Seattle - March 10, 2008

Rotary Club

Russell Johnson Vintage Phones

Settle down, class. Today we’re discussing ancient forms of communication. You see, a long time ago — before iPhones, cellies, or even wireless handsets — people talked to one another using clunky contraptions with something called a rotary dial.

A what?

It’s in your study guide. (And, yes, it will be on the quiz.) We might have lost all trace of these machines if not for Russell Johnson, a Wyoming tourist who discovered a stash of government-issued phones from the ’20s, ’30s, and ’40s in Buenos Aires. With the help of an Argentinean family, Johnson outfits the long-forgotten relics for modern-day jacks.

Do they play MP3s? Do they have cameras?

No, they’re just for chatting. Think of them as a little piece of history, like an old Chanel handbag.

Ooooh, you mean they’re vintage. Cool.

Available at Re-Soul, 5319 Ballard Avenue Northwest (206-789-7312); Koap Home, 116 Central Way, Kirkland (425-822-2003). To see styles, go to russelljohnsonimports.com.