Antique Typewriters: More Than Your Basic QWERTY

From Remingtons to Royals, typewriters add an industrial edge to any space. Do you collect any vintage technology? Share in the comments! © WGBH Educational Foundation 2014

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW producer Dylan Leavitt hosts Vintage Minute, a web-exclusive short-form video series for the new collector. In each episode, Dylan introduces a vintage collection trend paired with a quick history lesson about its origins. Vintage Minute is one way PBS's ANTIQUES ROADSHOW inspires the next generation of vintage lovers.

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Typewriter Featured In This Video:

Host/Producer: Dylan Leavitt
Shooter: Luke Crafton
Designer: Cassandra Sell
Intern: Amy Brunner

[Oeluhwappur]

I have a Hermes 2000 from 1936 i got from my mom, which belonged to my great-grandfather. I started the habit of keeping a journal every day. Amazing! I also have a black 1950s Belgian wall-telephone 😊

[ellenlibert]

Another great DVM! Keep 'em coming!

[mh]

I well remember the manual typewriter, since it was all I had in high school from 1973-76.  It was kind of a pain in the neck to type on because you had to push so hard on each key.  Around that time, electric typewriters were becoming prevalent and they were much easier to type on because you didn't have to push so hard.  My mother got me an electric typewriter (Smith Corona) to take to college.  It was still a huge pain to type on, though, because if you made a mistake, you had to stop and paint White Out over the offending letter, blow it dry, back up and type over it several times.  It was painstaking and slow, and also messy.  Then White Out came out with  these little correcting strips which you could stick over your letter and type the letter; it would remove the old letter and you could type in the new one.  This was an improvement but still a huge pain in the neck because I made a lot of typing mistakes, all of which had to be fixed.  (And don't get me started on carbon copies!  Eeek.)  Years after that but before word processors and desktop computers, companies came out with typewriters that had the correcting strip right in the typewriter so you could keep your hands on the keys while you corrected your mistakes.  That was a lot better; but even so, I was glad to leave it behind for the world of computer word processing:  Such a relief!  I no longer have to worry so much about mistakes and I can type something out and edit it later.  It's a huge improvement.  I still have that last typewriter but I use it only once in a blue moon.  (It's good for typing labels and forms, for instance.)

[bishopworks]

The perfect keyboard for gaming! I love vintage typewritters, ive always been trying to find one for an affordable price.

[sharontungseth]

I collect the restaurant individual creamers.  Would love some info about them.

[badbunni]

I have a Smith Premier No.2 Typewriter. It was made in 1896. I managed to find it with the cover but sadly the base was no longer with it. It's not in working condition. Still wonderful !

[MrMarkpoole]

Old typewriters are cool, but I don't have room.There is a company called Blue Moon in Portland, OR that sells and processes film for cameras and also sells typewriter supplies.If you need ribbons or such, they might be worth checking out.

[purpledogs]

Well I have a record player, 'Polaroid' camera to. I love to watch the Lucy show. And me being 12 you can say I'm an old fashion kid. I've always wanted to have a typewriter, my goal this year is to get one.

[milog]

I overpaid for mine, but the person who sold it to me said they would turn the glass keys to earrings if I didn't buy it! It was worth it, though.

[johntapp]

You say you like the typewriters from the 1930s backward. I can guess that you like seeing all the levers move. I have several machines which hail as far back as my 1913 L.C. Smith, and the youngest being an 18” carriage 1936 Underwood. Royals were closed in more often than not, and so was Remington Noiseless—at least the ones I’ve seen of this rare bird.

[badbunni]

At one point I did post it for sale, I was quite frustrated though. I received offers such as $20-$75. Because it no longer being in working condition.

[johntapp]

I once had an identical typewriter to the 1937 Royal featured. Is your machine elite type? It looks like it sports a carriage a little longer than 13”. I now have an Underwood with an 18” carriage. Anyway, yours is a model KHM with a longer than usual carriage. The Royals made before had glass sides. I own a 1916 model which I have had for twenty-six years, and it all still works.

[Insomiacky]

Vintage Typewriter Restoration is my passion; PHOENIXTYPEWRTER.COM
Should have had a ribbon in typewriter & shown it typing
Kids love these, Seniors love these, Perfect American History ! !

[theactualnic]

DONT TYPE WITHOUT PAPER!!! YOU WILL DAMAGE THE PAPER ROLLER. I SHOULD KNOW I HAVE 8