Toy-Town Telephone Exchange
Toy Telephone Exchange
1960-1969 (manufactured)
1960-1969 (manufactured)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is a good example of how toys mimic real life and the popularity of the idea of playing grown ups for children. This toy is ca 1960 and was sold under the Codeg tradename. Codeg is the tradename for Cowan de Groot, founded in 1919, an importer of goods from around the world, the imports included large numbers of tin plate toys from Japan and Germany, which were available in large numbers. As with many toys of this period the box graphics are more interesting and higher in quality than the toy its self, which is of quite cheap manufacture.
It is about the time that this toy was made that the Telephone operator became defunct as they were replaced by an automatic direct dialing system. The operator’s job was to connect calls on a switchboard with a plug system. Being in complete control of the call, the operator was in a position to listen to private conversations. Automatic, or Dial systems were developed in the 1920s to reduce labor costs as usage increased, and to ensure privacy to the customer. As phone systems became more sophisticated, less direct intervention by the telephone operator was necessary to complete calls.
It is about the time that this toy was made that the Telephone operator became defunct as they were replaced by an automatic direct dialing system. The operator’s job was to connect calls on a switchboard with a plug system. Being in complete control of the call, the operator was in a position to listen to private conversations. Automatic, or Dial systems were developed in the 1920s to reduce labor costs as usage increased, and to ensure privacy to the customer. As phone systems became more sophisticated, less direct intervention by the telephone operator was necessary to complete calls.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 4 parts. (Some alternative part names are also shown below)
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| Title | Toy-Town Telephone Exchange (manufacturer's title) |
| Materials and techniques | Pressed metal, moulded plastic and printed card |
| Brief description | Toy-Town telephone exchange, made/distributed by CODEG, in Britain in the 1960s |
| Physical description | An child size toy exchange in red pressed metal, the exchange is in a till shape with a yellow plastic dial on the right, two levers at the centre front, it has four elastic leads with yellow plastic connector on the end which plug into holes related to phone lines. At the side is a red plastic phone receiver attached by string to the main object, it as a metal hook that detaches to be packed into its box. There is also a red plastic telephone in a classic style with a rotary dial and receiver that can be plugged into the exchange. The box is made of card and has a illustration on the front of two children playing with the toy in a domestic setting, on the side is an image of a real telephone exchange in use with three women working at their stations. The end of the box has text about the product. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Shirley Mills |
| Summary | This is a good example of how toys mimic real life and the popularity of the idea of playing grown ups for children. This toy is ca 1960 and was sold under the Codeg tradename. Codeg is the tradename for Cowan de Groot, founded in 1919, an importer of goods from around the world, the imports included large numbers of tin plate toys from Japan and Germany, which were available in large numbers. As with many toys of this period the box graphics are more interesting and higher in quality than the toy its self, which is of quite cheap manufacture. It is about the time that this toy was made that the Telephone operator became defunct as they were replaced by an automatic direct dialing system. The operator’s job was to connect calls on a switchboard with a plug system. Being in complete control of the call, the operator was in a position to listen to private conversations. Automatic, or Dial systems were developed in the 1920s to reduce labor costs as usage increased, and to ensure privacy to the customer. As phone systems became more sophisticated, less direct intervention by the telephone operator was necessary to complete calls. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | B.375:1 to 4-2012 |
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| Record created | February 5, 2013 |
| Record URL |
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