300 Series (332, 312, 314, 328)

The 300 series was released in 1936 to follow the earlier 200 series. They are similar in that both 200 and 300 series are predominantly made of black Bakelite, and share an Art Deco influenced appearance. However, the 300 series was chunkier and more robust than the early 200 series, and was mass-produced to be used in a business context.

The 300 had moved on from the 200 in several ways. The most important difference being that the 300 series possessed an integral bell, making it a more versatile piece of equipment than its predecessor.

There were two main versions of the 300 series – the 332, and the 312, which had an additional button marked ‘Call Exchange’, which was designed for use on party lines. Another variation is the drawer, built into the base of the phone, to make room for a notepad and pen. A third version – the lesser produced 314 – had two extra buttons used to switch the bell on or off.

The 300 series was based on a design by Ericsson, in accordance with the GPO. However, once the design was formalised the telephone was produced by several UK manufacturers, including Ericsson, GEC, ATE/ATM and Siemens. It was also reproduced outside the UK by a number of other manufacturers, including AWA in Australia, and ITI in India.

Advice for collectors

It is relatively simple to have the 300 series converted for use with a modern phone line, and as such they are prized by telephone collectors and aesthetes alike.

The phones can be found with and without drawers, and with either braided (original) or curly wire. Available colours are black (standard issue), ivory (rare), red (very rare), green (super rare!)