debratant wrote:

What I'm trying to figure out is the model number.

Do you mean the model name, or the serial number? The model name you already know, the serial number is located on a small plate under the left ribbon spool. 

debratant wrote:

I would also like to know the date of the machine if anyone knows.

If your memory is correct and the number starts with 594, then it's a 1932 model.

debratant wrote:

I'm guessing during some point of the depression, after reading several articles online regarding the junior being made during that time for it's appeal to a poorer generation.

I wouldn't describe it as 'appeal', but rather affordability. The Junior was among the least expensive typewriters that Underwood offered during that time.

debratant wrote:

The machine works...though I've not tried to actually type with it with paper, since I assume the ink is dry... Can ribbon still be purchased for this?

I cringe when I see a machine being used without paper loaded in the platen, and some here will strongly suggest that you should use a backing sheet too. You're not doing your machine any good by using it without paper. If you want to check the condition of a ribbon, load a sheet of paper and type a few lines. Be sure to observe that the ribbon itself is moving as you type. The machine uses standard 13 mm (½ in.) ribbon, which is readily available online. Depending on where you live, it might also be available from your local office supply store. You can also contact thetypewriterman who is a member here. He sells ribbon as well.

debratant wrote:

My husband is not as fascinated with it LOL, he wants to sell it....and it's his right to do so if he chooses, however I'm going to maybe fight him on this one. 

He's obviously not a very sentimental person. For what the machine would fetch, probably less than $100 in North America, it's not worth it in my mind. It's a small heirloom, one that actually has a practical use, so why not keep it, use it, and appreciate it?

debratant wrote:

I hope this works for adding images....I uploaded to my google.

There are instruction for posting images here in the FAQ thread in the Type Talk sub-forum.

I have a '32 Junior (#597697) too and have a soft spot for these stripped down budget models of the era. They perform very well given the lack of features found on more expensive models.

debratant wrote:

how did anyone type a number 1 on these machines.  I don't understand why there is no 1? 

Considering that a typewriter can only be fitted with a limited amount of characters, you had to be careful when picking and choosing which to use. Most manufacturers offered a number of different character sets for their machines that buyers could choose from, and some included an exclamation mark, or a number 1, but when you consider that those two characters are very easy to reproduce using other existing characters, they are in a way a superfluous choice if you wanted other characters that otherwise could not be duplicated. For example, an exclamation mark can be reproduced by typing a period with an apostrophe over it. And the number one is even simpler: you only need to type a lowercase L. 

That is a very nice looking machine, thanks for sharing it Uwe!

 

Thanks Kat, I have decided to keep it