Monday, February 28, 2011

A Voss gallery



A Voss gallery, in chronological order of manufacture:













James Jones with his Sad Face Voss:



Will Davis on the Voss

Robert Messenger's blog

Quick note: Robert Messenger, author of The Magnificent 5, has started a blog, and it's already bursting with great typewriter stories. Check it out.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

New typewriter book: Messenger's "Magnificent 5"


PS: Any readers are welcome to send p-mail to the address pictured at the top of this post. I reply!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Save the typewriter man

Follow this link for an update on the typewriter tech in Amherst, Mass.

The efforts on his behalf have raised $4500, which is better than I expected, but the clock is ticking.

"Anyone wishing to help should make out checks to TMI or Typewriter Man Initiative and send them or bring them to Northampton Cooperative Bank, P.O. Box 550, Amherst, MA 01004." Type out a check right now, or if you prefer, you can PayPal the money to me (polt@xavier.edu) and I promise to write a check for the amount.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Baby Olivers



(Update: I now think we can be certain about the fake Bush memos. Details here.)



Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Friday, February 11, 2011

Executive decision


Correction: the date of manufacture is 1964.

The typeface is Mid-Century.

The craigslist pictures:



I get the typewriter home and put the hood up:


After cleaning:



The carbon ribbon:







Sunday, February 6, 2011

Friday, February 4, 2011

Typewriter tech in trouble



Here's a typewriter tech whose shop seems doomed:


I'm sending him a letter offering to list him on my site as a home business if he has to leave his shop. If anyone around Amherst, Massachusetts has typewriters or computers that need fixing, or just wants to visit his shop during its probable last month of existence, I hope you'll stop by. I bet he would also appreciate a little moral support in the form of letters from members of the typosphere.

Bob Green
Amherst Typewriter & Computer
41 N. Pleasant Street
Amherst, MA 01002
413-253-7122


Followup stories are here and here.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

I adopt a Scandinavian



The rear of the carriage swings back, as on some Smith-Coronas, to reveal the margin settings and paper support:



The line space dial:



Intended as a foot, serving as a knob:




"M" is for Margin:




The ƒ (guilder/florin) key; touch regulator; silicone (?) typebar rest;
unique ribbon spool with 9/16" ribbon:




A plaque on the back indicates the store that sold the machine.
"Kantoorinstallaties" means "office installations" (machines?) in Dutch.

One big foot: