Monday, December 8, 2014

The Case of the Scarlet Remington

Here's a glimpse of my desk at the moment. On the left is Thomas Sheehan's excellent new book, the first title in a series that I'm co-editing. On the right is the Remington Noiseless no. 7 that's been my companion for nearly 40 years.


Between them is a case that belongs to this Remington no. 3 I'm repairing for a customer of The Urban Legend Institute. The typewriter was made in November 1930.


Notice the oddity of this case:



In 20 years of typewriter collecting, I've never seen another one like it! Have you?

There is always something new to discover in the world of typewriters.



16 comments:

  1. Just like on my Remington 3! http://xoverit.blogspot.com/2014/11/desert-ocean.html

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very nice scarlet Remington.
    Ha, odd case indeed. What does that hinged divider do?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It creates a triangular-prism-shaped compartment for papers and accessories.

      Delete
  3. Nice typewriter! I am sure I have either a Remington No. 2 or No. 3 portable around somewhere with the same sort of thing -- maybe not exactly identical, but I recall clearly having to ensure the flap was not butting against the keys when I put on the lid. Must be missing a clasp. I'd completely forgotten about that until I saw this post! But yours and mine are the only ones I've seen (I see a third person mentions this too) -- never ran across another. Do you think this was an extra cost optional case?

    ReplyDelete
  4. That is one beautiful typewriter.
    Unique case.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Now why wouldn't they have put that flap in all the remmie portable cases? Never understood why so few portables have logically designed supplies storage. Very nice! (:

    ReplyDelete
  6. The Noiseless 7 came in a case with a flap--but with a fabric hinge, not metal, and with a fabric strip and snap rather than a fingerhole and metal lip.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My Noiseless 7 case has no such flap, but I think maybe the earlier ones do.

      Delete
    2. My noiseless 7 with the flap is H27718. I have a noiseless portable N21815 with an envelope-like compartment

      Delete
  7. That's a fine piece of hardware. Looks like you have your hands full currently.

    ReplyDelete
  8. One of my old portables has that feature, but it's hard to open - ripped the leather strap off trying. Oh, it's my 50's Underwood Deluxe Quiet Tab! .So a later period, but never the less, a storage compartment

    ReplyDelete
  9. nicely gestellt! i am convinced it's the secret smuggling compartment for the typewritten revolution!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm pretty sure I have at least a couple of Rem portable #3 or #2 cases with that lid compartment. (I'm in Thailand now so can't check). I've been trying to collect all the colors - an idea inspired by the suggestion on your website!

    ReplyDelete