Ericofon rotary-dial telephones

In the early 1930s the Swedish company Ericsson switched from using sheet metal to form the base and handset of the traditional desk telephone to Bakelite, an early form of plastic. Twenty years later, with the availability of new, easily molded plastics, Ericsson’s designers transformed the phone’s appearance, essentially turning the handset by 90 degrees and incorporating the dial in its base. This practical, one-piece model was introduced to North America in 1960 where it was advertised as “the telephone that reflects your good taste.” The sculpted form, nicknamed “the cobra, ” was available in 18 colors to complement every interior.