Underwood, 1899, N°2, USA The Underwood family produce carbon paper and ribbon – among others for Remington, who sells it under its own name. In 1893, John Underwood is told that his services are no longer required: Remington is going to produce its own accessories. John answers dryly: “Okay, I’ll produce my own typewriters then.”...

Standard Folding, 1907, N°1, USA Thirty years after the invention of the first typewriter, there is still no portable version. In 1906, engineer Frank Rose surprises friend and foe with his design of this Standard Folding Typewriter. With the aid of an ingenious folding system, after use, the user folds his machine into a small...

Remington, 1926, Portable, USA The Portable was the very first true portable typewriter. One of the most innovative features is its “pop-up” typebars which are raised for use via a side lever and lay back flat for storage. Over half a million were made. Curios: during its first year of production, the Portable was made...

M. Huart Paris, 1920, France  printing machine  

Continsouza, 1925, France The Etablissements Continsouza was founded in Paris by Pierre-Victor Continsouza. The company became famous all over the world for its motion-picture machines. The company was already operating in the sector in 1897, as the French agent of Oliver Typewriter and later they started producing their own typewriters.    

Continental Portable, 1930, Germany The company was founded in 1885 by Johan Winklhofer and Richard Jaenicke. It started with service and production of bicycles. The first Continental typewriter was introduced 1904. Only 24 typewriters were made that year. The next year 680 typewriters were produced and in 1907 over 4000. With small changes it was...

Continental, 1934, Germany The company was founded in 1885 by Johan Winklhofer and Richard Jaenicke. It started with service and production of bicycles. The first Continental typewriter was introduced 1904. Only 24 typewriters were made that year. The next year 680 typewriters were produced and in 1907 over 4000. With small changes it was on...

Bennett, 1910, USA

Klein Adler, 1924, Germany The Klein-Adler was launched in 1913 as the rival of the Corona 3, but with a very different way of working. The typing levers are horizontally placed and they are pushed against the paper just like the Adler 7. The German name for the little Adler is easily found: Klein-Adler. In...

Dymo, M22 Tapewriter, 1960 Hand Embossing Tool, today used in Historic Aviation and Vehicle restorations of the 1960s  

Merz, 1927, Simplex, Germany Merz Werke in Frankfurt (Germany) produces robust portable typewriters from 1926. They are sold as ‘Concord’ in France.  

G.W. Todd & Co. Protectograph, Model H, 1915, USA The Todd Protectograph Co. was established in 1899 by G. W. Todd. By 1916, the company was known as the Todd Protectograph Co. and They made hand-operated mechanical check protectors. The devices were meant to prevent unauthorized alteration of business cheques, using an impression made by...

Olivetti, 1920, M20, Italy Camillo Olivetti only presents his first typewriter in 1911: the M1. Right away, this is the start of an exponential growth, which is abruptly interrupted by the First World War when the factory is claimed for the production of war machines. However, Olivetti presents his brand-new M20 at the Brussels Exhibition of 1920....

Olivetti, 1911, M1, Italy Camillo Olivetti only presents his first typewriter in 1911: the M1. Right away, this is the start of an exponential growth, which is abruptly interrupted by the First World War when the factory is claimed for the production of war machines. However, Olivetti presents his brand-new M20 at the Brussels Exhibition...

Olivetti M40, 1932

Olivetti M40, 1930

Ideal, 1909, Model A4, Germany The Ideal A is a very bulky machine (it weighs 17 kgs). Production was started by the German sewing machine and bicycle factory Seidel & Neumann of Dresden in 1897. The machine has elaborate decorations. Most remarkable are the cast iron side panels, with the logo molded into them. There...

Grandjean, Stenotype, 1910, France The first shorthand machine was built in 1827 by Benoît Gonod. The first machine was made in 1863 by the Italian Antonio Michela Zucco and was in actual use since 1880 in the Italian Senate. A French version was created by Marc Grandjean in 1909. This is how the Grandjean Company...

Oliver, 1900, N°3, Usa The Oliver Typewriter Company was an American typewriter manufacturer, founded by Thomas Oliver in 1895. Although production in the USA ended in 1928, the British Oliver Typewriter Mfg Co would continue production of the downstroke until after World War II. The Oliver Typewriter was one of the first “visible print” typewriters, meaning text was visible...

Oliver, 1916, N°9, USA The Oliver Typewriter Company was an American typewriter manufacturer, founded by Thomas Oliver in 1895. Although production in the USA ended in 1928, the British Oliver Typewriter Mfg Co would continue production of the downstroke until after World War II. The Oliver Typewriter was one of the first “visible print” typewriters, meaning text was visible to the...

The Oliver Typewriter Company, n.5, 1914, Usa

Yost, 1895, N°4, USA The Yost typewriter was the invention of George Washington Newton Yost, one of the key pioneers in the birth of the first manufactured typewriters. It was a very innovative dual keyboard machine.    

Grandjean Stenotype, 1915, France The first shorthand machine was built in 1827 by Benoît Gonod. The first machine was made in 1863 by the Italian Antonio Michela Zucco and was in actual use since 1880 in the Italian Senate. A French version was created by Marc Grandjean in 1909. This is how the Grandjean Company introduced this new machine: “Your time is valuable. Your employees’ time as well. To...

Royal Bar-Lock, ca. 1907, USA    

Royal Bar-Lock, ca. 1900, USA    

Bleistiftscharf Maschine Jupiter, 1920, Germany  Since the early 1900s the most common instrument to sharpen pencils was the normal sharpener. From the 1880s on people started producing mechanical pencil sharpeners, industrially produced. The first Jupiter was introduced in 1897; a couple of years later, this first model was improved into the Jupiter N.1 model, patented...