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Retro Style Handsets: From Ericofon to POP Phones

ericofon

In my case, you can’t totally blame it on the Mad Men effect since I bought my original Ericofon long time ago. It was a splurge when I moved to my first apartment. I adored how it looks then and I still do.

Sadly, my cobra telephone passed more time in boxes since nobody around me appreciates it. It’s true that this plastic one-piece telephone becomes heavy if you are having long conversation. And yes, a rotary dialer is cumbersome. But, I don’t make many phone calls anyway. Now it is back in my life. It sits nicely on my mid-century office desk. Finding my old Ericofon last week when I sorted my boxes during my Spring cleaning put a big smile on my face. I was relieved since I was afraid that I gave it away. I won’t make that same mistake again.

Native Union Retro POP Handset

Native Union Retro POP Bluetooth
photo credits: Native Union Retro POP Bluetooth

All that brings me to talk about another retro handset collection. French designer David Turpin was inspired by the classic 1950s Bakelite phone when he created for Nation Union the POP handset in many colors. The coolest thing about the POP phone is that it connects to your mobile phone, smartphone, tablet or computer using a 3.5mm jack. It can be used with VoIP applications.

Since I prefer to keep my earPods in my purse, I always needed to run for them when I answer a call from my mobile phone. It might be a more practical solution.

Native Union Retro POP Handset
photo credits: Enrique Diaz/Lamont Library via Harvard Gazette

The POP phones come in two versions: the wire version and a Bluetooth model where you lose the wire. You can see how the Woodberry Poetry Room at Harvard University used the classic POP phones for their “Phone-a-Poem” exhibition. I am tempted to add a POP phone to my desk. I still try to figure out which model and in which color? If that can help you, the wire version is 50% off at Indigo right now.