A video has been uncovered by film buffs which appears to show the worlds first ever mobile phone… all the way back in 1922.Archivists at British Pathé say they stumbled on the silent film - titled 'Eve's Wireless' - in their archives, and could't believe what they saw.
The clip shows two well dressed women in New York carrying the hefty-looking device which they connect to a fire hydrant via a long cable.
An umbrella is then erected, which appears to act as an aerial, and the pair to use the phone to make a call.
They are then shown chatting to an operator who then plays a gramophone record for them… kind of like a rudimentary Spotify.
Mark Harris of British Pathe said: "Its amazing that nearly 90 years ago mobile phone technology and music on the move was not only being thought of but being trialled.
"One of our researchers came across the clip and we were amazed that the idea was so old, we are used to budding technologies appearing in the 1950s and 60s but this is four years before television was first demonstrated."The phone even has a lid which makes it the first flip-phone we are aware of, although it is probably not going to win any design awards."
The film is still something of a mystery to British Pathe as there are limited notes with the canister, and they are appealing for anyone with more information to contact them.
Hi, I’m Jack, I work for British Pathé. You might like to read this first piece of information that we’ve received on the clip, from Simon Atkins an Ex-Royal Signals officer:
“The two ladies are using a small simple HF radio, probably a 'Cat's Whisker' type. For it to work it needs to be earthed, which is why it's connected to the fire hydrant. The antenna or aerial is the wire in the umbrella. On the receiving end the telephonist is using an HF radio and puts the microphone next to the record player. For the two ladies to hear she would be pressing the pressel switch.”
Thanks for blogging about the British Pathe Film Archive. You can find us on Facebook under that name, and on Twitter @BritishPathe,
Thanks,
Jack