Thursday, December 1, 2022

December 2022 typewriter safari

It's time for another typewriter safari! As usual, these machines were spotted in a local antique mall. (To get the holiday feeling, imagine Bing Crosby crooning overhead and holiday shoppers pushing carts around the huge warehouse.) I came home with one of them. Can you guess which? 

This time I'll offer a little more commentary than I usually do. 

1. Underwood Master, $97 (–20% discount).

This beefy 1930s version of the classic workhorse is an impressive typewriter. I suppose the best they could do to streamline a boxy machine was to add a thick sheet-metal frame on the sides and back. Little-known fact: the Master, to be complete, needs ribbon covers that sit on top of the spools. They are rarely found, but I did find a Master with the ribbon covers 4 years ago.


2. Smith-Corona Skyriter, $39.99.

A common, rugged little laptap from the '50s. This one has been repainted. It includes £ and Rs (Rupees). I wonder if it was used in India.


3. Marxwriter Supreme, $65.

I think the Marxwriter and the Tom Thumb are the most commonly found toy typewriters. This looks like a '60s creation. Decades earlier, Marx also made sheet-metal index typewriters. None of these devices are things you'd want to write a novel on.



4. Oliver no. 9, $99.

This is the most common model of Oliver, and the condition is typical. Something about the paint and nickel on Olivers doesn't hold up as well as on some other makes. Also typically, the ribbon covers are missing. Still, it's an Oliver, and Olivers are cool.



Now here are two very different Royals ...


5. Royal HH, $38.

Made for just a couple of years in the mid-'50s, but they sold like hotcakes. These are durable, well-engineered typewriters from the height of Royal's quality and popularity. The tabulator which you can operate with the heel of your hand is a distinctive feature.


6. Royal Quiet Deluxe, $38.

No, not that Royal Quiet Deluxe. The classic design from the 1930s-50s has no relation to this little typewriter made in Holland. It's descended from the Halberg and from other small Royal models such as the Royalite. This "QDL" from the late '60s has an attractively streamlined plastic body. Unfortunately, the plastic gets brittle. The ribbon cover is held on with springs that stretch between two plastic hooks that are almost always broken. This was no exception.
 



7. Smith-Corona Coronet, $39.95.

One of the many variants of the Smith-Corona electric portables produced from the '50s into the '70s. Some, like this one, have a manual carriage return. This one looks unusually clean.



8. Underwood Master, $95.

"RARE," says the tag. Uh, no (see #1).



* * * * *

We interrupt this typewriter parade for an object I've never seen before: a bakelite (?) rack for records (?) or books (?) embossed with military scenes. I imagine this on the desk of some officer during WWII, or maybe in the home of some military family just after the war. If I were into militaria, I would snap it up.





We now return to our regularly scheduled programming.

* * * * * 

9. Royal Aristocrat, $129.

Speaking of WWII, there's a biography of "General Ike" which must date somewhere between the end of the war and his election as president in 1952—which may be about the right date for the typewriter, too. If I had to tell you the difference between the Aristocrat and the Quiet Deluxe of this era, I would be in trouble.


10. Underwood S, $119.

This model replaced the Master in 1940. Underwood decided to drop the beefy look and return to a more classic profile. They did keep the panel which covers up the typebars (it easily pops out).


11. Smith-Corona Skyriter, $64.95.

This is a commonly found color scheme, and this specimen hasn't been repainted.


12. Royal Quiet Deluxe, $64.95.

Here's a classic QDL from about 1950-1953, complete with user's manual. On the sheet, someone has typed: "Dear Mr. Wall, This is to advise you that your dammed old typewriter is ready for pick up"—followed by many repetitions of the old "Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their party." Supposedly this sentence dates back to the 1870s and has been used as a typing test ever since!



So: which typewriter(s) would you pick?

And which one do you think I brought home?


12 comments:

  1. I'll guess the Underwood Model S. Only because I gave one away to a friend earlier this year, so this would make for typosphere version of what goes around comes around.

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  2. I'da maybe grabbed the repainted Skyriter and the Coronet, were I in a buying mood (:

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  3. The Skywriter in the original finish for me. I'm guessing you took the Skywriter with the unique currency keys.

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  4. Maybe it's because it was my very first typewriter, but I couldn't resist any Skyriter under $50.

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  5. Knowing your work with Wordplay Cincy, I have to choose the Smith Corona Coronet. The right price .. looks clean. Easy to service. Joy to type on. PS .. I would have bought the bakelite piece and repurposed it. Cool item.

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  6. Im thinking one of the sturdy Royals...... Skyriter is cool too, but i think the feel is better on a Royal. (just my opinion on the Skyriter:). When are you going to reveal what you purchased?

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  7. The Smith-Corona Skywriter that may have been used in India.

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  8. Ted, Erik, Chad, and Rolf are correct: I got the Skyriter with the rupee sign, because of its possible exotic history and the good repaint job. It will be sold to support WordPlay Cincy, where laptaps do well.

    Now I have to admit that last night I was feeling buyer's remorse as I struggled with the ribbon advance. I think that problem has been fixed, but it was plenty of work.

    Betty: I do agree on the feel of the midsized Royals vs. the Skyriter. There is almost always a tradeoff as the typewriter gets smaller.

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  9. Am late for guessing which machine you chose but I would have bought the bakelite desk rack for holding the incoming and outgoing letters that just pile up on my desk right now. Come to think of if, my late dad's basement office has a wall hanging rack to do just that. I might get it next time I visit my mom.

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    1. I could use a letter rack too! Thanks for your comment.

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  10. Some nice over priced typewriters, some ok, and then the over priced ones that look to be in poor condition.

    As I read the post I wondered if the first Skyriter followed you home.

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