Telephone Dials and Pushbuttons by Stanley Swihart - TCI Library Updates Wanted.  This monumental two-volume reference work was started as a planned 32-page book with mainly photos and little text. Great collector interest gave it a life of its own, growing to 584 pages and with over 150 contributors in 22 countries. It covers not only the dials themselves, but also their use – including the evolution of numbering schemes in different parts of the world. Needless to say, info was still pouring in at publication time in 2010.

TCI members will find George Howard’s review in the July 2010 issue of Singing Wires, highlighting many of the book’s strengths. Unfortunately, Stanley’s passing eliminated plans for a second edition.

In the years since its publication, contributors and collectors have wanted to fill some of the remaining gaps and add their comments, corrections and related original research.

This page provides a place to post additional material that may be helpful to readers. Send your comments!

While comments in any reasonable format are welcome, a Word document is provided as a guideline for those who are submitting primarily errata or minor changes.

]]> https://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/historian-s-corner/swihart?format=html https://www.telephonecollectors.info/joomlatools-files/docman-images/Swihart_Covers.jpg Telephone Dials and Pushbuttons by Stanley Swihart - TCI Library https://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/historian-s-corner/swihart?format=html Mon, 27 Apr 2026 18:19:22 -0700 en-GB hourly 1 52may BSTJ p443 - Experimental Electronically Controlled Auto Switching Sys - with "Essex" Subscriber Set - Annotated https://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/historian-s-corner/swihart/14886-52may-bstj-p443-experimental-electronically-controlled-auto-switching-sys-with-exeter-subscriber-set-annotated?format=html 52may BSTJ p443 - Experimental Electronically Controlled Auto Switching Sys - with "Essex" Subscriber Set - Annotated 26 pages. ECSS. An Experimental Electronically Controlled Automatic Switching System, By W. A. MALTHANER AND H. EARLE VAUGHAN, Bell System Technical Journal (BSTJ), May 1952.

Annotated for reference in conjunction with the description of the "Essex" telephone on page 4-11 of "Telephone Dials and Pushbuttons" by Stanley Swihart.

A concept set with calculator-style dial for pre-set dialing is described in both articles, and photos of a set can be viewed here:
http://www.paul-f.com/weproto.html#Other

Contributed by Paul Fassbender

]]> https://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/historian-s-corner/swihart/14886-52may-bstj-p443-experimental-electronically-controlled-auto-switching-sys-with-exeter-subscriber-set-annotated?format=html 26 pages. ECSS. An Experimental Electronically Controlled Automatic Switching System, By W. A. MALTHANER AND H. EARLE VAUGHAN, Bell System Technical Journal (BSTJ), May 1952.

Annotated for reference in conjunction with the description of the "Essex" telephone on page 4-11 of "Telephone Dials and Pushbuttons" by Stanley Swihart.

A concept set with calculator-style dial for pre-set dialing is described in both articles, and photos of a set can be viewed here:
http://www.paul-f.com/weproto.html#Other

Contributed by Paul Fassbender

]]> paul-f@verizon.net (Paul F) Telephone Dials and Pushbuttons by Stanley Swihart Mon, 27 Apr 2026 18:19:22 -0700 Dials and Pushbuttons - Comments Template https://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/historian-s-corner/swihart/12760-dials-and-pushbuttons-comments-template?format=html Dials and Pushbuttons - Comments Template While comments in any reasonable format are welcome, this Word document is provided as a guideline for those who are submitting primarily errata or minor changes.

]]> https://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/historian-s-corner/swihart/12760-dials-and-pushbuttons-comments-template?format=html While comments in any reasonable format are welcome, this Word document is provided as a guideline for those who are submitting primarily errata or minor changes.

]]> paul-f@verizon.net (Paul F) Telephone Dials and Pushbuttons by Stanley Swihart Sun, 03 Feb 2019 21:52:09 -0800 Dials and Pushbuttons - Dietrich Arbenz Comments https://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/historian-s-corner/swihart/12762-dials-and-pushbuttons-dietrich-arbenz-comments-tci?format=html Dials and Pushbuttons - Dietrich Arbenz Comments Contributed in January 2019 by Dietrich Arbenz

]]> https://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/historian-s-corner/swihart/12762-dials-and-pushbuttons-dietrich-arbenz-comments-tci?format=html Contributed in January 2019 by Dietrich Arbenz

]]> paul-f@verizon.net (Paul F) Telephone Dials and Pushbuttons by Stanley Swihart Sun, 03 Feb 2019 14:00:09 -0800 Errata on Vienna and Austria in the Book Telephone Dials and Pushbuttons https://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/historian-s-corner/swihart/12761-errata-on-vienna-and-austria-in-the-book-telephone-dials-and-pushbuttons-jan19-tci?format=html Errata on Vienna and Austria in the Book Telephone Dials and Pushbuttons 25 pages of extensive comments and additional photographs, plus an added section:
Overview of dials and pushbuttons of Eastern Germany.  Contributed in January 2019 by Herbert Schwarz.

]]> https://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/historian-s-corner/swihart/12761-errata-on-vienna-and-austria-in-the-book-telephone-dials-and-pushbuttons-jan19-tci?format=html 25 pages of extensive comments and additional photographs, plus an added section:
Overview of dials and pushbuttons of Eastern Germany.  Contributed in January 2019 by Herbert Schwarz.

]]> paul-f@verizon.net (Paul F) Telephone Dials and Pushbuttons by Stanley Swihart Sun, 03 Feb 2019 14:00:02 -0800