Identifying Popular Western Electric Telephones in One Step

Stephen P. Morse, San Francisco




CANDLESTICK PHONES
Model/Years No. 1 No. 2 (Vail) No. 3 (potbelly) No. 4
No. 1:
1892-1894

No. 2:
1892-1894

No. 3:
1895-1897

No. 4:
1895

protype for
central office potbelly
 
Model/Years No. 5 No. 6 No. 7 (for Chicago Telephone) No. 8
No. 5:
1896

No. 6:
1897

No. 7:
1897

No. 8:
1898-1899

prototype
generator in base
cast brass
tapered style
 
Model/Years No. 9 (potbelly) No. 10 20 series / 40 series 50/51/151 series
No. 9: 1897

No. 10: 1898-1904

No. 20 B: 1904-1912

No. 20 AL: 1912-1917

No. 40 AL: 1917-1925

No. 50 AL: 1919-1925

No. 51 AL: 1925-1931

No. 151 AL: 1931-1941


STANDARD DESK AND WALL PHONES
Model/Years E1 Handset F1 Handset G1 Handset   Model/Years Wall Phone
A1
1925-1927
         
B1, (a.k.a. 102**)
1927 to 1930
circular base
       
D1 (a.k.a. 202**)
1930 to 1937
oval base
       
"Space Saver"

1st column
C1 (a.k.a. 101/201*)
1930 to 1937

2nd & 3rd columns
G1 (a.k.a. 211)
1930s to 1970s
  653
1910-1946
302
1937 to 1958
    354
1947-1956
5302
(hybrid of 302+500)
1955 to mid 1960s
       
500
1949-1984
      554
1956-1984
1500
(10 buttons)
1963-1967
      1554
1964-1967
2500
(12 buttons)
1968-1984
      2554
1967-1984
3500
(16 buttons)
AUTOVON Network
1960s-1980s
         
* 101 and 201 denote sidetone and anti-sidetone respectively in C1 phone.
** 102 and 202 denote sidetone and anti-sidetone respectively in either B1 or D1 phone, but 102 was often used synonymously with B1 and 202 with D1


PRINCESS AND TRIMLINE PHONES
Model/Years Rotary 10 Button Touchtone 12 Button Touchtone 16 Button Touchtone   Model/Years Wall Phone
1st col, 701/702***
1959

2nd col, 1701/1702***
1963

3rd col, 2701/2702***
1968

4th col, AUTOVON
     
1st col, 220 AD
1965

2nd col, 1220 AD
1966

3rd col, 2220 AD
1968

4th col, AUTOVON
  AC base
220 AC shown
1965
*** _01 denotes no bell, _02 denotes bell


For more information, see Paul F's excellent website and in particular his WE Telephone Identification page.

Information on Candlestick phones was found in "100 Years of Bell Telephones" by Richard Mountjoy

© Stephen P. Morse, 2014