White House Telephone System Souvenir
American: 1987
Line relay device encased in acrylic
1.5 x 5 x 3 inches, acrylic block
2.25 x 7 x 5 inches, hinged rectangular box
11 x 8.5 inches, letter of authenticity
Sold, please inquire as to the availability of similar items.
White House Telephone System Souvenir
American: 1987
American: 1987
This item is sold. It has been placed here in our online archives as a service for researchers and collectors.
- Please inquire as to the availability of similar items currently in stock, or use the navigation bar above to browse our site for currently available items.
- Find guidelines for the use of images from georgeglazer.com.
- To see more archived items, view our directory.
- Find information about selling your art and antiques.
  |
 |
A line relay device, a functional part of the White House telephone system from August 1966 to May 1986, under five administrations: Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. It was presented encased in rectangular clear acrylic block within a fitted custom box. An accompanying presentation letter from Thomas M. Gibbons, President of C&P Telephone, to Christopher Hicks, General Counsel to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, dated May 1, 1987, describes the device and its history. A caption imprinted in blue on the clear acrylic block describes the device:
This line relay was part of the Centrex Telephone System installed in the White House in August, 1966. The system provided telephone communications in excess of 250 million calls while supporting five United States presidents. This system was replaced by a digital Centrex system in May, 1986.
Christopher Hicks (b. 1950) served as General Counsel to the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 1986 to 1989. Thomas M. Gibbons served as president of C&P (Chesapeake & Potomac) Telephone until 1988. The company provided phone service for Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. It was later absorbed into Verizon.