The Payphone

The Payphone iHorn is a first of its kind, made from a payphone manufactured by Western Electric for the Bell SystemsAmerican Telephone and Telegraph Company (A,T &T).   Rotary dialed payphones were from the 1950’s and 1960’s but this particular phone was made in 1963.

 The first reported payphones in the United States were in New Haven, Connecticut beginning in June, 1880.  The coin mechanism was patented in 1891 and debuted in Chicago in 1898.  By 1902, there were more than 80,000 payphones in the United States.  In 1960, the Bell System installed its 1,000,000th payphone.  Today, the payphone is in decline with fewer than 100,000 in the United States.  The decline of the payphone is often referred to as the “digital divide” the historical bookmark representing the advancement of cellphone and computer technology.

 In the United States, payphones were preceded by pay stations which were manned by telephone company attendants who would collect payment prior to permitting the call to be placed.  The first reported payphones in the United States were in New Haven, Connecticut beginning in June, 1880.  The coin mechanism was patented in 1891 and debuted in Chicago in 1898.  By 1902, there were more than 80,000 payphones in the United States.  In 1960, the Bell System installed its 1,000,000th payphone.  Today, the payphone is in decline with fewer than 100,000 payphones in the United States with over 1/5th of them in New York.  The decline of the payphone is often referred to as the “digital divide” the historical bookmark representing the advancement of cellphone and computer technology.

 The Model A iHorn is made using a bulb horn from a Ford Model A automobile.  The Model A was produced by Ford Motor Company from 1928 to 1931 and was its second huge success.  By February 1929, 1,000,000 Model A’s had been sold.  The Model A proved that the automobiles were here to stay and the American way of life was forever changed.

 The Payphone iHorn is unique and iconic.  Don’t forget to place that call and tell someone you love them.