Today, you’re more likely to have a phone on your wrist than a landline in your house but don’t you ever long for the days of sitting by the phone waiting for it to ring? Ignoring the cries of ‘will you get off that phone’ as your dad mentally tots up the cost of you catching up with your mate. Who you saw half an hour ago. At school.
Oh, how times have changed!
Vintage clothes are cool, vintage furniture is hip, so it’s surely only a matter of time before we all revisit the glory that is the telephone. Mobiles have made us accessible 24 hours a day but the ritual of making a cuppa and scheduling a phone call with your best girlfriend is made more stylish when you’re doing that on a retro phone. Here are some of our faves.
Retro telephones
1 of 5Wild & Wolf Retro 746 in French Blue
If you were a 1960's girl about town, chances are you'd be gossiping away on this French Blue beauty. The soft colour would look fab in your boudoir and definitely captures the glamour of a bygone era. You'll often find this phones in stylish boutique hotels and it's no wonder – ordering down for room service has never been such a decadent experience. It's inspired by the classic GPO 746 model that was introduced in 1967, the same year that The Beatles released the trippy Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
2 of 5Opis 1921 Cable,
This is a telephone for the discerning vintage lover. Made of wood and metal, it's going to take pride of place in your living room and should only be used to make important calls – you know, stuff like ordering Dominos. This is not the telephone for doing boring business such as paying the water bill. Opis is a German company and despite looking like the genuine vintage article, it's compatible with today's telephone connections. The ring is exquisite thanks to the metal bell.
3 of 5GPO 200 Classic Rotary Dial in Bronze
Slip into something silky from Agent Provocateur and call up your honeybun – this classic telephone is super sexy and we can't deny we've fallen head over heels for it! This model is based on a Bakelite version which first appeared in the 1920s – the real deal would cost you a couple of hundred quid but we can't tell the difference. Once you start chatting on this, you'll be reminded that there's something quite enchanting about taking time out of your day to catch up with the one you're smooching.
4 of 5GPO 1970s Union Jack, £33.29
There's a definite touch of Britpop about this telephone and you could definitely imagine Liam Gallagher having one of these in his pad. We love it because it's undeniably bold and patriotic and makes a real style statement. In fact, it's so cool, we think it warrants its own Instagram account – all we need now is for it to ring. The buttons are pushable so it's possible to do your telephone banking on it if you so desire but we'd rather use it to make festival arrangements. pmctelecom.co.uk
5 of 51950s American Diner Phone, £55
Get that 1950s American feel with this gorgeous phone – it's got a definite touch of Grease about it so gather together your squad of Pink Ladies and pluck up the courage to call that guy you've been looking at for months. Of course, we know Danny Zucko is a fictional character but a girl can dream right? Even if you don't use this phone much, it sure does look swell! And don't worry, it's totally compatible with your current phone connection.pmctelecom.co.uk