Retro Technology: Cold War Phones

"QUANTUM SHOT" #160 Link - by Avi Abrams There is some strange beauty in these obsolete communication devices Complexity of wiring, solid steel cases, heavy duty dials... One wants to speak heavy, meaningful, clandestine phrases and government orders into these mouthpieces. Direct lines, secret army base installations, launch codes... These pictures were taken by Doctor Soul inside a couple of Russian Technology Museums. RUSSIAN VINTAGE PHONES Some of these phones were "Taksofons", used as regular phone booth phones (see image above); some others were designed with military intent. All are fascinating to look at in our times of miniature phone devices. One of our reader, Jorgen Stadje, writes about the image above: "The bow-like "500 selectors" to the left are LM Ericsson products, suggesting this is the Moscow telephone exchange that LM Ericsson built somewhere in the middle of the 1930's. The 500 selector originates from around 1923." 2. Surveillance Obscura It has a wooden finish; it works fine... surveillance (camera) obscura: Actually, this is just one of curious installations by Stephen Berkman. See more at his site. 3. Dialup PC On this page you'll see pictures and project stages of the unique Dial-up Phone / Computer combination, made by Envador - one of many strange retro cases he designed for PC. See also his Cyberpumpkin PC - a "treasure chest with turbine" combination!! and a Guitar PC CONTINUE TO "WOODEN LAPTOP"! -> ALSO READ OUR "GADGETS" CATEGORY -> Share Tweet