200 Series (162, 232)

These are pretty much the earliest telephones that it is still possible to use, although it’s rare to find one still actually in service. Constructed out of solid black Bakelite, they are masterpieces of sturdy design, and incorporate all of the features that we still associate with the classic telephone: the base unit, the rotary dial, and the handset. Only the integral bell is absent, as these phones had to be wired up to an external bell. At the time this allowed several telephones in one house to be connected to a single central bell. This may seem unusual now, but in the early 20th century only rich households possessed telephones, and these houses may have contained many bells for the summoning of servants.

The 200 series actually consists of two models. The 162 was originally made by the Siemens Brothers company, built to the specifications of the GPO. It was first introduced to the UK in 1929.

The Model 232 followed the 162 in 1934. It looked exactly the same, but the electronic components inside hugely improved the sound quality. The 200 series is often called the Pyramid Phone, due to its iconic shape, and often goes by this name rather than by the model number.

Cultural significance

The 200 series achieved iconic status by appearing in a large number of films and television programs made during the 50′s and 60′s. The telephone prominently displayed in the Hitchcock film Dial M for Murder is a black Bakelite 200 series.

Advice for collectors

This phone can be found in black (standard issue), ivory (rare), red (very rare) and green (super-rare and highly collectible).