In about 1985 I received a toy called 'Debbie's Telephone House'. Next time I visit Mum, I will dig up the photo that shows the box it came in.
It was a pink plastic rotary telephone (light pink upper, white lower), with a white coiled cord, handset, and a dial. If you pressed a tiny button near the base, the whole phone would open up (into two halves) with a 'ping' sound (I think), to reveal a 2-storey house inside. Removable accessories included a weather vane, a letter box and a little white balcony or 'crows nest' that the two characters could stand in. There were a few holes on the phone's exterior that you could peg or plug these removable accessories into. The two characters were a little pink girl and a little blue boy that looked a lot like Sanrio's 'Little Twin Stars', but they were obvious fakes with some variations. I think most of the furniture was moulded into the house. I remember that on the rear of the phone, on the upper level, there was an arched window and I used to love peering into it when the house was closed up
Being a two storey house, it was built more like rotary pay phone, not a rotary home phone.
A long time ago I actually found a blue version of this telephone house on the net, with different anime-ish characters this time. So I think there may have been a few versions of it. That particular one was made by Takara I think, but I have no idea who made mine. All that I can read on the photo of the box is 'Debbie's Telephone House'. I really loved this toy. I think the handset broke though so Mum threw it out or passed it on, many, many years ago.
Anyone remember this toy? I would love to see more photos of it.
