CB 30 – a telephone worthy of a noir film role. It was manufactured in Poland between 1925 and 1931, serving as an executive-secretarial device in prestigious institutions. Its body is entirely metal, mounted on a tall chromed base, with an induction crank on the side – a mechanical element that generated an electric signal for connection. The “tarcza numerowa” (dial) is placed on an elegantly extended arm, giving the device its unmistakable profile.

On its casing, you’ll see the emblem of the “Państwowa Wytwórnia Telegrafów i Telefonów w Warszawie” – the State Telegraph and Telephone Works in Warsaw – which at the time symbolized Poland’s technological pride. The CB 30 is like a typewriter among telephones: robust, precise, and yet (especially because of that dial) with a distinct elegance.