21/06/2026
The iconic Ericofon, often called the “Cobra Telephone” because of its sleek, snake-like silhouette, was developed by engineers at Ericsson in the 1940s and entered production in the early 1950s. Unlike most telephones of the time, it combined the handset and base into a single piece, making it one of the earliest examples of truly modern consumer electronics design.
The phone was also distinctive because its rotary dial was built into the underside rather than placed on a separate base. Early models required users to hold the phone in one hand while dialing with the other. Its minimalist, futuristic appearance quickly turned it into a design icon and a symbol of postwar modernism.
More than one million Ericofons were produced and exported to countries around the world. Today, original models are highly prized by collectors of industrial design and telecommunications history.
In 1954, the Ericofon earned a place in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, which recognized it as an exceptional example of modern industrial design.
