A Woodstock workhorse

Mid-1920s Woodstock catalogue, courtesy of Peter Weil

 

Clevelander Will Davis of Typewriters by Will Davis, Davis Typewriter Works, and On the Margin

Writer Robert Bloch on his Woodstock:

“California Typewriter" event in Chicago 9/30

"California Typewriter" opens at Chicago's Music Box Theatre on Friday, Sept. 29. I'll be there on September 30 for the 4:15 show along with collector Martin Howard, poet Eric Plattner, and repairman Arthur Wagner. I'll have books to sign before and after the show, and you can win a Brother donated by Eric.

Be there, City of the Big Shoulders and Strong Fingers!

Caligraph complete

Remember my Caligraph?

I finally got back to it and completed the restoration process. It doesn't look like new, but it works, and it's clean. Here are some before and after pictures:
















But no sooner has it been restored than it has left my collection and joined that of a fellow typospherian. I enjoyed finding it and fixing it — I learn so much by cleaning and repairing a typewriter. But with my limited display space, it makes sense for it to go to someone else now.

Hey Cleveland! This Friday! Be there!

Breaking news for typists in the Cleveland, Ohio area:

"California Typewriter" opens this Friday, September 22, at the Cedar Lee Theater at 2163 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights.

After the 7:15 show, I'll be there to take questions along with Clevelanders Will and Dave Davis. Will is the creator of an amazing set of typewriter websites that has been very influential in opening people's eyes to modern portables and other machines. He and his brother Dave are the authors of the blog Davis Typewriter Works, and Will recently started the blog On the Margin, about rebuilt typewriters.

I'll have signed copies of my book, The Typewriter Revolution, available at a good price.

I'm also bringing this Smith-Corona Silent-Super from my own collection. The theater is sponsoring a free sweepstakes with this machine as the prize. It will come with a typed, signed copy of The Typewriter Manifesto, and it has a very unusual Yes/No type slug. Enter the sweepstakes here by September 28. You will need to pick up the typewriter in Cleveland, of course.

And I'll be in Chicago the following weekend — more details on that event as they become available.

Berkeley, CA type-in on September 26

There's a type-in coming up at the real California Typewriter, in conjunction with the theatrical release of the film! Be there if you can, and please spread the word.

Ruminations on digital sabbath & smart speakers

PS: Apparently the generic term for things like the Amazon Echo is "smart speakers." Of course, even that is a lie: the speaker itself isn't "smart," but connects you to a remote server that runs an artificial intelligence program. Nicholas Carr's piece can be found here.

“California Typewriter" opens across the US

I've just been authorized to post the following list of theater locations for the film "California Typewriter." In case you don't know, this brilliant documentary centers on a Berkeley typewriter shop and involves artists, collectors, poets, writers, and others who love typewriters today. My Typewriter Manifesto is featured in the film (see above) and I play a modest role. Some type-ins or other events may take place in association with some of these showings. Support 21st-century typewriting and see this film in a theater if you can!