The World's Oldest Phonebook

IEEE Spectrum ( spectrum.ieee.org ) visited Christie's auction house to get a look at the 1878 New Haven, Connecticut phone directory, the earliest of its kind. Hardly the antiquated paper brick we know today, the New Haven directory only had 40 pages. It contained names of individuals and businesses, but no numbers. (It also gave instructions on how to begin and end phone conversations). It turns out that some phonebooks still have some (considerable) value to them.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• ieee
• spectrum
• world's
• oldest
• first
• telephone
• directory
• phone
• book
• phonebook
• christie's
• auction
• house
• 1878
• telecom
• tech

[mirrorchild]

people with too much money

[sjk72]

Why would you say that? Maybe he needs to call his friends.

[NEWYORKGATOR08]

Wow they have an expensive book. People are out of jobs,families are homeless and children are starving in this world. I hope the person who bought this worthless piece of paper will realize how many people they could of helped instead of adding to their self greed. May GOD have mercy on you!!!

[lachallwilson]

What, I have one of these sitting on my shelf right now!

[Qasimbajwaa]

wow $170,500 for a phone book.....wtf.....

[pantyflash]

Like, these folks truly have more dollars than sense. Way to go, babes!

[AsaliahSexyBoy]

Damn with this, catholics will know where Darwin is hiding !

They must not have it !