Toys often relate to current crazes and fashions. Do you have any toys that you wanted because of a film or book or because it’s the current craze in school? This lovely old toy phone is very special and was created because of the craze for cowboys. It was made in the 1950s when cowboy stories were popular in the cinema and on television. All cowboy gear including trousers, waistcoats and even guns and belts were very fashionable. By the 1950s both cowboys and phones of this design were an anachronism, though very popular. Maybe it was nostalgia – it was certainly in a time before the world became concerned about what was happening to the Native American tribes.

The phone is made of metal and wood and would be hard to break though the wind up bell mechanism is now quite worn out. It has a turning handle to make the bell work and a detachable earpiece and speaker, in the style of an old fashioned phone. Like all pay phones money had to be inserted to make the call. In this case the phone works as a money box, though unfortunately the cover on the bottom of this one is missing. It has painted pictures of both a girl and a boy dressed in cowboy outfits under the phone and the base is decorated with cowboy scenes including one of the sheriff in his office under a wanted poster and one of a battle between the cowboys and the ‘Indians'.

The manufacturer Gong Bell were originally in 1866 the manufacturers of bells before moving on to toys. This example is made by Codeg in England, presumably under a franchise.