Typewriter Talk / All-Capital Underwood With Undiscernable Model

**Posted by Teran M.** 23-9-2017 23:42:11

I saw an old Underwood standard at an antique shop, but since I didn't have money on me I had to pass the oppurntunity. But if it is a good find, I was planning to go back and get it, only I can't seem to figure out the model of it. The serial number is 3895313-12 and it is all caps, no shift mechanism.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-Tug93MmWm-wm8Flmvqwva_qsuypzIbDhd3Yl0G3-SE

**Posted by Fleetwing** 24-9-2017 05:45:14

Sorry,I can't open the picture.

**Posted by mre12ax7** 24-9-2017 07:00:55

I cannot see a picture
What color was the front panel?

**Posted by Teran M.** 24-9-2017 09:57:03

Sorry! Let's try these links:
https://ibb.co/catC15
https://ibb.co/dfh5M5
The front panel was black with the typical Underwood standard design. The biggest thing I noticed is that someone either scrubbed the carriage label off or it didn't have one.

**Posted by M. Höhne** 24-9-2017 10:18:33

Interesting. I'd love to see a pic of the type slugs. And what is that mechanism at the front right? It looks heavy duty.

**Posted by Teran M.** 24-9-2017 11:21:36

When I pressed it it had no observable effect. The shop is quite a ways away from where I live, but if and when I return, should it still be there I will definitely look at it some more and possibly purchase it. I will post pictures and findings should I get back to it.

**Posted by Uwe** 24-9-2017 12:04:28

Looks like a typical telegram typewriter. A few more photos would have helped, but it appears that a part of the bulk roll holder can be seen on the left side of the machine behind the carriage. I'm not sure about the retrofitted palm lever at the right front of the keyboard. Maybe it interfaced with the supply roll to advance it?

**Posted by Teran M.** 24-9-2017 12:27:03

Thank you! Would it be worth buying, in your opinion?

**Posted by picker77** 24-9-2017 19:46:13

Could be a Navy "mill". I used these a lot in USN ship radio central back in the early 60's to copy CW message traffic. Sometimes plain text, but more often 5-character code groups, back before the USN perfected it's "Fleet Broadcast" teletype system.

**Posted by Uwe** 25-9-2017 11:49:42

Teran M. wrote:
Thank you! Would it be worth buying, in your opinion?

That's a difficult question to answer based on one photo. And it might depend on why you buy typewriters. If you expect to be able to use them then you'll need to assess its condition and determine if it's usable or repairable. If you're after novelties, than this is a bit of one. If that's the price tag hanging off of it, then it's not a very expensive machine at $59 (assuming that's USD or CAD, I don't know which country you're in or where it's located) so you would probably be able to sell it fairly easily if it turned out to not be what you wanted.