (4 total)

T.S. Baldwin's "Practical Telephone Hand Book" was one of many introducing the new technology to Americans

In order to handle increasing numbers of telephone calls, switchboards like this model from the 1880s employed operators to make connections between the parties. (Click on the image for diagrams illustrating the difference between single-line wires…

Cover artwork shows allegorical woman holding a standard identifying her as "XXth Century". She has an electric light bulb atop her head and stands on a winged wheel, representing Progress. Around her are examples of modern technology and invention,…

During the 1920s-30s, telephone service developed from a luxury facilitated by telephone operators, to a self-dialed consumer necessity. Or so the phone companies suggested. This series of three advertisements from 1940 envisions humorously…