1 of 1- SwampYankeeO
- New Member
Offline - Registered: 01-3-2014
- Posts: 1
Why Are Smith Corona's Being Sucked Up?
I recently got interested in typewriters and have a couple pre-war models I picked up cheap on Craigslist. In checking out eBay prices and sales, I have noticed that Smith Corona's from the 1940's or so always sell if, even when I think people are asking too much. Just about everyone of them goes for $50-$100.
There seem to be a lot of them but many of the other common models (Royal, Underwood, Remington) don't even budge under $50.
Does anyone know what the deal is with these machines? Why are people scooping them up? Are they particularly good for some reason?
- Uwe
- Moderator
Offline
- From: Toronto, Canada
- Registered: 12-3-2013
- Posts: 4,410
Re: Why Are Smith Corona's Being Sucked Up?
I haven't noticed that trend, but I wonder what the ratio is between the number of Smith-Corona machines from that era vs. those from other manufacturers. Usually a higher asking price and quick sales are an indication of machines that are more difficult to find. With that in mind, there are definitely more Underwood typers in my area that are offered for sale than Smith-Corona models even though both were made in Canada at the time.
However, fast forward to the '50s and everything reverses. The Super-5 series Smith-Corona models are a dime a dozen and there are always several for sale in my area, yet rarely any Underwoods from that time period.
Personally, I think Smith-Corona portables really came into their own during the '40s, and by the time they were replaced at the end of the decade with the Super-5 models, the company had hit a grand slam home run with respect to quality and performance.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- Shangas
- Speed Champion
Offline
- From: Melbourne, Australia
- Registered: 17-3-2013
- Posts: 298
Re: Why Are Smith Corona's Being Sucked Up?
Maybe Tom Hanks needs them for his new movie...
"Not Yet Published" - My History Blog
"I just sit at a typewriter and curse a bit" - Sir Pelham Grenville "P.G." Wodehouse
"The biggest obstacle to professional writing is the necessity for changing a typewriter ribbon" - Robert Benchley
- ProfessorC30
- Platen Punisher
Offline
- From: Arkansas, USA
- Registered: 20-4-2013
- Posts: 75
Re: Why Are Smith Corona's Being Sucked Up?
This is directly from Wikipedia:
"The "Super 5" series portables were made from 1949 to 1960. They are generally considered to be among the best portable typewriters by writers and typists."
The Speedline series that preceded these (1939 to 1948) is also liked by many. Later models (1960's and on) are not favored highly.
As always, condition affects price. I recently saw a Brother Deluxe Portable sell for $620.00 on ebay. Go figure!
Clark
