Wishing you a ‘warm’ and safe 2026.

A small photographic experiment with a light inside the Ericofon seen through the holes of the speaker.

I have seen this plate already many times but this time I decided to add one to my collection. Not that it is a beautiful item, or a special collectible, but just because it has some interesting telecom history.

Established in Jutland Denmark in 1895 this telecommunication provider was initially called Jutland Telephone corporation. Nowadays it is part of TDC (est. 2000), after a merger in 1992 with Tele Danmark. In that merger the nationwide company was formed by joining KTAS, Jydsk Telefon, Tele Sønderjylland, Fyns Telefon, and Rigstelefonen.

This is very different of how things were organized in The Netherlands where there was a monopoly already since 1893.

Below is a fragment of a movie from 1958 that I found. This Chevrolet-sponsored film is dedicated to the “stylists of America” – the “men and women of taste and imagination” who have the “courage to dream”.

To my surprise the movie starts with a sunset view over the dome of General Motors Tech Center, Warren, Michigan immediately followed by a shot of an Ericofon.

Culture is an attitude. Just own the things that are not yours. Still going on.

An advertisement from 1980, as placed in the newspaper Het Vrije Volk, which was a social-democratic newspaper at that time in the Netherlands. The Ericofon marketed at the Femina, a fair just for women that once started in 1949. The telecommunication company PTT targeted women as group for the Ericofon.

It is another nice but subtle example of the sexualization of the Ericofon. Or maybe it is just how I experience the picture and the fact they were on a women’s fair. 🙂 Long time ago I had another post on this topic.

Some time back I came across a very nice Ericofon related item that was put up for sale. That was the first and also the last time I have seen this one. Unfortunately it went out for quite a large sum of money so I was not able to get it. Would have been nice though 🙁

It seems to be an original box with 9 color samples of the Ericofon. I guess it was manufactured in Sweden and I am not even sure if this set is complete. That’s all I know, but it is still an intriguing item. If you know more, please let me know.

Going back in time with a nice retro graphic that I found online. But we also have to look forward to a new year that will start in a few days. Wishing you all the best for 2025.

The following guy did some fun things with Ericofons and music. It uses the limited bandwidth of the Ericofons speaker to create a retro effect. Although it hurt my eyes to see the Ericofons being ‘abused’, it is kind of nice.

On the last day of the year 2022 I take the opportunity to wish everyone a very healthy and happy 2023.

The past couple of years have been tough for different reasons. With the pandemic well under control in most parts of the world I hope that 2023 will bring us a bit more quite and piece. Hopefully international relations in eastern Europe will take a more positive turn this year as well.

Let’s dream for the best.