Six
differences are shown here in this collection, all included for one price.
Nearly
all old 3-slot payphones had great similarity. The various models were about 92%
interchangeable in the period between 1912 and 1972, when manufacturing of the
3-slot design ceased.
This display helps to show you how they differ and how they are alike, not just by color, but by features.
Yes,
this shows you the three most popular colors of 3-slot payphones: chrome,
black, and beige.
The manufacturers are shown. Western Electric and Northern Electric are next to each other, showing how alike they are. As you can see, Automatic Electric differs slightly from the other two. Although these differences can be determined by leafing through the 475-page “Payphone History” book (available on eBay for $18.00) and “Payphone Encyclopedia,” this is the only comparison display known to exist (known by me, at least). I didn’t put this display together exclusively to sell but to share with those interested how the three companies’ products differed from each other. Payphones from the 1950s are a popular interest in 2023. Studying this display can help you select a payphone, if you are interested. However, if you are an antique dealer or sell crafts or old items, you could use this collection to display options for those who may be considering the acquisition of an old payphone.