Which phone model remained in production for the longest time?

[countryman]

The question arose while I was checking out this purchase, a french Model 1910 "Marty" wooden desk phone. It obviously was designed in 1910, together with it's handset.
Now the handset actually sitting on it dates 1953! It will be a replacement, as it is a Burgunder handset on a AOIP phone, but anyway - a model 1910 made 43 years later. It was archaic by then and other types had appeared long since, but obviously these were still produced. The phone itself has no date on it, but most likely is from the 1940ies.

Which other model beats ~40 years of continuous production?

[Jack Ryan]

The question arose while I was checking out this purchase, a french Model 1910 "Marty" wooden desk phone. It obviously was designed in 1910, together with it's handset.

Probably, but not necessarily. A new phone does not necessarily have a new handset.

Now the handset actually sitting on it dates 1953!

Where is the date? It would be unusual for such a handset to be newly manufactured in 1953. It is even unusual to be refurbished in 1953.

It will be a replacement, as it is a Burgunder handset on a AOIP phone, but anyway

It's also not the correct handset - it's intended for a wall telephone.

- a model 1910 made 43 years later. It was archaic by then and other types had appeared long since, but obviously these were still produced.

It is an old, undated telephone with the wrong handset. I don't believe you can determine the date of the telephone with any of the information presented.

The phone itself has no date on it, but most likely is from the 1940ies.

Why is it likely? It is possible but why likely? Manufacturers that were making it before WW2 probably continued during WW2 if they were needed to support a war effort. That would extend its life a bit.

Which other model beats ~40 years of continuous production?

I'm dubious that the Marty was in production for 40 years but 40 years would be hard to crack for any unchanged telephone. The basic WE 500 design lasted a long time but there were changes along the way. Small changes like the equaliser and dial and larger changes like LD to DTMF.

Most phones seem to last about 25 years and they are replaced because the technology improves and because new services are introduced.

If the Marty were in production for 40 years I think that would be a record. You would have to look in a jurisdiction where there were no funds for development for another candidate.

Regards
Jack

[andre_janew]

If this telephone was in production for 40 or more years, I would expect some internal changes may have taken place.

[dsk]

I thought Norway was slow in their development of phones: this was made over many years: the production ended in 1953, not even beaten by the first national standard magneto telephone. Model 1918, replaced by the next standard in 1934.

Maybe even the magneto version of 1953 may be a winner, only because they did not make any new ones since they did not need to, and the last magneto exchange closed in 1993 ?  Maybe not made that long, only stored new ones for that long? It was still in production in 1982!
dsk

[countryman]

So the Marty has competitors :-)
For sure changes were made. My version has the simplified painted steel hardware instead of nickel plated brass. The coil is also a later version with a sidetone winding. According to Alain, this version was made from 1940 on.
The handset isn't the correct one for sure, but a model 1910 and it has two marks "LT CA 53" whatever that means. I agree it looks much older than (19)53. I admit, I can't tell it's true age.
"Well over 30 years" might be a more appropriate statement on the production time of the Marty in it's different versions, and at least seems to be matched by other models.

[Babybearjs]

Hey, what about Western Electric, which model was made the longest? it seems that each series had a 20 year run... or longer??

[dsk]

And for how long did they make the field telephone EE-8?
The EE-8 Field Telephone was standardized in 1932 and procurement began in 1937...They changed to nylon case in 67, but when did they made the last ones?

[rdelius]

I think the nylon cased ones were rebuilds. TA 1 sets might be still be built today. They started in the mid 50s. Lionel made some

[andre_janew]

The 500 model was made from 1949 to 2006.  I'm including the years that both Western Electric and Cortelco made it.  There were some upgrades made along the way involving the network, the dials, the ringer, going from hard wire to modular and maybe a few other things I forgot to mention.

[Babybearjs]

  Wow! I guess Cortelco took over for WE when they closed up shop in 1984... (or did ATT keep them going?) could you imagine if WE had kept the 300 and 400 series going into the 21st Century what they could have looked like? Art Deco never seems to fade....

[rdelius]

I am not sure when WE quit making 500 sets . Cortelco was the old ITT (Kellogg) and SC (comdial) i think had cortelco build their sets in later years.

[Babybearjs]

how I wish for the old days.... things were made to last and Now its all throw away.... some companies have tried to duplicate the work, but with today's technology and thinking.... cheap! I've even seen people who are wood workers remake console TV and put a flat screen in them.... anyway... I'll never part with my phones... just pass them on to family who can appreciate them....

[19and41]

How about old timers among the pay phone models?

[SunriseEarth]

I'd say the Trimline has the longest production run of any phone at 50+ years (and still going).   It started in 1965 and is still made by Advanced American Telephones (VTech) today. 

[Babybearjs]

yeh, but at what quality? VTech phones are what I consider low quality..... light weight and a warbler for a ringer... it seems like no one has a real ring in there phones anymore...