The dedication script at the bottom of the frame reads:

“Presented to John F. Tyson in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Nortel product design • June 1998.”

The frame houses a complete, uncut sheet of the 1997 Canada Post 45¢ “Industrial Design” stamps (Scott #1654).
Issued for the 50th anniversary of the Association of Canadian Industrial Designers,
the sheet’s margins credit the designers behind two generations of Nortel Telephones:

• The Contempra (Designed by John F. Tyson, 1967): Released in 1968,
this phone combines the receiver, transmitter, and dial into a single handset.
It became a global style icon, sold over 4 million units, and earned a spot in
New York’s Museum of Modern Arts.

• The Vista 350 (Designed by Cliff Read, 1994): A pioneer of the 1990s digital era,
this was the first modular screen telephone to feature an interactive interface for
advanced Caller ID and Call Waiting, winning major design innovation awards in ’95 and ’96.

1997 Canada Post 45¢ “Industrial Design” postage stamps with
John Tyson’s Contempra Phone and Cliff Read’s Vista 350

Nortel World Newspaper Clipping October 1997

Invitation to Official launch of the 1997 Canada Post 45¢ “Industrial Design” postage stamps.