Who misses using typewriters as much as I do?
Remington, Olympia, and Olivetti, do you still remember these brands? Most of us would say, “sounds familiar” however; younger generations would just wonder what these names are.
Well, these are typewriter brands. And as luck would have it, some of the vintage typewriters were present at the History Con 2017 last August 10-13.
This is just one of the many vintage typewriter collectibles of The Curious Artisan (aka Leny). The Curious Artisan has a spread of antiquated items aside from her typewriters, which were collectively founded in the 1900’s.
Leny also shared that she doesn’t collect items that will just collect dust. Therefore, all of her items presented at History Con 2017 were all in pristine condition.
Case in point: this lovely Hermes typewriter. I love the color. It can also type in cursive too!
1930 Cradle Telephone
The picture above is actually working. She said any line – PLDT or Globe – this phone will definitely make you feel nostalgic.
Moreover, she happily showed us as well her vintage cameras. I swear, I fell in love with these. And like I said, all her collectibles are working, so those cameras above can capture great memories. If you want to know more about The Curious Artisan, follow her on Instagram!
Her typewriters made me feel nostalgic. I reminisced the moments when I had to borrow our cousin’s just to write our term papers. Oh, those were the days.
The typewriter goes all the way back to 1575 when an Italian printmaker Francesco Rampazetto invented the machine that impresses letter in the paper. It was only in 1983 when E. Remington and Sons began production of its first commercial typewriter which had a QWERTY keyboard layout (hmmm sounds familiar) and was soon adopted by other manufacturers.
In 1910 the typewriter had a standard design, although there were some differences depending on the manufacturer. They all adopted the concept of each key attached to a type bar that had the corresponding letter molded in reverse into a striking head. The key would hit a ribbon made of inked fabric making a printed mark on the paper wrapped around a cylinder plate or platform.
The plate was mounted on a carriage that moved left or right advancing the type position after each character was typed. A “bell” would warn the user that the right margin was reached and the user must use the side lever to shift the paper back to the next line.
In the Philippines, there were typewriter brands that were favored and used until the personal computer replaced them. Realistically, some are still being used by government offices and law firms. Some of these brands are:
1. Olympia
A company that started in 1903 in Berlin. Olympia has been making typewriters up to the present. Ask anyone who is good in typing what brand they prefer and 90% will say, Olympia. Known for its ease of use, durability, and affordability, an Olympia typewriter can be found in most offices and households.
2. Remington
The Remington and Sons brand was founded in 1873 and was a manufacturer of firearms and typewriters. As mentioned, Remington was responsible for introducing the QWERTY keyboard. Something we still use today on our computers and smart phones. Remington was considered an expensive brand in the Philippines. Before WW ll Remington was the preferred brand.
3. IBM
Yes, you read that right! Before they manufactured computers, IBM made typewriters first. IBM was one of the first manufacturers to introduce the electric typewriter in 1961. In 1991 IBM sold the typewriter division to Lexmark. IBM typewriters sold like hotcakes. Everyone wanted one; it was the closest thing to a computer. There was also a model that could erase letters without pulling out the paper. In fact, big companies used IBM typewriters.
4. Olivetti
Olivetti S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of typewriters, computers, tablets, smartphones, and printers. Founded in 1908 in Italy by Camillo Olivetti. The Olivetti typewriter was small and compact and was the typewriter used by news reporters and journalists.
Next time you use your computers and Smartphones, try to imagine the world where only the typewriters rule. The tapping sound is like music to my ears.
In case you’re nostalgic about it, there’s an app called Hanx Writer, which was developed by a renowned actor Tom Hanks. The app is available on iTunes only.
*Ting!*
That’s the end of the margin! So, do you still have working typewriters? Share them below!
