An American Design Icon - professionally restored, and supplied with our peace of mind 1 year guaranteeOwn a Classic Piece of Telecommunications History – An ITT 500 Telephone with Manitoba Roots
(The phone you will receive is the exact one shown in the photos.)
This ITT-marked Black 500 telephone is in excellent working condition and has been carefully restored to retain its vintage charm. The base features a "Property of Manitoba Telephone System" sticker, hinting at its history within Canada’s telecom network. Additionally, the underside of the phone bears an ITTC manufacturing date stamp from 1981, along with what appears to be a refurbishment date from 1988—suggesting it was serviced and kept in operation for years after its initial use.
The Iconic 500-Series Telephone
Originally introduced in 1949, the 500 series was designed by Henry Dreyfuss and became one of the most widely used telephones in North America. While Western Electric was the primary manufacturer in the U.S., ITT (International Telephone & Telegraph) also produced versions of the 500-series, making them available to independent telephone companies and global markets. Meanwhile, in Canada, the Manitoba Telephone System (MTS) was a government-owned provider responsible for telecom services in Manitoba, often using equipment from various manufacturers, including Northern Telecom and ITT.
Given the 1981 manufacture date and the 1988 refurbishment marking, this phone may have spent years in service with MTS before being reconditioned—possibly for continued use or resale within the system. The fact that it was refurbished suggests it was deemed valuable enough to maintain rather than replace, highlighting the durability and reliability of these classic rotary phones.
A Functional and Stylish Vintage Telephone
This beautifully restored ITT 500 telephone is not just a collector’s piece—it’s fully wired and ready to use. The body has been polished to a near-new condition, maintaining its original character while ensuring functionality. We can also provide the correct plug for your telephone network, so you can start using it right away.
All our telephones come with a 12-month guarantee, giving you peace of mind with your purchase.
Whether you're seeking a functional vintage phone with history or a standout decorative piece, this ITT 500 telephone with its Manitoba connection is a fantastic find!
- Original, USA dial telephones
- Fully restored and working
- Supplied with a modern BT plug as standard
- Fitted with the correct plug for your country`s network if sent outside the UK
- Incoming calls and bell ring are compatible with modern digital phone lines
- Full 1 year warranty from date of purchase.
Full repair service available after this period.
Our old dial phones are fully functional for incoming calls, including the classic bell ring, on both digital and analogue telephone lines. However, for outgoing calls, the phone requires an analogue line that supports pulse dialling, which is being phased out. This typically isn’t an issue, as most owners use these telephones for incoming calls only. If you’d like to make outgoing calls, you can easily resolve this by purchasing a pulse-to-tone converter, such as the Dialgizmo, Dial-A-Tone or Rotatone. This device converts the phone's pulse signals into tone signals, making it compatible with modern systems.
 Our telephone specialist has been specialising in telephones since 1972, bringing over 40 years of experience and dedication to the location, renovation and selling of old and vintage phones. Even the earliest of instruments come lovingly restored and all but the odd early collectors piece come with a 12 month guarantee in full working order. Virtually any phone can be made to work in any country and we will supply your phone with the correct plug for your telephone socket. Telephones have proven an excellent and functional investment over the years, and, for example, the last dial phones used in Britain (the 700 series) are now also beginning to appreciate rapidly. We currently have (diminishing) quantities of most of our original phones, so why not make an investment we are sure you are not going to regret.
Usually sent to UK mainland addresses on a next-day courrier service. Delivery overseas can take a few days longer. We generally dispatch sameday if you order before 12 noon. When you input your address details, you can also add special delivery instructions. In any case, we email you your tracking details, so you will know when delivery will be attempted.
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