Telephoning is a fine thing. Thanks to the flat rate and stored telephone numbers, it has become very relaxed, since we no longer have to fret about the duration of a phone conversation. After all, it “doesn’t cost a thing”. This was different in the past. Firstly, telephoning was very expensive and, secondly, it involved considerable manual work. Touchscreens did not exist. Instead, there was only a dial, and it had to be turned all the way to the stopping point for each single digit.
The purpose of the Swiss invention shown here was to make dialling easier. The stylus made it possible to turn the dial. But the clever thing, actually, was the timer! Pushing the uppermost metal sleeve downward activated a tiny clockwork mechanism. After three minutes had elapsed, a red bar, much like the pressure indicator on some pressure cookers, would become visible. Three minutes later, a new cost unit would begin and the call would become more expensive. For many, this was a good excuse to hang up quickly and avoid being bombarded by an endless stream of text.
Dialling aid and timer, maker unknown, Switzerland, c. 1960, Inv. 2016-025