Ca. 1910-1920 Automatic Electric Company Type 21

Updated August 6, 2026

Lot number129
Estimate100.00 - 400.00 USD
Auction98 Pony Road Estate Auction
DateAugust 8, 2026 at 12:00 PM MDT
Auction houseNorth American Auction Company
LocationBozeman, Montana

The Automatic Electric Company Type 21 wall telephone is a historic "hotel" style telephone manufactured in Chicago during the 1910s and 1920s. As a pioneer in automated telephony, this model helped eliminate the need for manual switchboard operators by incorporating Almon Strowger’s revolutionary automatic dialing system. It features a compact black steel or wood case, distinct dual brass ringer bells at the top, a separate receiver handset hanging on a side hook, and a prominent nickel-plated mouthpiece mounted directly above an early 11-hole porcelain rotary dial. Highly valued by antique collectors today, this model serves as a milestone in telecommunications history, representing the crucial transition into modern, direct-user communication. The telephone is sold as is.

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