Phonetique.com - 1920-1930's Art Deco Desk Phones (Models 102/202)

The Model 102 and 202 desk telephones were among the most distinctive Art Deco designs ever produced. To this day they stand out as telephones that defined the Art Deco era and marked the first phones produced by Ma Bell that combined the earpiece and mouthpiece into the same handset. Produced from 1928 thru 1936, they are commonly known as the "Depression" phones for their manufacture during that era. Due to the Depression and the fact that rural America was largely without telephone service until the 1950's, the numbers produced were much lower than the follow-on Models 302 and 500. Unique features of the 102 and 202 were the "Spitcup" handset that was eliminated in the early 1930's. The Model 202 is slightly larger than the Model 102 and has an oval base as opposed to the 102's round base. The original phones all had a black satin finish but in the 1950's Western Electric introduced a brass-trimmed 202 "Imperial" model that was painted ivory. The replicas available today remain a popular design and while some can be found with rotary dials like the originals, others cleverly place the touch tone keys into a rotary ring.

Today's replicas are available in Black and Ivory and can be purchased from a variety of online sellers while original Model 102 and 202 phones can be found at CustomPhones.com, other sellers, and on eBay.