PHONE EM:
That Woodstock Look:
My interview on The Takeaway radio show
My written interview with Channel 4
(I told them this wasn't the end of typewriter manufacturing, but they ignored that fact)
Robert Messenger on the "end of the typewriter" story
Will Davis on the R.C. Allen
Philosophothinker's review
VisOmatic typefaces
I like your perspective on journalists. It's not the romantic career it's cracked up to be, I'd imagine.
ReplyDeleteAgreed! Journalism is now, and has been for a long time, a P.M. magazine for 10 seconds of entertainment, which is the attention span of most of my "turnip" students. Now with "new media" journalism, it's even worse. On the other hand, that is a gorgeous VisOmatic!
ReplyDelete-- Marty
The media sure did sensationalize a story that wasn't really true. Goes to show you that you should take your daily news with a grain of salt. Great job on the VisOmatic. What a super retro looking typewriter.
ReplyDeleteI should point out that I said "MOST journalists." Some have the luxury of pursuing their own stories and doing in-depth, thoughtful, responsible reporting. And God knows we need professional journalists. My main point is an expression of sympathy for the average journalist who gets yanked around by the whims of popularity; I wouldn't like it.
ReplyDeleteHere's to the poor shmucks who have to write for paychecks, may they find solace in their mammon. The rest of us get to write for fun. :D
ReplyDelete"A newspaperman is obsessed with finding the facts in order to tell a lie, and a novelist is a galley-slave to his imagination so he can look for the truth" -- Norman Mailer
ReplyDeleteOooh, so pretty! Mine is the drab brown/grey and none of that fantastic plastic matching the keys. But they're probably identical inside. :)
ReplyDeleteOur ribbon spools are identical! Specific for the R C Allens, it seems.
Few weeks ago, I finally picked up an R C Allen VisOmatic B from 1963, long carriage (26 1/4" platen, and a 34 1/4" carriage) that I'd seen languishing in the basement of an antique mall for years. To be honest, I wasn't interested in the company that took over Woodstock,- I thought! Well, even before I dusted it off and did any cleaning, I put in some paper and gave it a whirl. Wow, boy was I surprised - it is a Woodstock! I instantly fell in love ( you know I like Woodstocks) and after seeing this post, I'm a true believer.
ReplyDeleteThis past Wednesday, I found a Etsy, VisOmatic A that I could pick up in Chicago, so that I could have a daily typer. The 34" carriage is a bit big for everyday use. It too, is wonderful even before a tune up.
For International Typewriter Day, June 23, I've done a display at my local library of small portables, and regional typewriter companies. Harris, Rex, Demountable from Fond du Lac, Wi. and Olivers and Woodstock/RC Allens from nearby Illinois, are featured. The highlight, and most prominent writer is my new mint green VisOmatic A!
Thanks Richard for the "beat" up Woodstock (it's now looking great, except for alignment problems) and the R C Allen inspiration. Good luck on the "book"!
Richard, I think this post has convinced me to buy the R.C. Allen I've been watching. It is not the best cosmetically, but it has the typeface I've been looking for. I had not read this post before today. I see it is dated a few months before I hit the Typosphere. I wonder will it outperform my Underwoods.
ReplyDeleteWhat year is that visomatic? I recently sent you an email of my visomatic and you said it was not on the record of it in the database.
ReplyDeleteThis one is 1960. Serial #8-2163312 13.
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