L M Ericsson AC400 Desk Phone

This was a replacement for the Skeletal Ericsson ("Eiffel Tower" for you U.S. collectors) and was intended to increase production by reducing the amount of finishing of the internal parts. The "tin box" design was often finished with elaborate pinstriping and decoration. Not so for the Australian Post Office, though. Basic black was good enough, with only pinstriping and a minimal Ericsson or Australian Post Office transfer (decal) to set it off.

The phones were introduced in the early 1920s, but had a short production life. The new bakelite phones soon took over. In spite of the somewhat rougher internal finish, the phones were still quite reliable. Some were still in service well into the 1950s in Australia.

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