The following are representative pictures of Western Electric Telephones from the early 1920s through approximately 1984.
Western Electric was the manufacturing arm of the Bell System (AT&T) from its inception until the breakup of AT&T in 1984. After the breakup, AT&T absorbed Western Electric. In 1996, AT&T spun off the manufacturing arm to its own company, Lucent Technologies.
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WE Model 101
Years Made: 1928
WE Model 102
Years Made: 927 to 1930
WE Model 202
Years Made: 1930 to 1937
WE Model 211
Years Made and notes: 1930s to 1970s. Later sets included models 212, 213, 214, 2211 & 2212, which would have different mounts (2211 & 2212 sets are touch tone and very rare)
WE Model 302
Years Made and Notes: 1937 to 1948. First model with network & ringer enclosed in one unit, case was made of cast zinc. Originally made of metal, in 1941 the outer shell was made out of thermoplastic (Bakelite) but some were made out of cast zinc well into the 1940s. Thermoplastic models were made in a number of colors.
WE Model 352 or 354
Years Made: 1930s to 1954
WE Model 500
Years Made and Notes: 1949 to 1984. Very common rotary desk telephone. Early models had a metal dial, later ones were plastic. Made in the following colors: Black, White, Beige, Pink, Aqua, Green, Orange, Red, Yellow, Brown. Western Electric licensed the 500 set, allowing Stromberg-Carlson and ITT (and others) to make phones that looked like the 500.
WE Model 525 Imperial
Year Made and Notes: 1951. The "Imperial" - Used recycled parts from Model 202 set and repainted.
WE Model 5302 - Front
Notes: The 5302 was the outer housing that looked like a 500 set, but the insides were a 302 set. Made because the network inside the phone couldn't handle extreme long wire distances (high inductance). The back of the phone was one inch shorter than the 500 set. Came in standard 500 set colors of the period.
WE 5302 - Side
Notes: The 5302 was the outer housing that looked like a 500 set, but the insides were a 302 set. Made because the network inside the phone couldn't handle extreme long wire distances (high inductance). The back of the phone was one inch shorter than the 500 set. Came in standard 500 set colors of the period.
WE Model 554
Years made and Node: 1954 to 1984. Wall mount companion to 500 set. Available in the same colors as the 500 set.
WE Model 1500
Years Made: 1964 to 1967. Original Touch Tone Desk Telephone. These were first used with the first #5 crossbar modifications for Touch Tone (Carnegie & Greensburg, PA).
Note the lack of * and # keys.
WE Model 2500
Years Made: 1968 to 1984. Touch Tone companion to 500 set with "modern" number pad with * and # keys. Available in a variety of colors.
WE Model 940 "Celebrity"
Notes: Part of the Design Line series.
WE Princess
Years Made and Notes: 1959 to 1984. 701 - Rotary, no internal ringer. 702 - Rotary with internal ringer. 1702 - 10 button Touch Tone with ringer. 2702 - 12 button Touch Tone with ringer. Colors varied depending on model and year made, but included white, pink, beige, aqua blue, turquoise, black, moss green, yellow, gray, ivory, red, gold, and clear. Early models had a light, powered by a transformer. Later models were a green LED or no illumination.
WE Trimline
Years Made and Notes" 1965 to 1986: Models 220 & 226 (rotary), 2220, 2226 (Touch Tone). Made in the following colors: Black, Ivory, Green, Red, Yellow, White, Pink, Beige, Gray, Blue, Turquoise, Brown, Gold, Mocha, Peach, Transparent. Early models had a light, powered by a transformer. Later models were a green LED. Early Touch Tone models had round buttons, later models had square buttons.
