1 - overwood
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Typewriters A to Z
There's a typewriter repair bible, but one of you needs to write a thick book, Typewriters A to Z,
that describes all of the models of all makers from their inception up to the time they all started being ugly and sucky.
Or if that's too much to bite off, how about a book for each of the main companies? It would be so nice to have a reference like that when evaluating typewriters. I could look at it and say hmmm, 1965 is when Royolo Typewriter Corp. went to the cheap plastic slugs on their formerly respectable Ambassadora model, I better stick with the 1964.
The typewriterdatabase is great for aging things and seeing what they should or could look like. Online reviews are great for that specific year and model. But there's a lot of empty gaps in between resources.
- Phil_F_NM
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Re: Typewriters A to Z
Sounds like a great project for that new Brother you have enroute. I'll give observations on the few that I have. Good luck!
Phil Forrest
- overwood
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Re: Typewriters A to Z
Oh no, I specifically said one of you needs to write it.
I have a new Sterling on the way too, and if one of you had written such a book it might have dissuaded me from buying it, because I need another typewriter like I need a hole in my head or wallet.
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Thread Starter- Phil_F_NM
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Re: Typewriters A to Z
Don't drop that Sterling, or you'll have a hole in your floor too.
Realistically, there are SO many brands, models and variants of those models, that such a compilation would be almost impossible. It gets really muddy when you start to look at store brands like Sears, which used Smith-Corona, Underwood, and Royal for the same model name, over the course of a decade or so. Or their Tower Chieftan, which was a re-badged SC Skyriter, but occasionally you find one which is an Olivetti Lettera 22. Too many variants. You could best be served by sticking to an era, but there are always exceptions.
Phil Forrest
- overwood
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Re: Typewriters A to Z
I was surprised when they said they'd ship the Sterling for the same price as the Brother. That's the only reason I bought it. 
I'm done for now. Two Royals, 2 Brothers and a Sterling is plenty as long as both of the new ones work.
So maybe when one of you write this book you can just focus on one brand in depth. It can be a series of 4 or 5 volumes covering the Big 4 (or 5), like Royal, Underwood, Olympia, S-C, etc...
Looking forward to buying my copy(s)!
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Thread Starter- Laurenz van Gaalen
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Re: Typewriters A to Z
overwood wrote:
I'm done for now.
Exactly my words. Two years ago. Last week I bought my seventieth typewriter 
- overwood
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Re: Typewriters A to Z
I'm done for now.
Exactly my words. Two years ago. Last week I bought my seventieth typewriter
See? if someone had written the book you might have been more picky, and not become the typewriter hoarder you are today! 
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Thread Starter- Phil_F_NM
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Re: Typewriters A to Z
Just last Saturday I was walking down the street, past a "boutique" (junk shop) and saw a suitcase which looked a lot like an Olympia case. It wasn't, but it did have a typewriter inside. A $5 Underwood Star, so nothing special but it does look nice. Needs a cleaning but will probably make a nice gift.
I think that is my nineteenth so far...
Phil Forrest
- Uwe
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Re: Typewriters A to Z
There are books out there, some contemporary to the typewriter era, and some much newer. I have yet to find one that doesn't contain errors, as any new work likely would. I'm sure someone with the necessary skills might be willing to properly research, write, and publish a comprehensive guide, even if just for the more common makes and models; however, such a substantial effort would have to be a labour of love because there would be no chance of monetarily breaking even when the potential market for such a book would be limited at best.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- overwood
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Re: Typewriters A to Z
There may not be a profit in it now, but what about 10 years from now? Ten years ago everyone thought film photography was dead. People were almost giving away medium format gear that cost thousands new. Now prices are starting to soar.
I don't think typewriters are anywhere near there yet, but isn't interest in them rising? I have only been interested for 2-3 years which is too short to be certain of the long-term trend. Certainly many are still quite cheap, but I recently had to break my own rule of never spending more than $30 on a typewriter...
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