Bell System Passport Cover
A travel companion with roots in a communications network that connected a continent. This Bell System passport cover speaks to fans of Ma Bell, telephone exchange history, and the corporate systems behind local calls, long distance, Western Electric, and Bell Labs. Take its legacy-minded look on international trips or keep it as part of a telecom collection inspired by the Bell System’s 1877 beginnings and 1984 transition.
The Bell System was a North American telecommunications enterprise formed in 1877 around the Bell Telephone Company. That year, the American Bell Telephone Company opened the first telephone exchange in New Haven, Connecticut, and local exchange companies soon appeared in major U.S. cities. Alexander Graham Bell received a U.S. telephone patent on March 7, 1876. In 1899, American Telephone & Telegraph acquired American Bell's assets and became the system's parent company, overseeing a network that included local operating companies, AT&T Long Lines, Western Electric, and Bell Labs. Known colloquially as Ma Bell, the system used the Bell trademark from 1921 to 1969. A 1913 agreement with the federal government shaped its operations, while a 1956 consent decree imposed further limits. A Justice Department suit filed in 1974 ended in a 1982 settlement. On January 1, 1984, AT&T separated its local companies into seven Regional Bell Operating Companies, the Baby Bells, ending the Bell System as a unified enterprise.
| 3.9" x 5.8" | |
| Height, in | 5.79 |
| Width (Closed), in | 3.94 |
| Width (Open), in | 8.03 |
| Depth, in | 0.39 |
Product features
- Two card slots plus pockets for boarding passes or IDs
- Cruelty-free black PU faux leather exterior
- RFID-blocking lining to protect against skimming
- One-size fits most passports (3.9″ × 5.8″)
- Vibrant front-cover print with potential edge fading on darker solids
Care instructions
- Wipe with a damp cloth, air dry or use a soft, non-abrasive cloth
EU representative: HONSON VENTURES LIMITED, gpsr@honsonventures.com, 3, Gnaftis House flat 102, Limassol, Mesa Geitonia, 4003, CY
Product information: Generic brand, 2 year warranty in EU and Northern Ireland as per Directive 1999/44/EC
Care instructions: Wipe with a damp cloth, air dry or use a soft, non-abrasive cloth