New Phones available

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 33, 3 February 1987, Page 11

New Phones available

The refined era of the Victorians, the elegance of Italy and the romance of Paris are captured in a stunning collection of replicas of antique telephones offered to the public by the New Zealand Post Office. The phones are modelled after the originals and fashioned in onyx marble stone and gold, or beechwood and gold trim. Each phone is handcrafted in Italy by skilled craftsmen who ensure that the smallest detail is faithfully reproduced, right down to the plaited rope cord. Marketing representative for the Wanganui district, Wayne Annand observed that the amount of interest displayed by people in Ohakune, compared to other areas he had visited, was markedly less. He also noted that there was no particular socioeconomic group purchasing the novelties.

"Buyers come from right across the board. Granted some phones are leased to grace elegant homes, but there are also lots of the everyday sort of people buying them for the novelty and also moteliersfortheirfoyer entrances,"said Mr Annand. Along with the oldfashioned replicas there is also a revolutionary new design in the form of the space-age 'Trimphone.' The Trimphone, aptly named for its sleek, compact shape is a must for homes where every inch of spare space is precious. An advantage of this phone is the push-button dialling system built into the handpiece. This reduces the possibility of dropping the base of the telephone onto the floor as sometimes happens with today's bulky and somewhat awkward models. The Trimphone has two added extras over the standard phone — one being a 'last-number' recall which automatically re-dials an engaged phone number.

It also has a mute switch which eliminates background noise when pressed. Both styles of telephone are reasonably expensive initially but once payed for, they become the property of the purchaser and can be moved from residence to residence. Trimphones can be leased at $163 and antique styles are priced from $275-$328, depending on the model.