Details of the Korean dial phone

G.S.T. (Gold Star Telephone) Model 70

Here is a shot of the front of the Korean inlaid dial phone. Directly below the dial you can see a pair of bunny rabbits. Below them on the right is a bird surrounded by flowers. To the right of the phone on the stand is an image of two deer - a buck standing, and a doe on the ground. Above the deer, you can just make out the contours of one of the carved frogs that stand sentry on either side of the phone.

This image is of the side of the phone. You can see a nicely carved bird, surrounded by tall grass, and puffty bushes. In the foreground, you can barely make out one of the carved frogs. Boy is it tough to capture those black frogs against the black phone.

Here is a scan of part of the bottom of the phone. Anyone out there who can read these characters (ARE they Korean?) and would care to translate them for me would receive my eternal gratitude - and a very politely worded email saying "thanks". Heck, I'll even give you a credit on the web site.

Update:

On 8/10/03 Jack Jerome sent me the following information -

The phone you show as ornate and unknown origin is in fact a G.S.T (GoldStar Telephone Company, Limited) Model 70.The caligraphy is Korean, and indicates compliance with various regulations and protocols for phone usage. The red label is the price tag and the logo for the department store it was purchased from.

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Introduction

Tell me everything you know about the cultural significance of the characters depicted on this phone, or the history and origins of this very interesting piece.