Showing posts with label Herman's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Herman's. Show all posts

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Herman's 2019

Last weekend at Herman's was another wonderful getaway for those who appreciate typewriters.

As always, Herman Price's Chestnut Ridge Typewriter Museum offers a mind-blowing variety of fascinating writing machines.



This year there was a Halloween theme running through the house.





We gathered 'round the pool table for tall tales and factoids ...



Among the treasures in the pool room is this gorgeous custom-made chest for the Burlingame Telegraphing Typewriter, which was a stock fraud that never went into mass production. The chest once held a mechanism that would be attached to the underside of a typewriter. Herman doesn't own the mechanism itself—yet!



Meanwhile, many attendees bought and sold typewriters outdoors.




I ended up selling 22 machines, including these 1948-49 Remingtons (last of the old and first of the new).

I've done my best to update my collection list.

There were lots of typewriter t-shirts to be seen, and even socks ( I believe these are Ker Cleary's):



Bert Kerschbaumer, author of many fine articles on my website and in ETCetera, was honored with this year's QWERTY Award.



Here is the famed Peter Weil, looking fit and happy after his recent wedding and trip to Europe.



On the occasion of my retirement as editor of ETCetera, I was astounded to be presented with an engraved, golden Smith-Corona with a red turboplaten—a wonderful honor from the Early Typewriter Collectors' Association.




Another moving gift from the typosphere, presented to me by Dave Brechbiel, was this nice set of analog writing tools.



And I even got a cake with a touching sentiment.



Paul Harker speaks about 3D printing typewriter parts — he's even printed platens.



Other fine presentations included Ian Brumfield's talk. He's working on a book about Royals.



Street poet Joseph Jablonski relaxes:



The beauty contest offered many enticing entrants:



The blue Royal ended up as the winner, but I was also very impressed by #1, an Erika that was custom-painted by a motorcycle shop, and by a chromed Selectric that had belonged to the late Jack Knarr.

Then there was the speed-typing contest, on both modern and antique machines.



I'm leaving out 99% of the event, including delicious food, great conversations, hearty laughs, and an endless flow of typewriter knowledge. 

Thanks, Herman, for another fantastic meeting!

Saturday, October 21, 2017

Herman's 2017








You meet the nicest people here, and they all seem to have excellent shirts ...








And then there is Herman's little typewriter collection. Here are a few of my faves ...





Don't be too jealous, one of these is a reproduction ...


Even Herman's junk is fascinating.



We assembled in the driveway for awards, auctions, raffles, and presentations ...


Our gracious host invited everyone to sign a basketball:


We agreed that, as the leader of our band, he deserves this bandleader's cap from the Remington company band, discovered by Peter Weil:


Several items were auctioned off to benefit hurricane victims and raise funds for the Early Typewriter Collectors' Association. I confess that I ended up the owner of the monster Torpedo in the foreground:


The annual QWERTY Award went to Doug Nichol for directing the wonderful "California Typewriter":



The presentation of the award:


Peter Weil and Martin Howard discussed their Kleidographs:


What's a Kleidograph? This is:


Glenn Gravatt tells us about Remington firearms:


Bryan Kravitz (Philly Typewriter) told us about his ambitious plans to open a store in Philadelphia (he's been working out of his home) and host a typewriter festival there next summer:


I gave a presentation about customized typewriters like my Purple Prose Producer and Herman's giraffe-print Smith-Corona, both of which were present in the flesh.

The beauty contest attracted the curious to see curiosities in the pool room:


"Shabby chic":


Meanwhile, outdoors, there were typewriters galore for sale ...


... and typewriters that people put out for show and tell.

An Olivetti M40 War Version with German keyboard is a very unusual find in the US, but Monica Corwin snagged one on the road to Herman's:


An unusual Royal Electric with a low serial number looks like a giant Quiet Deluxe. Unfortunately, I didn't have the brains to take a picture of the typewriter itself, just these details:


Now it was time for the typing contest!

Some brave souls used 19th-century shiftless machines. Here's Ian Brumfield on his Caligraph (formerly mine), which isn't even QWERTY.


I used this Yost No. 4, but there wasn't enough ink in the ink pad for me to see the results clearly. Behind it is a Smith Premier.


I did my best to count my errors and came up with 27 wpm.


Do you think we sound as good as the Boston Typewriter Orchestra?


After pizza, as many were watching the first of two showings of "California Typewriter," I retreated to my hotel room to relax and write this post. 

You may have noticed a gorgeous burgundy Selectric in the beauty contest. This was customized by the expert hands of Brian Brumfield and is among the treasures I'm taking home.



Good night!