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Body Parts (really!) Novelty Phones

Started by paul-f, March 14, 2014, 11:20:26 PM

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paul-f

I don't normally collect novelty phones, but have had a few find their way into my collection over the years.

One, in particular, turned up at a flea market years ago, while Chris was flat on her back in bed recovering from multiple disk injuries.  For some reason, she didn't share my enthusiasm for the phone.  It does generate interest and comment from non-collectors who view the collection.

I have collected some photos of other body parts phones as examples of how far afield the phone makers got in the 1980s and 90s.  I'll start with two lips phones, one for Rolling Stones fans.
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Phonesrfun

-Bill G

paul-f

#2
We can only hope this body parts phone is truly, as stated, "one of a kind."

From the ebay auction description:
 
Crying Skinned Hermaphrodite Telephone!
Absolutely one-of-a-kind outsider art / folk art sculptural telephone.

Plaster torso of a visible / skinned half-man half-woman with a vintage rotary phone installed inside and the dial exposed on the abdomen. The mouth and ear piece of the phone are installed in the figure's head which you lift off the body and speak into.

The body of this life-size sculpture is made from plaster of paris on a wooden structure / skeleton. The exterior is painted with arcylic paint which has been built up and textured to look like exposed muscle. Exposed bone had been inventively made out of ribbons of hot glue. The torso looks like it has been sprayed with a protective coating. The figure's head has male and female features (with lipstick/makeup and styled hair on the feminine side) and both eyes are shedding a tear (who wouldn't?).

I tested the phone and it is fully functional. The "L" bracket that extends from the neck depresses the hangup lever inside the body. If the embedded video above isn't showing, search for "Skinned Hermaphrodite Telephone" on Youtube.
 
[still available when posted: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suyxWN1jUE8]
Judging by the old-style phone and the length of time the previous owner claims to have had this, I would place the piece in the late 1970s-early 80s.

26" tall. Aprox 9 pds (20 when packed for shipping). The phone is sturdy and well-constructed and will ship in an oversize box, wrapped in plastic with plenty of peanuts for cushion.

Questions welcome. I will try to answer everything I can besides the obvious one --"WTH?".
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paul-f

More photos...
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Phonesrfun

Yikes.  A bigger nightmare than a lamp phone.
-Bill G

paul-f

#5
I see there was some spirited discussion on this one in 2009, before I joined the forum.  The comments were great.  At the time no one posted the photos.

  http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=733.0
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twocvbloke

That torso phone is just creepy, the only question I can think of is how quickly can it go in the bin?? :o

TelePlay

#7
This torso phone was first posted on the forum in August of 2009 and is #4 (in order) in the "Hideous Phones" topic

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1351.msg17262#msg17262


paul-f

Some Skulls...
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twocvbloke

At least the skull with the eyes is quite funny looking, seeing that torso phone again, yeesh, creepy!!

paul-f

Tongue Phones

Regardless of what these look like, they were presented in 2004-vintage ebay auctions as "Tongue Phones."

That's my story, and I'm sticking with it.

(No, I didn't buy one.)

[It's surprising what's hiding among the old photos on the hard drive.]
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twocvbloke

Now those truly are grotesque, what on earth were people thinking of (or taking??) when they thought up of those designs??  :o

Owain

The Bone Phone is quite interesting but looks a bit uncomfortable to use with such a small earpiece.

paul-f

#13
Robby's post in Hideous Telephones also fits nicely here...

   http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1351.msg54287#msg54287

as does the mannequin phone.
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Owain