You are looking at a revolution in retro writing technology.
Those who know antique typewriters will recognize this as a typewheel for a Blickensderfer ("Blick"), invented by George C. Blickensderfer and made in Stamford, Connecticut. This design was made in several models from 1894 to about 1919. (See the details on The Typewriter Database). It features interchangeable typewheels, a three-bank keyboard (usually arranged in the "Scientific" layout with the most common letters on the bottom row), and inking by roller.
The design was briefly revived by Remington as the Rem-Blick (aka Baby Rem), mostly manufactured in 1928. But for nearly a century, Blicks have been "obsolete" collectors' items and curiosities.
Here are some Blicks I've had in my collection over the years.
Blicks are very clever, but also relatively slow and tiring compared to a typebar typewriter. If only it were easy to find a Blick Electric, a 1902 model (available in a few variants) that anticipated the IBM Selectric! But these machines are extremely rare.
This is a brand new, made in 2023, interchangeable type element for Blicks. Not only that, but it is equipped with a typeface that was never available for Blicks before: Steile Zierschrift, a decorative type, as pictured here in the 1928 Ransmayer-Rodrian (RaRo) catalogue.
And here's a new typewheel that features an extremely rare italic Remington typeface designed by the famous Frederic Goudy. (This one has been used, so there's ink on it.)
They even come in their own neat containers with screw-on tops.
Yes, they do work!
