I’ve always thought typewriters were cool. Heck, for a while I had one of those programs that made each keystroke have a “clackity” sound. Too fun. I got it in my head over the weekend that I’d like to have a vintage typewriter to do some writing with for the sake of nostalgia if nothing else. So I spent hours on E-Bay, looking at vintage typewriters.
In my travels, I found some real beauties. You have to check these out:
First up is the Blickensderfer. When I first saw this one, I thought it was some kind of a bug-thingy. This is a lte 19th century portable typewriter. What made it unique, is at the time of manufacturer, most typewriters were of the understrike variety and that meant the typist couldn’t see what they were typing. The ball type of typeface (similar to an IBM ball allowed the typist to actually see what they were typing. Wow, what a concept.
This one is a 19th century Hammond with an oak case.
This is a Rem-Blick, similar to the first item
Image courtesy of Keith McBride
Gotta love those Underwoods
How about an 1890 Odell Fancy?
This portable Smith Corona is a beaut! Hard to tell, but with three key rows, Lots of “shift” needed!
From: http://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/chicago.html
The Chicago
The Crandall
Ok, for the Jackson, you really need to head here and read about this machine and how the keys worked. You will be amazed!
The Mitterhoffer. Yup, it’s made of wood! Read all about it at the Classic Typewriter site
Coolio, eh? I hope you enjoyed checking these out aas much as I did.
Once you’ve decided to pick up one of the beauties, head on over to my post for some online typing tutors.
Ok, after looking at those typewriters. I am happy I was born in the late 1900s. What would I do without the internet. Makes me want to cry thinking about it. lol jk
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Deneil,
Yeah, I didn’t see a single “delete” key on any of them sumbitches.
George
LMAO! The delete key is called “white out” sold separately. lol
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Heh, that’s a good one!
Of course, there’s always this:
Did the signing of my first ebook last week. Man, it’s taking forever to get the sharpie off the monitor…
G
LMAO! Man that is funny. I just release my ebook a few days as well. That one got me good.
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You were born in the late 1900′s? Congratulations on your 100th birthday, or do you turn 100 later this year?
That doesn’t make any sense at all. Learn how to read and understand what you have read.
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I agree with Deneil. He said: “I was born in the late 1900s.” He could have just as easily had said: “I was born in the late 20th century.” Both terms are valid.
Of course, Matt, you could have been born in the early 2000s. That would make you less than 10 years old.
Sorry Matt, they got ya on this one. I was born in the late-mid 1900′s not the 19th century…
George
I learned how to type using an IBM Selectric – of course, that’s not as old timey as these, but still I had to learn to manually center, do footnotes, indents, whatever.
This was a requirement to take computers which was a requirement to graduate.
The year after I’d spent a whole semester of my life counting and dividing and space-space-spacing and backspacing and twisting knobs up and down, they finally saw the light and started only requiring students learn to keyboard and not do all the manual formatting stuff.
I am only 35 years old. My how things have changed!
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Tracy,
When I worked for LAFD, a primary form of punishment when you screwed up was having to type a letter to the Chief. It could take hours sometimes. I was done on a typewriter with exact specs for margins and such.
Yikes!
We’ve come a long way, baby!
George
Hi George,
Love it! I learned on an Underwood then got to try out the IBM Selectric. Like Tracy, I remember learning how to manually center and format. Knowing math came in handy.
Those were great times, but I’m too spoiled now to go back.
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Hi Barbara,
I’m bidding on a couple of vintage Underwoods over at E-bay. I can’t wait! Should be a lot of fun, I think. But I couldn’t find one with a #$(*&^% spell checker!!
George
Beautiful machines. Although no longer practical they were an extension
of your hands. and the sound was wonderful.
Do you know that Tom Hanks is a big collector of Vintage typewriters
Thanks for coming by, Frank.
No, I didn’t know that. Maybe he’s they guy that keeps out bidding me on E-bay!
yes, I do love the sound.
Cheers!
George
It’s actually weird that we still have the same layout on our computers. It feels like we are a bit stuck in our old routines.
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Hi Stefan,
Yeah, I guess they figured out the arrangement that works best. Some of the old ones have some interesting key arrangements, though. That would be tough to do!
George
It does make sense, in a sort of way — the letters that you use the most are the most accessible, and the ones which you rarely use are on the outskirts. I think it’s a layout that makes a lot of sense. Why change something that works?
Also, it was probably easier to keep the layout for the people in the middle, who learned on typewriters but made the transition to computers. It would be easier for them, so it’s almost an incentive — like “See, it’s the same thing, but BETTER. Buy our junk.”
…it works, yeah?
Hiya Grey
It does work, indeed. What really amazes me is looking at how complicated the early machines were. Talk about intricate!
Thanks for coming by!
George
I’ve always wanted an old typewriter to sit on my desk, but some of those look kind of scary, like they’re going to come alive…I need less caffeine methinks.
Mik,
Wow, it’s been a while. I guess I fell out of touch! Everything ok on your end?
More Caffeine!
George
Gorgeous! There’s something terribly authentic-feeling about writing on a typewriter…if only I could take one along as I travel. I get odd looks for hauling out an enormous studio laptop in other countries–imagine the reactions to a typewriter.
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Liz,
I just won a vintage Smith Corona Sterling on Ebay and I can’t wait for it to get here.
I think the first thing I’ll do is haul that puppy down to the nearest Starbucks and start tapping away! lol.
George
I would love to see the confused faces of the kids who work at the Starbucks when they see the typewriter. You can always tell them that it is a prehistoric word processor. LOL
It’s weird. The only typewriter here, from what I can tell, that is not a QWERTY typewriter is the Crandall. I can’t see the keyboard of the Mitterhoffer.
I had heard (from somewhere) that the QWERTY keyboard was created because typists would type too fast on alphabetic succession typewriters. None of these are alphabetic succession. But it seems to me that the QWERTY keyboard was created to that the most commonly used letters would be easier to reach and use while the lesser common characters were put in more difficult areas.
I am inspired now to look into the history of the QWERTY keyboard.
PJ – Not exactly, but close. The QWERTY keyboard was developed most importantly to keep the typeface arms from jamming together. Even with this rearrangement, the keys would still jam on older or non-oiled typewriters. One big change that came with electric typewriters was the ball typeface which the characters were all put on a ball which rotated and struck the paper so you never had a jam. Also one could change the ball for introducing another font or we had one which had scientific characters which allowed us to type our symbols instead of handwriting them in later.
I would imagine that a typist could type almost as fast on any keyboard once they became used to the position of the keys on the keyboard and having them arranged alphabetically would not result in people typing too fast. Rather people typing at the highest rate would experience more jams with an alphabetical keyboard than with a QWERTY keyboard.
Thank you, Greg. That was very enlightening and really cool. Thank you, again.
Greg, Thanks for the great comment and the history lesson. I had the same questions as PJ.
You rock, Sir.
George
Wow! Too much history… I would love having a collection of typewriters like that, ¡excellent post!
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Charlie, Me too!