Originally you could get any color phone you want so long as it was black, until the princess slimline phone came out.
I was on a party line as a child.
fl8r
Nope. "Phones of color" could be had as far back as the 30s, and maybe earlier. You probably had to pay more on the monthly charge, however. Original ones are quite rare today, and are highly collectible.
1st phone party line... 2 longs and a short