Several significant milestones have occurred during the evolution of the telephone, not the least of which was the all-in-one structure of the Western Electric Model 302. Western Electric Model 500 StoryPlacing the ringer within the body of the phone was a big step to be sure, providing a glimpse of the design efficiency that would become such a significant aspect of 20th Century technology. But what of the Model 500? Wasn’t it the phone that best represented “modernity”? Yes, but perhaps not in the way one might think. The styling was a dramatic change, and quite bold considering its 1949 roots. Radical though the design may be from a visual standpoint, the big news was the ringer, one that featured an adjustable volume control. Given the importance of earlier advances in telephone design, should anyone be dazzled by a volume control? Absolutely, if not because of what it was, but what it represented. As the only game in town, the Bell System wasn’t in the habit of catering to the trends or whims of the subscriber, and to be honest, the public hadn’t made any overtures for change. But mid-century America was an era of affluence, and consumers began to seek style in the products they purchased, not merely function. The model 500 was the first small effort to accommodate the preferences of the customer and, as with all great design, is a superb representative of its time.