Ericofon
The Ericofon is yet another design classic, often described as the “Cobra Phone” due to its unique and distinctive shape. It was revolutionary in its day, as it was the first phone to incorporate the dial and headset into a single unit, predating the cordless phone or cellphone by decades.
The Ericofon was built by the Swedish company Ericsson, and was part of the Scandinavian design movement that proved to be so influential in the mid 20th century. Incredibly, for such a modernist looking object, the Ericofon was designed many years before it went into production, in the late 1940s. Initial production of the Ericofon did not start until 1954, and it was not produced for the open market until 1956.
Cultural significance
The Ericofon was marketed throughout the late 20th Century. Its design proved to be both so popular with the public, and so influential on the design of future telephones that the Ericofon is now in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC, and is considered one of the most significant industrial designs of the 20th Century.
Models and collectors’ advice
There are three diffent models of the Ericofon, each produced in 18 different colours. The earliest model is the tallest, and can be differentiated by noting that the earpiece is at nearly a 90 degree angle to the base. The second version had a shorter handle, with the earpiece angled slightly downwards.
The third version the “Model 700” was produced from 1976 and is much more squarish in shape than the two earlier models.
The rarest (and thus most collectable) examples of the Ericofon are the limited number of models that were produced in clear plastic, or with a metallic finish. These are highly desirable collectors items.
