Automatic Electric telephone models and more from collectorville.com

In 1891 the Strowger Co. was formed. In 1901 the name was changed to Automatic Electric. In 1957 it became General Telephone (GTE), then in 2000 the name was changed to Verizon.

Model or ???	Introduced	Information
Rotary Dial	1895	Strowger introduced the first rotary dial in 1895. Many improvements to the dial were made in the following years 1896, 1897, 1899 & 1900. In 1901 the dial was improved by adding 10 “Finger Holes” to dial. The 1903 dial was an improvement of the 1901 dial. In 1904 the dial was redesigned to fit into a desk set and had 11 “Finger Holes” with a brass finger dial. In 1905 the dial was improved again and this time the “A” hookswitch was added. The first small round dial was introduced in 1909, it was equipped with 11 “finger holes”. In 1911 the dial was improved and equipped with 10 “finger holes”. The 1918 dial was an improvement of the 1911 dial and was used by other companies. The above dials were used in the early Strowger/Automatic Electric dial telephone systems. Click Here for More information on the Automatic Electric Dials

Step Base		desk stand (candlestick) - dial - black
1 or 11	1925	First AE cradle phone - black metal base - requires external subset
1A or 11A	1925 - 1938+	desk, dial, black + colors in bakelite, also available with zinc cradle & brass base - 1A uses an inductor, the 11A uses a unique receiver and does not have an inductor coil. requires external subset - This telephone was offered in the late 1930's & 1940's as a portable telephone.
2 or 12	1925 - 1933	First self contained desk set mfg. in USA - dial - black bakelite - AE2 uses an inductor and the AE12 uses a inductive coil receiver unit and does not have an inductor coil.
3 or 13	1926 - 1934	wall - dial - black metal housing - self contained with same wiring and setup as the AE2 & AE12
4, 14 or 17	1929 - 1930's	wall - non-dial - black bakelite housing - "Extension Set" - requires external ringer - {4 is common battery with inductor - 14 is common battery with inductive coil type receiver & no inductor & 17 is magneto operation}
4A or 14A	1930's	wall - dial - black metal - "space saver" - has inductor - housing is different from the type 4 - requires external ringer
5, 15 or 9	1926 - 1930's	desk, non-dial, black brass base - requires external subset - AE5 uses an inductor and the AE15 uses a inductive coil receiver unit and does not have an inductor coil, the AE9 is magneto operation.
6 or 16	1926 - 1930's	wall, non-dial, black metal housing, same as AE3 & AE13 without the dial opening
7 or 19	1930's	desk, non-dial, black, heavy stamped brass base, internal inductor, requires an external ringer/magneto - {7 is common battery & 19 is magneto operation - the inductors are different}
8	1928 -	desk, magneto, ringer & tall metal base
10	1930's	wall, magneto, ringer & inductor inside metal box
18	1930's	wall, magneto, ringer & inductor inside wood box
21	1920's	wall, dial, black metal housing w/louvers on bottom & side locking screw
21	1920's - 1930's	desk, dial, desk stand "candlestick" The type 21 also is available without a dial opening (manual).
21	1920's - 1930's	wall, dial, black metal housing w/round holes on bottom & front screw lock - same circuitry as other 21 sets
21A	1940's	desk stand "candlestick", dial, 3 winding inductor coil, uses the improved transmitter & receiver (same units used in the type 40 & 50 sets), same style as type 21 above
21A	1940's	wall, dial, black metal box - same circuitry as type 21A desk stand above
31	1932 -	desk, dial, black, 2 line, AE1A set with a sub-base containing a switching key
32	1932 -	desk, dial, black, bakelite handset & 2piece base, capacitor & ringer inside - This model is designed to be used with isolated private exchanges. The handset has the inductive coil type receiver and no inductor in the set.
32	1932 -	wall - dial - black metal case - same circuitry as type 32 desk set information above.
32	1932 -	wall - non-dial - black bakelite - "extension set" - same as type 32 desk set information
34	1934 - 1938	desk - dial - bakelite housing - w/network & ringer inside unit - has single hookswitch button in center (vented case) some have carry handles - several colors - companion to 35A model
35	1935 - 1937	wall - dial - bakelite housing (no side vents on case) - several colors (9) - companion to 34A wall model
40	1938 - 1956	desk - dial - bakelite (vented case) - type 41 handset - some have gold or chrome dial ring & gold or chrome handset bands - several colors - companion to 50 wall model
42	1938 -	wall, - dial - black metal - receiver & transmitter are improved (same elements used in the type 40 & 50 sets) - same circuitry as type 40 &50 sets - same style as AE21 wall set
43	1938 -1950's	wall - dial - "Compact" - type 41 handset with the same circuitry as the AE40 & 50 less ringer - needs external ringer box
44	1938 -	wall - dial - black metal - type 41 handset hangs on left side of metal box with same internal parts as AE40/50
47	1938 -	desk - 3 line
50	1938 - 1956	wall - dial - bakelite (sides vented on case) - several colors - companion to 40 model
80	1954 - 1975	desk - dial & later TT - several colors - plastic housings companion to AE90 wall set
80E	1975 - 1986	desk - dial or TT - new shape/style of AE80 - replaced AE80
82	1961 - 1965	desk - dial - early "Starlite" - is the AE version of the WE Princess - has a 120V. power cord to power the dial night light - replaced by model 182
83	1950's	wall - dial - black metal housing - type 80 handset uses same circuitry as AE80 sets - replaced model #43 using the same housing and handset hanger
85	1950's - 1980's	desk - dial or TT 2 line AE80 style
85E	1975 -	desk - dial or TT- 2 line =-replaced AE85
87		desk - dial - 3 line AE80 style
88	late 1950's -	desk - dial - speakerphone - AE80 style - W/external control vacuum tube circuitry
88T	early 1960's	desk - dial - speakerphone - self-contained transistor circuitry
90	1956 - 1973	wall - dial - several colors - plastic housings - companion to AE80 desk set
182	1963 - 1970's	desk - dial or later TT - "Starlite" - is AE version of WE Princess
183	1958 - 1983	wall - "Spacemaker" - needs external ringer, replaced model #83
187		desk - dial - 3 line - w/amphenol cable, replaced modell #87
192	late 1970's -	wall - "Starlite" - replaced the AE90 wall set
880		desk - speakerphone - replaced 88T sets
881		desk - speakerphone - replaced 880
980's		desk or wall "Styleline" sets

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