German typewriter Collectors Meeting, May 25 2013, Köln

Today I went to another meeting of the German typewriter collectors in Köln. It was nice to see familiar faces and to practice German while walking past the trunks of the cars, filled with all kinds of typewriters. Here are the pictures, so you get an idea. I had the impression that most sellers had to take the vast majority of their machines back home again. Only those who put "realistic" prices were able to sell some.

Did I just receive an Underwood 2?

I've just received what I believe is an Underwood 2. I bought it from an antiques dealer on the internet, who thought it was from the 1940s. If this is really a #2, it would've been made in or around 1898.

It looks like an Underwood 1 (no see-saw ribbon color selector and a metal colored scale strip) but it has 42 keys instead of 38, so - according to Ernst Martin (1923), p. 218 - that would make it a #2. The serial number is 9732. There is no patent information on the back (no mention to Wagner, nothing).

I haven't found a lot of information yet about this machine or its rarity, except for a message in the Yahoo typewriter mailing list from 2002, claiming that only 2 other Underwood #2's were known. So, logically, I am very excited about this find. Is this really an Underwood 2? And if so, is it really that rare? Anyone else owns an Underwood 2? What is the serial number?

If anyone reading this has more information about the Underwood 2, please write me a comment below or click here to answer the mail I've sent about this typewriter in the Yahoo typewriter mailing list. Now, I probably better start cleaning it. Carefully, just in case!

Here are the pictures:

The Merritt Typewriter

A video I made to show how it works:

Which typewriter is this?

I bought this typewriter last week. Do you recognize it? The answer will be revealed shortly.

Yost 1 typewriter

My latest typewriter acquisition came in with quite an attitude. The other typewriters didn’t understand. It was old, produced in 1888, but since when was that something to brag about? It was relatively rare and well, it had a fancy mechanism, but most typewriters in my display have a not so ordinary way of typing. So, why the attitude?

My other typewriters couldn’t know, but the Yost 1 I bought last week is famous. For decades, Michael Adler’s “The writing machine” has been the best typewriter book around (after Martin’s “Die Schreibmaschine” of course, but Martin didn’t publish pictures). “The writing machine” was first published in 1973 and contains the most important facts about each and every machine that was ever made or patented. So, if you were a collector in the 1970s or 80s and wanted to see a picture of a certain typewriter, instead of using Google, you consulted Adler’s bible.

Many machines in his book came out of Adler’s private collection. Some years after publishing the book, Adler sold his collection to the Dutch friar Ferrerius. His collection formed the foundation of Scryption, a museum of typewriters and other communication equipment. However, because of financial trouble, Scryption no longer exists and the collection had to be partially dismantled. One of the machines that had to be sold was the Yost 1 I bought last week: the machine with an attitude.

So, why the attitude? Look into p. 177 of Adler’s “The writing machine” and you’ll see a picture of a Yost 1. Although the picture is in black and white, the paintless spot in the middle of the space bar reveals its true identity: it’s a forty year old picture of the very same Yost 1 I bought last week! So, he may have an attitude, but if you ask me, that’s well justified.

Yost 1, Adler, "The writing machine" (1973), p. 177.

Type arms resting against inking pad

Type arm moving like a grasshopper

Type arm and alignment guide

The escapement mechanism (1)

The escapement mechanism (2)

Edit: a video I made of the grasshopper mechanism and the escapement system:

Liliput typewriter

For anyone who wondered why the last 2 weeks three (or more?) rare Liliputs have turned up in The Netherlands: it was a featured item in the Dutch version of the Antiques Roadshow, valued at 2000-2500 euros (if in working condition).

"It's a Liliput machine, but not for a liliput price tag", Fred Kats (the specialist).

One week before the recordings of this show, I showed mr. Kats my Junior typewriter, see: http://schrijfmachine.blogspot.nl/2012/09/antiques-roadshow.html

I also asked him kindly to give some more attention to typewriters in future shows. It seems he listened to me!

Waarde van typemachine of schrijfmachine

De waarde van een typemachine hangt af van veel factoren. Allereerst is er een grote verscheidenheid aan merken en modellen. Van veel merken zijn er, zelfs al vóór de Tweede Wereldoorlog, letterlijk miljoenen verkocht. Veruit de meeste typemachines in Nederland zijn dan ook niet verzamelwaardig. Dat wil zeggen: er zal normaliter niemand bereid zijn er meer dan 50 euro voor te geven; meestal (fors) minder en vaak helemaal niets. Hieronder geef ik een (niet volledige) lijst van typemachines die respectievelijk niets, een paar tientjes, of 100 euro of meer waard zijn. 

Een Underwood 5 uit 1904. De typearmen slaan van voren tegen het papier. Van dit model zijn er miljoenen gemaakt. Huidige waarde: ongeveer 20 euro.

Typemachines die bijna niets of niets waard zijn

Dit geldt voor bijna alle na-oorlogse typemachines en voor vrijwel alle vooroorlogse modellen van Underwood, Remington, Woodstock, Royal, Olympia, LC Smith, Continental, Mercedes, Olivetti, Torpedo, Alpina, Triumph, Hermes, Rheinmetall, Adler, Optima, Halda, Erika, en Corona. Al deze typemachines lijken mechanisch erg op de Underwood 5. Dat wil zeggen, de typearmen slaan van voren tegen het papier (zie foto).

Een kleine inklapbare Corona 3 uit 1919. Ook bij deze machine slaan de typearmen van voren tegen het papier. Van dit model zijn er 700.000 gemaakt. Huidige waarde: ongeveer 30 euro.

Typemachines die een paar tientjes waard zijn

De meeste verzamelaars willen merken en modellen met een apart mechanisme, zoals typemachines met typearmpjes die niet van voren, maar van boven, achter of onder tegen de rol slaan, of die met een typewiel of ander element de letters op het papier zet. Deze machines zijn meestal al wat meer waard. Een Hammond, The Noiseless, Mignon, Blickensderfer, Empire, Oliver, Imperial A t/m D, Rofa, Remington (onderaanslag), Smith Premier (onderaanslag) of Yost (onderaanslag) brengt op Marktplaats al gauw meer dan 50 euro op, mits de typemachine in goede staat is. Maar ook dan zijn het model, het serienummer en andere details (bijvoorbeeld de kleur of het toetsenbordtype) belangrijk bij het preciezer kunnen bepalen van de waarde.

Een Hammond Multiplex uit 1914. Bij deze machine slaat een hamertje van achter het papier tegen de zogenaamde typeshuttle (midden). Toch zijn er hier meer dan 100.000 van verkocht. Waarde: ongeveer honderd euro.

Typemachines die minimaal 100 euro waard zijn

En dan zijn er de nóg zeldzamere machines die (in goede staat) 100 euro of zelfs (veel) meer dan dat kunnen opbrengen - de échte collector’s items:

Dat geldt voor de meeste voorloorlogse indextypemachines (dat zijn typemachines zonder toetsenbord) en, om slechts enkele gewilde modellen te noemen: de Brooks, Caligraph, Chicago, Commercial Visible, Crandall, Daugherty, Densmore, Emerson, Fitch, Ford, Franklin, Granville automatic, Hamilton automatic, Kanzler, Lambert,  Moya, Munson, National (onderaanslag), North’s, Pittsburg 10, Postal, Polygraph, Salter, Sholes & Glidden en Williams.  Er zijn vele tientallen bijzondere machines, maar allemaal hebben ze gemeen dat het mechaniek niet lijkt op dat van een gewone typemachine, zoals de eerder genoemde Underwood 5.

Een Williams 2 Academy uit 1905. De typearmen slaan van achter én van voren met een sprinkhaanachtige beweging op het papier. Hier zijn er slechts enkele duizenden van gemaakt. Huidige waarde: minimaal een paar honderd euro.

Ook bij al deze collector’s items geldt dat model, staat, serienummer en andere details veel verschil kunnen maken bij het bepalen van de verkoopprijs. Mocht je thuis één van bovengenoemde zeldzame typemachine hebben staan, of een andere machine met een bijzonder mechanisme, mail dan voor een vrijblijvende taxatie één of enkele foto’s van de typemachine naar schrijfmachine@yahoo.nl .

Breker Auction and HBW collectors meeting

Nowadays we're so used to buy typewriters online, that we almost forget how collectors used to get their machines about 15 or 20 years ago. Today, I had the opportunity to take a look at the past, at the Breker auction of office antiques in Cologne, Germany. It was my first time at an offline auction, and well, it was quite an experience!

According to some senior fellow collectors, in the old days Breker mainly sold typewriters. Now they sell almost any office equipment but typewriters. Of in total 707 objects, only 18 included typewriters. I wanted to have a go for the Pittsburg 10, but after inspecting it before the auction, I decided it wasn't worth the opening bid of 280 euros: it was rusty and defect.

One of the first lots under the hammer was an Enigma Type A (estimate 15.000-25.000 euros), which was sold for a staggering 35.000 euros. And this was only "one of the highlights"! Just one minute later we discovered why there were so many cameras filming the event: a real Apple 1 was up for sale (estimate 120.000-200.000 euros).

The Apple 1

The opening bid was 70.000 euros. Two anonymous phone-bidders were really going for it and within moments the 200.000 euros barrier was passed. The tension in the room increased with every increment of 20.000 euros. It was only at 400.000 euros (!) that one of the bidders had to pass. When the item was hammered down we applauded, hardly believing what we'd just witnessed. I wonder who bought the item!

Here is a video about today's auction of the Apple 1 (in English).

After half of the public and all cameras had left the room, the typewriters were up for auction. Three very nice colored Underwood portables were sold for only 100 euros: a Smith Premier 1 reached a hammer price of 240 euros; a beautiful Crandall remained unsold (opening bid 3.800 euros), and "my" Pittsburg changed owners for 750 euros. Way too much if you ask me. Here you can find the list of all realized prices. Scroll down to item 66 and onwards to see the typewriters.

After the auction, Jos Legrand advised me to drive to a meeting of German typewriter collectors at the local Tennis Club. He told me some collectors would sell typewriters out of the trunk of their cars. I expected to find some Coronas/Underwoods/Remingtons, and maybe (if lucky) some Blicks, Yösts or Hammonds. Well... I was wrong!

There were around 20 or 30 cars with each around 5 or 10 typewriters. I spotted a Blickensderfer, Oliver, Densmore and Franklin in the first car. That was promising! I started walking and could not believe my eyes:  a Columbia 2, a North's, a Fitch, a Gardner, all in open car trunks, barely protected against the cold German weather... The Fitch (my dream machine) had a 13.000 euro price tag. I wonder whether there were people walking around there ready to pay that kind of money out of their pocket.

Inside the Tennis Club I met Wolfgang Mock and Norbert Schwarz of Historische Bürowelt (HBW). I bought all 80-something past issues of HBW from Wolfgang and subscribed as a member (I guess I really have to improve my German now).

In the back of the room, three fully restored typewriters were standing on a table: a North's, an Emerson and a Sholes Visible, all in mint condition (or even better). After following Richard Polt's very entertaining and interesting blog series about the restoration of his Sholes Visible, I couldn't resist asking the owner to give me a live demonstration of the mechanism of this beautiful typewriter. Now I finally understand how it works! The owner, by the way, appeared to be Hermann Kerz, who has restored many typewriters to mint condition. Very impressive.

It was very nice to have witnessed a real offline auction, but I think next time I'll drive directly to the meeting of German collectors. I didn't know there are so many fellow collectors on such short driving distance. Ah, and next time, I'll definitely bring my camera...

Dutch Typewriter Collectors Meeting 2012

Here I leave you some pictures of the Dutch Typewriter Collectors Meeting in Barendrecht (The Netherlands) today. It was organized by Martin and the theme of the day was "thrust action machines", so we all brought our Adlers, Noiselesses, Empires, etc. We had a very nice afternoon chatting about typewriters and enjoying each others company.

 Back (left to right): Frank, Martin, Jos, Leo, Willem, Ceriel, Wim / Front row (left to right): Jaap, Flip, Diewertje,  Cor, Bas.

Jaap lectures about the Adler Favorit

The Noiseless table

Comparing Klein Adlers

Empires, Crowns, Adlers and anything in between.

Early Underwood 5 typewriter

As you know, it is quite easy to find an Underwood 5. Over 3.5 million were made to last forever, and most of them still do. Because of space limitations, my collection can't be too big, but of course it has to include "the most successful typewriter design in history". With so many Underwoods around it is quite hard to make a choice. I waited and waited, till the "perfect" Underwood 5 would show up.

Last week I thought I was lucky. On the internet I found an Underwood 5, with serial number 2815-5. This early number indicates that the machine was made during the first year of the production period (1900-1931). It also had a Dutch dealer sticker, and I like to have machines in my collection that were actually used in The Netherlands. The sticker could hardly be from the period (1901), as synthetic adhesives were only used from the 1920s onwards. Well, I thought, that would be something to find out later about.

According to the Yahoo Typewriter forum, the very early Underwood 5's were made by the Wagner Typewriter Company - the inventors of the first Underwood. Franz Xavier Wagner and his son invented the linkage between the typebar and the key lever and related this to the principle of the segment and type guide. This way, they devised the idea of a segment and bars - an idea which has been incorporated in all successful standard and portable typewriters ever since (Beeching 1974, p. 26).

After some negotiation about the price (30 euros), I was finally able to get the machine. Unfortunately, the owner had bought it at a thrift store, so he knew nothing about its history. Back home, I started to clean the machine...

Before cleaning.

After cleaning. Notice the left shift key has been replaced by a French one.

Than I started to clean the back of the machine. I used a mild abrasive and noted that the typewriter was either VERY dirty, or repainted at some point (by the Dutch dealer?). The back of the typewriter was totally black with no sign of any decal. Because of its early serial number, I suspected that under the dirt/paint would be the Wagner Typewriter Company decal. So, I started rubbing...

Before cleaning

After cleaning

To my surprise, a regular Underwood decal appeared! No mention is made to the Wagner Typewriter Company. I was baffled at first, but some closer inspection of the serial number revealed the mystery:

2815-5 or 42815-5. Quite a difference!

I checked the SN when I picked the typewriter up, but didn't see that it was a 42815 instead of 2815. Nor did the former owner. The first digit is very faint. This makes it a 1904 Underwood, instead of a 1901 Wagner-Underwood. Does it make a big difference? Not really, it's only a decal... But still...

Development of the typewriter

Today I made a video in which I show different typewriting mechanisms out of my collection. I used the slow motion function of my camera to get a clear view of how it works. My collection isn't big enough to show the complete development of the typewriter, but well, it gives kind of an idea. I hope you like it!

Click here to watch it in HD on YouTube: Development of the typewriter