I don't collect typewriters nor do I care to, but I do have 3 that I inherited from my great aunt. 1 of them is a Smith-Corona Classic 12 portable, 1 is an Olympia Deluxe portable (cursive script) and the 3rd is a giant Hermes Ambassador. I also have an electric Smith Corona Coronet Super 12 that I got from my brother's father in law for free. I am still trying to figure out the some of the controls on the Hermes.
I don't collect them, per se, although I do have an old Remington. It has a broken space bar, and I haven't been able to find a ribbon that's right for it(everything I've found is just a hair too wide).
I also have a Singer portable that my Dad used in college. Nothing too special about it, although it works very well and is nice to type on. The key travel is similar to a Selectric, and, since I oiled it, it doesn't require much more effort. Once I cleaned 40 years of crud out of the typebars, it prints really crisply, too.
I've turned in more than a few papers typed on the old Singer. Despite being slower, I get a lot more done since I don't have internet on it to distract me :)
I have a few, but I don't really collect them, either. I have a 1930s Remington portable that belonged to a great aunt, and a big 1940s Royal that I bought at a yard sale. I also have an Underwood from the 1930s that my dad brought home from work in the 1970s. He brought home a 1940s IBM electric, too, but years ago one of the fabric straps that pulls the carriage back and forth broke, and I tossed it. I swear that thing must have weight a good 50 or 60 pounds.
Hmm, I don't actually collect them but certainly have enough for a collection.
1890s Underwood
1930s Remington
1940s Royal
1950s Remington Rand
1960s Olympia Deluxe (West German)
1960s no name portable I used in high school
Would like to have an original IBM Selectric, the curvy 1961 type and not the later squared off model II.
Amusingly, when I learned to type in high school in the early 80's it was on manuals.
All my typewriters work, though I never use them. You have to plug them in, wait for the tubes to warm up, make sure the screen is plugged into the right port, upload the software, and..oh, wait, wrong technology. ;)
In high school, I learned on the curvy Selectric you mentioned. I'd love to have one of those, too. The interchangeable type balls would come in handy.
Quote from: bingster on June 06, 2009, 10:27:40 PM
interchangeable type balls would come in handy.
(this forum needs an eyebrow smiley)
(http://otrplus.com/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif) (http://otrplus.com/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif) (http://otrplus.com/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif) (http://otrplus.com/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif)
"Would like to have an original IBM Selectric, the curvy 1961 type and not the later squared off model II. "
I bought one at auction a few years ago, and, unfortunately, never could get any signs of life out of it. It was a lovely avocado green color-a perfect match for the WE 500 sets of the same vintage. I pulled the works out and poked around at them some, but never could get anywhere. Talk about complicated-those things probably have as many cables and springs as your average small-town Strowger switch :).
I think that the motor on mine was dead, and lord knows I never would have even gotten it out to replace it without messing everything up beyond repair. It's nigh on impossible to find someone who can work on them anymore.
I also briefly had a black Selectric II, which worked for the most part but had a few dead keys. That one could have probably been rehabbed, but didn't have time to at the time. Although the Selectric IIs aren't as nice visually as the Is, they do, at least, have a built in corrective tape.
If I'm not mistaken, the Selectric Is also used a nylon ribbon, while the IIs and later used a carbon ribbon. Nylons last forever, but carbon prints so much more nicely that it's a small sacrifice.
I have an electric typewriter that I actually put many miles on in Junior High. It was blue and I cannot beleive that the name isn't coming to me on this one.
Hey Tom, was Smith-Corona Coronet? Mine is blue.
That actually sounds right!!!! I think it is! I googled it and came up with this which is almost a dead ringer for mine, I think mine was minus the faux wood though.
(http://ny-image1.etsy.com/il_430xN.61918557.jpg)
I do collect typewriters but to date I have 3
Wow, for people who don't collect typewriters, we sure seem to have nice collections.
Tom, my SC Coronet was a Super 12 - other than appearance I don't know the differences between the 2.
Mienaichizu, what kind of typewriters do you have?
In my homeroom in grade school, we used two Remington "Large type" writers. I'd like to find one of those.
Bill Cahill
I have two underwoods, a large one and a small one shown in the photo below 9whoops, my desk is kinda messy right now). The other one I can't remember what make it is, its in my resthouse so I didn't have the time to take a photo of it. It is a portable one, probably a 60's typewriter
The third photo is a close-up shot of the large underwood typewriter
That's a nice Underwood, but what is really catching my eye is that adding machine. What brand is that? Is it manual or electric? What time period is it from?
its an Olivetti Adding Machine, a manual one. It is still in working condition but I have no idea how to use it. I was born in an era where electric calculators ruled over manual adding machines :D As far as my research goes, this adding machine was manufactured during the 60's.
Below is an interesting site about Olivetti adding machines
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~wolff/calculators/Olivetti/Olivetti.htm
I was born in 1978. Most manual adding machines are easy to use such as the Hermes brand I have which I guess is from the 1960s ??? - I can't any info on Hermes adding machines anywhere.
I found this place that sells reproduction user manuals
http://users.lewiston.com/ejorgens/office/index.htm
Since adding machines were mentioned also, I thought I'd throw in a picture of mine
(http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee204/ben10ben/IMG_0983.jpg)
This was in a cabinet at church for years, never used, and it always fascinated me. I inquired about it several times, and even offered to buy it, but no one ever seemed inclined to sell it. I gave up, only for it to show up two or three years ago at the annual church yardsale for $.50.
Also, here's my Dad's old Singer portable. Like I said, nothing too special, but it works great and is really pleasant to use
(http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee204/ben10ben/IMG_0984.jpg)
and here is a nice website about typewriters
http://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/
That was it! The large type typewriters in my homeroom were Underwood.
Can anyone find me one in good shape?
They really typed in large print.
They were made for sight inpaired people in the 50's.
Bill Cahill
Benhutcherson, that is a mighty fine adding machine, especially for only .50 cents. That Singer is a nice peice too. Do you use that adding machine?
Typewriters and adding machines were very expensive way back when, especially the full sized ones. Both are, in my opinion, very finely crafted machines and well built. Strange thing is, these days, even ones in good condition are usually cheaply priced. My Smith-Corona DeLuxe portable still has its receipt with it. It was purchased in Feb. 1978 for $175.00. I see mint condition ones go for as little as $10 to $15.
Mienaichizu, thanks for that link - I'll do some more reading up on it.
Can anyone help me find info on Hermes adding machines? I have searched and searched the net and can't find squat.
Modell 109-7
Fabr. Nr. 544211
Foots,
No, I don't really use it other than as a curiosity. This particular model uses a nylon ribbon, and I haven't been able to find an appropriate replacement. I could probably use another available ribbon and rewind it onto the spools(what I also had to do with my Remington typewriter) but that's a messy job that I haven't wanted to get into. Also, most of the time, I at the very least need full add/subtract/multiply/divide capability, which the adding machine can't do.
I still have an electric paper tape adding machine that I use from time to time, and if I ever get a new ribbon on my mechanical adding machine, I'll probably retire the electric one.
I need to dig out my old Remington typewriter and post a picture of that, too.
I'd like to see that Remington. For your adding machine, have you tried this place? http://www.ribbonsunlimited.com/type/AddingMachine/Victor.aspx
Anybody else here have typewriters or adding machines?
today I went to the Postal Museum here in Manila. A hidden museum in which not many of the public knows about it. I only heard it thru a friend of mine. He has posted pics of their collection in his blog site which includes typewriters, adding machines, scales, mail boxes and a lone WE302. Below is the link
http://januariusregmalos.multiply.com/photos/album/121/The_Postal_Musem#
It looks like the 302 has an AE dial.
That's a cool museum. Dennis, you must have been an eagle in your previous life to spot that.
whoops! I didn't notice that, I was not paying too much attention to it
I have seen IBM Selectric's for a few dollars at Thrift Stores etc.
I had one for years but it was starting to act up a bit and figured I could use the space for other things so I dropped it into our scrap metal bin at work a year or two ago.
Terry
Quote from: AE_collector on October 08, 2012, 10:39:13 PM
I have seen BM Selectric's for a few dollars at Thrift Stores etc.
I had one for years but it was starting to act up a bit and figured I could use the space for other things so I dropped it into our scrap metal bin at work a year or two ago.
Terry
Yeah, I saw a few yesterday when I was out thrift-crawling, but they were big, hunkin' electric industrial business machines, not very appealing. I'm wanting a manual one more on the antique side. I'm leaning towards the third link. I was going to splurge and go for the last one, the fully restored Royal, but the seller is an hour drive away.
I think around $40 is the going rate for an antique steeln typewriter in working condition.
Got this from ebay, plus I arranged for local pickup. The seller happens to pass by my place on his way to work and just dropped it off. Haven't taken a good look yet because I have to leave, so I'll post more pics later, but it appears to be in near-mint condition.
I just picked up this 1961 Smith Corona Galaxie at a yard sale four weeks ago for $10. Aside from a small chip in one of the carriage release levers and the usual scratching around the case tab slot, it's perfect! It even has a new black and red ribbon installed!
I have a couple Royals. Though they are too big and expensive. Phone collecting (to me) is more fun!
Ben
I don t think that this typewriter is as vintage as others but here it is anyway.this was given to me by my grandmother when I graduated from 8th grade in 1978 and was still in use up until last year when a computer first entered my household. I am by no means a collector,just a phone collector, but I felt like posting it anyway.
My neighbor's son has a Burroughs (c. 1930s) that he got from a friend who didn't want it, and he wants me to sell it for him.
Larry
Quote from: LarryInMichigan on April 14, 2013, 02:10:59 PM
My neighbor's son has a Burroughs (c. 1930s) that he got from a friend who didn't want it, and he wants me to sell it for him.
Larry
:)THAT TYPEWRITER IS COOL ;)
Quote from: deedubya3800 on November 04, 2012, 10:29:05 PM
I just picked up this 1961 Smith Corona Galaxie at a yard sale four weeks ago for $10. Aside from a small chip in one of the carriage release levers and the usual scratching around the case tab slot, it's perfect! It even has a new black and red ribbon installed!
your typewriter looks very similar to mine (posted below). I like the color of yours.
Here is my Smith Corona Eighty Eight it works also.
Can you still get ribbons and other supplies for them?
Quote from: 19and41 on April 19, 2017, 02:33:51 PM
Can you still get ribbons and other supplies for them?
Yes you can a lot on eBay
Though I don't have a collection (yet) I did pick up a nice Galaxie a while ago. I replaced the drawstring and fed it some new ribbon and it works great! It even came with what I believe is the original manual, which was extremely helpful since I'd never touched a typewriter before then.