Crosley retro corded telephones: Vintage and retro phones by Crosley that you can buy online

Retro desk telephones with rotary dials, candlestick telephones, corded wall phones, old school pay phones and Princess telephones ooze character and charm of 1930s, 50's, and 70's. If you like the sound of this, you will love this review of 5 uber chic retro and vintage phones by online retailer Crosley. Featured models that you can buy online are Crosley 302 Desk Phone, Crosley Candlestick Phone, Crosley 1950s Pay Phone, Crosley 302 Wall Phone and the girly Crosley 1950s Princess Phone.

How cool would a retro corded desk phone with rotary dials look sitting on an office desk with paperwork lying around? Very cool, believes Princesswithapen. It is amusing to know that the Crosley 302 Desk Phone actually mimics the original Model 302 telephone which was first manufactured by Western Electric Company in 1937. For the sake of Trivia, the original Model 302 Telephone was designed by Henry Dreyfuss and was manufactured in the following 8 colors: Black, silver, gold, green, red, rose, blue, bronze and ivory.

Crosley's desk telephone is a sturdy and is reminiscent of the models used by mafia, mob bosses and WWII officers in old school crime and war movies. The rugged model features a rotary dial which won't actually make you wait for the slow rotation as it features push button technology.

Before buying online - Style check: This phone has classic styling with curves to match. The corded earpiece sits on top of a bold telephone housing. A rotary dial oozes character while the hoof-styled base looks mean yet very charming. This is the phone that every gentleman must own.

Places it can be used at: Office desks, bedside tables, study desks, home bar and corner table in living rooms.

Crosley 302 Desk Phone CR60 features

• Heavy duty plastic housing
• Rotary dial with push button technology
• Volume control for earpiece
• Old school bell ringer with volume control and On/Off switch
• Switch for Tone/Pulse
• Flash/Redial

Patented in 1904 and succeeded by superior models by 1927, the Candlestick Telephones have been an iconic mainstay of the early 1900s. They were extensively used in World War I and are now a part of displays in museums including the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). Crosley Candlestick Phone does a fantastic job of recreating the legendary piece, complete with an upright tube-shaft, mouthpiece and a corded earpiece. At the base of the tube-shaft is a rotary dial adorned with push button numbers. You can buy it as a quirky gift or as an accessory for your own home.

Before buying online - Style check: Also known as the stick-phone, this candlestick model stands upright with a classic tube-shaft leading to a receiver that seems to be plucked straight out of early b&w Alfred Hitchcock classics. The beautiful bell shaped receiver hangs on a stand while the entire unit rests on a compact base, dwarfed by the in-your-face rotary dial.

Places it can be used at: Corner table in the living room, guest rooms, study table, garages and other little nooks and corners in a vintage setting.

Crosley Candlestick Phone (CR64) features

• Sturdy plastic body with upright shaft
• Bell-shaped mouthpiece joined to the unit by a cloth-covered cord
• Rotary dial with push button technology
• Volume control for earpiece
• Old school bell ringer with volume control and On/Off switch
• Switch for Tone/Pulse
• Redial

Picture an American household in the 60's and 70's and the kitchen is virtually incomplete without a red wall phone with a dangling cord. It has been a set feature in kitchens and households since the 1950s, not only in America but in countries around the world. Even today, many prefer to have a wall phone with a long dangling chord in the kitchen – just for old time's sake. Promising to bring yesteryears back into your life, this model is an absolute classic. The base of the Crosley 302 Wall Phone is supposed to be mounted while the old school earpiece rests on it.

Before buying online - Style check: Unlike the abnormally large base of the real thing from the 60's, the base of this phone is sleeker and more uniform in design. The retro earpiece rests on a cradle and hangs along the lines of the base as it visually cuts through the rotary dial. This wall phone is the perfect accessory to any kitchen – promising to be a conversation starter every single time it rings.

Places it can be used at: Kitchen, study desk and hallway.

Crosley 302 Wall Phone CR55 features

• Well designed body with cradle to hold earpiece
• Rotary dial with push button technology
• Old school bell ringer with volume control and On/Off switch
• Switch for Tone/Pulse
• Flash/Redial

Crosley's 1950s pay phone attempts to recreate the 50's, 60's and 70's when guys and girls dipped their hands into the pockets of their denim pants and pulled out coins to make phone calls from pay phones. This modern version looks exactly like the dime pay phone of the past as it has a base unit with functional coin slots, rotary dial and an earpiece by the side. While you don't have to pay to use this phone, you can very well entertain your friends by using the coin slots. Coins will find their way to a coin bank at the bottom of the unit which can be accessed via a special key.

Before buying online - Style check: A solid base unit styled with straight lines and right angles intricately mimic a pay phone of the 1960s and onwards. On the top of the box is a rotary dial flanked by a cradled earpiece to its right. Above the dial are shiny and functional coin slots while the bottom of the unit has a coin bank. The key holes and rugged appeal are characteristic mid twentieth century style.

Places it can be used at: Garage, workshop, basement, hallway, study and even as a cool accessory for your home bar.

Crosley CR56 1950s Pay Phone features

• Sturdy plastic body
• Retro earpiece
• Rotary dial with push button technology
• Old school bell ringer with volume control and On/Off switch
• Switch for Tone/Pulse
• Redial
• Functional coin slot with coin bank at bottom of the phone – Key to coin bank provided
• Plays Crosley jingle when coins are deposited

Western Electric Princess Phones were the ultimate bedroom accessory for girls in the 60's and 70's. It was offered in many colors including the trademark pink along with turquoise, light blue, yellow and red. It was designed in the late 50's by Henry Drefuss, the man who also designed many other iconic telephone models including the 302. The Crosley Princess Phone in pink color has a compact base with a rotary dial featuring push buttons. The base of the telephone itself is almost overshadowed by the earpiece. You can buy the Princess Phone as the perfect gift for a mother, sister, daughter, girlfriend or wife who loves to have candid phone conversations while in bed.

Before buying online - Style check: The way how the ear piece femininely masks the dominant rotary dial is the highlight of the phone's design. With a girly pink color and a compact design the Princess Phone promises to be a fitting accessory to rooms of princesses around the world.

Places it can be used at: Bedside table in any girlfriend's/wife's/mother's/daughter's/sister's bedroom, kitchen bench, girly study or any other room with a feminine design.

Crosley 1950s Princess Phone features

• Sturdy plastic body
• Retro earpiece
• Rotary dial with push button technology
• Volume control for earpiece
• Old school bell ringer with volume control and On/Off switch
• Switch for Tone/Pulse
• Redial