In the years that the telephone has existed, many companies have come and gone. So many companies have left nothing behind them but a few dusty phones in a collection. The history of these phones and their makers is closely tied in to the history of the telephone itself, and a knowledge of the history can add to the enjoyment of your hobby. Ask any antique collector - half the pleasure is finding out the story behind each piece.
In this section I hope to be able to give a brief history of as many companies as I can research. Much of the information will be pretty sketchy and open to correction. Over the years, however, the quality of the information may build up (with your help) to become a useful resource for collectors.
The information given here may not be entirely accurate nor complete, but we have to start somewhere if we are to reconstruct their history. My thanks go to those who have contributed information. Every little bit goes to build up the picture of a company.