Telephone Collectors International (TCI) will hold its annual Antique Telephone Show and Exhibit on Saturday, June 10, at the Lancaster Farm and Home Center. The Farm and Home Center is located at 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster, Pa.
The TCI is an association of telephone collectors and telephone historians with interests that range from the restoration of early wooden sets and the preservation of electromechanical switching technology to the collection of books and ephemera related to the telephone industry. There are, in fact, so many unique interests amongst the membership that it is almost impossible to describe a typical member. The membership represents all manner of professions, both related and unrelated to the telecommunications industry. The group publishes a monthly newsletter, “Singing Wires,” which features educational articles, newsworthy features, and a section where people can advertise telephones and related material for sale or trade. The articles feature a wide range of subjects, from the evolution of telephone equipment to the histories of unique telephone people and organizations.
Some TCI members participate in a special interest group of telephone switching enthusiasts. These members collect and restore the specialized equipment that made the telephone network work. This includes cord switchboards, automatic telephone exchanges, and office intercommunicating systems. The TCI publishes a quarterly newsletter, “Switchers’ Quarterly,” for this particular group. Persons interested in TCI are invited to visit www.telephonecollectors.org.
The group sponsors two historic telephone shows a year. The exhibits, or telephone shows, as they are sometimes referred to, serve as a means of bringing together those who share an interest in historic telephony. These shows give the collectors an opportunity to exhibit their material; buy, sell, and exchange phones, parts and memorabilia; and to help each other to build collections.
In addition, this show in Lancaster will feature a section where working examples of the switching equipment that used to make up telephone exchanges is demonstrated. It provides an excellent opportunity for those who are interested in the technological side of historic telephony to share their knowledge and learn from each other. The event is a “must see” for those who consider themselves “phone geeks.”
This show will be open to public free of charge from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Those who want to arrive early at the show are invited to register for $15.
For details about registration, visit www.telephonecollectors.org/shows/2017/Lancaster/index.htm.