GRILLO the forerunner of mobile phones revolutionized the concept of the telephone.
Who didn’t have the “ Grillo ” telephone at home, one of the most innovative objects of Italian design of the mid-60s and 70s ? Designed in 1965 by the couple Marco Zanuso – Richard Sapper, its line was absolutely futuristic both for design and for functionality.
Today “ Grillo ” can be considered a precursor to cell phones because, unlike other phones of the time, the microphone was hidden in the lower part of the shell, which was opened by simply lifting the device. The ringtone was also innovative because it was mechanical, with a “buzzer” from which the name derives, and was placed directly in the telephone plug.
Produced by the Italian Siemens, ” Grillo ” won the “Compasso d’oro” in 1967, the most authoritative European design award. This prestigious award was awarded for its absolutely innovative qualities. The material with which it was produced, molded ABS, allowed the appliance to be used in an informal and, therefore, new way.
But above all, “ Grillo ” transformed the telephone from an object necessary to perform a function, that of making a telephone call, to a piece of furniture of undisputed design. Often ” Grillo ” was used as a second telephone. Who had it in the house, do you remember where it was located?