The Princess Telephone

"IT'S LITTLE, IT'S LOVELY, AND IT LIGHTS!"    

WAS THE BELL SYSTEM'S SLOGAN FOR OVER 3O YEARS, DESCRIBING THE PRINCESS TELEPHONE.

This page updated as of 03/08/08

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  "Princess" telephone (introduced in 1959), illustrates another major change in telephone design.   The "Princess" was designed by Henry Dreyfuss and Associates, the designer of the first cradle phones in the 1920's.    The base of the "Princess" was oval-shaped (rather than circular) and the result was a more compact set which required less space. In the 1950's, many American families began to lease more than one telephone for their household. The "Princess" design was a reaction to this trend, because it allowed people to "match" the décor of different rooms. Because the "Princess" was intended to appeal to women, advertisements described the telephone as "lovely" and "graceful.".   It has a dial that is illuminated when the handset is  lifted.    The "Princess" was in production from 1959 - 1983.  It was followed by the AT&T Signature Princess with its production ending in 1994.   The field trial, "Prototype" of the "Princess" telephone was introduced in 1957.    Look alike sets were manufactured by Stromberg-Carlson (Petite), Kellogg (Cinderella) and Northern Electric (        ).    General Telephone introduced their set to compete with the "Princess" set and called it "Starlite".    In more recent years, the "Princess" style has been copied and manufactured as a low end or novelty telephone.                                      

                 

Rotary Dial Models and Colors

Model

Features

701B

Original Model - Single line set, no ringer - no vent slots in base    [ earliest date I've seen (9-59)]

  702B  

Single line set with internal ringer - vent slots in base

702BM

 Single line set with internal ringer - "M" = Modular

702D

Single line set with internal ringer & message waiting lamp

711B

 Two line set with internal ringer & exclusion

712B

 Two line set with internal ringer & hold and signal key

713B

 Single line set with internal ringer & exclusion

          Color Chart

Model  701

white

rose pink

light beige

aqua blue

tur quoise

black

moss green

pastel yellow

light gray

ivory

cherry red

clear
1959 - 1962

*

*

*

*

*
1963

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Model 702
1963 - 1966

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*
1967 - 1970

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*
1971 - 1972

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*
1973

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*
1978 (702BM)

*

 

Touch-Tone Models and Colors

Model

Features

1702B

 10 button Touch-Tone with ringer

2702B

 12 button Touch-Tone with ringer

2702BM

 12 button Touch-Tone with ringer, modular cords

CS2702BM

 12 button Touch-Tone, no illumination, modular cords

2703BMG

 12 button Touch-Tone, Signature Princess, modular cords

 

Color Chart

 

Model 1702B

white

rose pink

light beige

aqua blue

tur quoise

black

moss green

pastel yellow

light gray

ivory

cherry red

gold or clear

1964

*

1967

*

*

*

*

Model 2702B

1966

*

Model 2702BM

1977

*

Mid 1980's teal blue for a while

 

Princess 1990's refurbished - colors

slate blue

peach

cameo green

 

Signature Princess - colors

pink

light blue

white

ivory

peach

 

THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED AS MORE INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.

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