ITTC Rotary Dial Phone K-502-80D - Beige

Circa 1984

Nearly cosmetically identical to the extremely common K-500 rotary dial telephone, this variation is equipped with an "exclusion plunger" designed to provide privacy on multi-extension phone lines, common in homes and small businesses.

Use Case:

The user would lift the white exclusion plunger (left-hand cradle plunger) to temporarily disconnect other phones on the same line from the conversation. This allowed for a private conversation without others being able to listen in.

K-500 Series General Characteristics:

• Design & Durability: Known for their robust construction, these phones were made to last and featured a classic, durable plastic shell and a G-type handset that became an industry standard.

• Acoustics & Efficiency: They offered improved transmission efficiency and automatic gain adjustment (equalization circuitry) compared to earlier 300-series models, providing consistent performance on both short and long phone lines.

• Modularity & Variants: The modular design simplified manufacturing and repair, facilitating numerous variants, including the basic rotary dial (pulse dialing) model and later versions retrofitted with touch-tone keypads (models 1500 and 2500).

Historical Significance:

ITT K-500 series phones (such as this K-502 variation) were a line of highly successful analog, corded desk telephones that served as a ubiquitous standard in North American homes and businesses during the mid-to-late 20th century.

Manufactured by INTERNATIONAL TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH CORPORATION (ITT) under a license from WESTERN ELECTRIC, the design was largely identical in form and function to the WESTERN ELECTRIC Model 500, the BELL SYSTEM's standard issue desk phone from 1950 to 1984.

NOTE: Can be used with the VIKING DLE-200B Two-Way Phone Line Simulator that provides on-set talk-path and ringing capabilities (available separately).

(H-13cm x W-21.5cm x D-22cm)