Sunday, November 27, 2011
Handy Dialing Guide
More proof that art directors, illustrators, and designers could make ANY subject interesting back in the good 'ol days, this Handy Dialing Guide for Illinois area codes is a keeper, not only for the useful phone information, but more importantly for the darling characters used to highlight it. I especially like the seated English chap with the mustache on page 3: "I say old man, how're things over in Kankakee?"
This is so neat. I remember party lines from when I was a kid (they still had them, in the rural south at least, throughout the seventies). It was weird to make a call and know that unscrupulous neighbors could be listening in. I never had a two-letter five-figure telephone number, though. That stuff always seems so exotic in noir movies.
ReplyDeleteWhat a little gem. What year, I wonder? I know distant direct dialing started in the Chicago area in 1951 (I looked up up in Wikipedia); but something about the graphic design seems a bit later, maybe '56 to about '63. Love the layouts here and, as you say, the great character design. My favorite is the pretty lady with the pearl necklace on page 4, so happy to be making a person-to-person "special" call.
ReplyDeleteSee, this is technology I can get into - unlike the terrifying Facebook that flays people alive ;)
>I never had a two-letter five-figure telephone number, though. That stuff always seems so exotic in noir movies.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I never had one either and oh how I do love listening to people make phone calls in old movies... gimme Lakeside-666.
>My favorite is the pretty lady with the pearl necklace on page 4
Mykal, did you see the blonde cowgirl on horseback on the cover of the Amazing Arizona booklet a few posts back?
Karswell: I missed that post - and you're right, she's cute as hell. Awesome graphic design on that one, too, particularly that first page or cover with the girl on that amazing horse - beautiful stuff.
ReplyDeleteI love this! I remember my grandma and great aunt always said their phone numbers with the letters. My great aunt's was AL3-0327. Heh. I think the AL stood for Alameda or something. I always thought it was so funny.
ReplyDeleteNow I want my little avatar to be the girl with the pink pony tail talking on the phone! She's so cute!
Check your email-- again!
ReplyDelete