Where did I go?

Hello again.

I kind of forgot about this blog after last October. Its now been over a year since my last post. I plan to fix that in the coming weeks. Since that last post I have gone to Herman’s 2018 and Herman’s 2019 Summer and Fall events and acquired many machines.

On to that burning question about the mystery machine that I left on a cliffhanger.

That was a 1925 Remington Electric. Very rare only 11 known to exist (currently).

Since then I have acquired many more machines. These include

• Smith Premier No 1
• Smith Premier No 3
• Smith Premier No 4
• Smith Premier No 10 (yes another one)
• Fox 3
• Fox 4
• Fox 25
• Hammond 2
• Remington Standard 2
• Oliver 3 (x2)
• Bar-Lock 6
• Victor 2
• Densmore 4

However, when I buy all these new machines sometimes machines have to leave the collection to make room for and to finance the new arrivals.

• Smith Premier No 5
• LC Smith 5
• 1926 Remington 12
• LC Smith Super Speed
• Royal KHM

I also have a new website devoted entirely to the Densmore Typewriter

Densmore Typewriter Co

 

That’s all for now.

 

Take me home, West Virginia.

See you all at Herman’s on Friday!

Until then good luck & Happy typing!

Over the mountains and through the hills to Herman’s we will go

Its that time of year again. For the annual gathering of like minded typewriter enthusiasts and collectors known as Herman’s

In preparation for this years trip I have been doing some more repairs for the local antique shop. Machines included a Royal Empress, Underwood 5, a very snappy Woodstock and a few others. One of the machines I was supposed to fix was a early Royal KMM with round shift keys. Turns out though it has at least 2 cracks in the frame. I traded my Royal HH for this machine. I am debating on whether or not to fix it.

Some machines are leaving the collection.

1. 1925 Royal 10
2. 1934 Lc Smith 8 w/large typeface
3. 1928 Underwood 5
4. Smith Premier 2 parts machine
5. Smith Premier 10 parts machine
6. 1942 Royal KMM from WWII
7. 1927 Remington Portable #2

I could not come home from hermans empty-handed. I am going to be getting some new machines for the collection. These include

1. 1887 Caligraph 2
2. 1897 Smith Premier 2
3. 1910s Corona 3
4. LC Smith Silent
5. Royal 10 ( in nice shape for once)
6. Densmore case

Green LC Smith shipping casualty,  going to repair it with my parts stash.

I plan to be there around 12 on Friday. I am going to load up the land yacht the night before and head southward in the morning. See all of you soon.

Herman’s ’18 update #1

Its that time of year where we are all making preparations to journey down to Herman Price’s typewriter gathering again. I have scored multiple machines I wanted and one real special one.

First though the machines leaving the collection to make room for the new ones.

SP2 parts machine

SP10 parts machine

Royal 10 parts machine

1927 Remington portable in blue

1928 Underwood 5

1934 LC Smith 8 w/6 CPI typeface

1942 Royal KMM from WWII

1945 Underwood S

(also delivering a Royal 10 that was featured in my last safari)

Continuing the trend from last year its mostly newer machines leaving to make room for more oldies. Some of the machines I will be getting include:

1914 Royal 10, first production year with pinstripes and no glass.

A 1887 Caligraph 2 in need of a restoration.

Another Smith Premier 2.

A very nice Corona 3 with some issues.

However there is one machine not listed here that is truly the prize. A chance deal enabled me to get it. Was quite innovative for its time however management problems killed the machine after only a few thousand were made.

Guess away.

The Yost 4 and the Densmore 1 are coming along with me. If you want you can even try out these rare beauties.

Densmore No 1

Yost 4

This is a photo of the Yost no 4 after being cleaned up and restored. I did not take it apart like I am known to do on some machine but I did clean it and fabricate the missing pieces. I also got it unstuck and working. I am waiting on some new ink to arrive to make a new ink pad.

The early typewriter challenge

Safari!

I went on yet another typewriter safari yesterday. This time I did not buy anything. I saw a few typewriters but none that I just had to have. I did want to buy some of the vintage TV sets though.

Very rusty and frozen Royal 10. This was $50. Overpriced. Some things here are expensive and others are steals.

IBM Selectric III

Late model wedges on the table with the IBM.

Royal 440 with cover.

That was as far as the typewriters went. However there were plenty of old TV sets, radios and adding machines.

Now for some other things. The New Century Caligraph is being restored. Thats coming along well, although a little slow. Herman’s is coming up soon so stay tuned as machines will come up for sale.

The Electromatic gets a new paintjob

While happy with the IBM Electromatic after I got it running, there was just something that it missed. Then it dawned on me. The 1930s Streamline design was altered by the later grey paint and the incorrect grey platen knobs. The paint was dingy and chipped anyway so I decided a sprucing up was in order. So I did what any reasonable person would not do and I took it apart. I removed all removable panels and removed the carriage.  Then I went and masked off any parts that I did not want to paint and painted the main body of the machine. The result? I find it looking much better. The only thing is it still has the ugly gray platen knobs and 3 feet. I have sourced a set of feet and the knobs of of a parts machine along with the data plates from the side that are missing. Probably removed to “update” the machine. In the 1950s black paint and chrome were “old-fashioned looking” Grey or pastel colors and plastic, lots of plastic was the trend. I also plan to see about having the “International” and “Electromatic” decals made.

Here it is now.

In other news a parts Densmore 2 has arrived. A 1914 Remington 10 was given to me by my great-uncle. The parts I need are now here for the early no 2. The no 10 will clean up well although slowly as at some point it was coated in shellac that has removed all the shine from the paintwork.

The “Big Thing” Yost No 4

The big thing finally arrived about a week or so ago.

Its a Yost No 4. My no 1 wish list machine. This photo was taken after just getting it out of the box. I have since cleaned it up more. Unfortunately it is missing some keytops and a the entire key stem and keylever for the 5 key along with the back panel. I am in the process of making these parts.