1 of 1- Continental1904
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Offline - From: Luxembourg
- Registered: 29-11-2020
- Posts: 3
Early Continentals by the most beautiful decals
Dear Collectors,
I have started to collect typewriters not long ago, in 2017, and I am very fond of early Continentals.
I would like to determine the production periods as far as the different main decals on the front door are concerned, and I need your help in this project. Any hints or suggestions would be highly appreciated.
I have used the data available from the typewriter database and from my archives. Obviously, the decals can be tempered and faked, but I tried to refer to machines that seems to be in original state, at least as far as the front decal concerned.
Sorry in advance for my clumsy terminology, but I do not know how to refer exactly to the different types of decals.
Here am I in my research now:
First decal (factory with one chimney) 1904-1906(?):
The first machine that I know of is *51, obviously from 1904,
The last one is *3744 from 1906
Have you ever seen a machine with the first decal, for example, from 1907?
Second decal (factory with two chimneys) 1908(?)-1910(?):
The first machine known machine for me is *7883 from 1908,
The last one is *16617 from 1910
Have you ever seen a machine with this second decal from 1911, maybe?
Third decal (monster decal with one factory) 1911(?)-1913:
The first machine is *23958 from 1911,
The last one is *58355 from 1913
Have you ever seen a machine with this third decal from 1910, maybe?
Fourth decal (monster decal with two factories, even slightly bigger in size than the previous one) 1913-1914(?):
The first machine with this decal known for me is *67335 from 1913,
The last one is *79955 from 1914
During the WW1, the numbers of production dropped and I have never seen a machine from 1915, 1916, or 1917, but maybe you have.
Fifth decal (half the size of the previous monster decal, with one factory) 1918(?)-1923(?):
The first machine with this decal known for me is *112694 from 1918,
The last one is *241943 from 1923
Sixth decal (little circle) 1925(?)-1930(?):
The first machine with this decal known for me is *307041 from 1925,
The last one is *424809 from 1930
Thank you in advance for your help.
- Uwe
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- From: Toronto, Canada
- Registered: 12-3-2013
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Re: Early Continentals by the most beautiful decals
I started a similar project a few years ago, but never completed it. One thing that I discovered was that the decal wasn't always an accurate indicator of the age of the typewriter. I think that I found samples of refurbished machines (more than likely by the factory) that had a newer decal applied; in other words, it was possible to find an older model with with a decal that would be for a much newer model.
When I have time I'm going to look for my notes on this subject.
I'll have to take a better photo, but for reference this is the very first decal from 1904:
And from 1922:
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- Continental1904
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- From: Luxembourg
- Registered: 29-11-2020
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Re: Early Continentals by the most beautiful decals
The most accurate indicator of the age is the serial number. The decal could be an indicator too if it was not modified later, of course.
Here is an example for a modification:
This machine made in 1906, and it is certain that this machine was left the factory with the first decal, but later the front door was replaced, therefore we can see 5th decal on the pictures (the collector mentioned the fact of replacement in the description too).
With a sufficient experience, I think it is easy to decide which decal is authentic or fake or a later refurbishment on an exact model.
In every 3-5 years, the main decal was modified by the factory, that is sure, from first to sixth generation. What I would like to know, that is the exact lifespan of these generations.
Thank you in advance if you check your notes for further details.
Have a nice evening,
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Thread Starter- Continental1904
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- From: Luxembourg
- Registered: 29-11-2020
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Re: Early Continentals by the most beautiful decals
Dear Uwe,
Would you be so kind to upload or send me a few photos of your Continental with the very first decal?
Fortunately, I have received lot of information from a German collector and I am in the middle of creating a complete list of early decals by year, with as many concrete serial numbers and pictures as possible.
I have a tons of data from the fifth generation, but pictures from earlier models with serial numbers would be very helpful.
Do you have maybe a maschine with the second, third or fourth decal too?
Than you in advance and have a nice day,
Tibor Havasi
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Thread Starter- Uwe
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- From: Toronto, Canada
- Registered: 12-3-2013
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Re: Early Continentals by the most beautiful decals
I only have three Continental standards, Tibor. Unlike Europe, they're not very common in Canada. There's a 1904, a 1922, and a 1935. All three have had - as far as I can tell - interesting histories. I assume the 1935 is too late a model for your survey.
The 1922 is bizarre in that it's been repainted in a military green colour; it looks rough, but types well enough. Photos of this machine are already located here: 1922 Continental Standard on the Typewriter Database
I haven't taken any photos of the 1904 yet. It's in line for a little restoration work and won't be getting around to that any time soon. I do have a quick and dirty ID photo and type sample though:
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
