A new collector's item
with a great old past
Typewriters came back into invention fashion in the 1880s. The first machines were heavy, clumsy, and slower than handwriting could ever be. But the race to create more efficient machines led to patent wars over typewriter parts, and by the turn of the century, typewriters were better, faster, and more practical!
Indeed, many people thought the typewriter would never gain popularity or wide-spread use. At the World's Fair of 1898, typewriters were popular attractions, but few people bought them, saying they were too impersonal, expensive, and new-fangled.
Samuel Clemens, better known as author Mark Twain, felt differently. He owned a typewriter early on in their invention process, and typed a letter that declared the machines would surely catch on.
I like typewriters because they each have histories and stories to tell in their dust and flaking paint. I buy ones in rough shape and fix them up with tiny screwdrivers and model car paint. I also use them in my writing because it takes a different thought process to be able to write upon a typewriter as compared to the convenience of the computer. Don't miss seeing my collection and check out the links for more great typewriter info!
Classic Typewriter Page by Richard Polt
Antique Typewriter Collecting by Tony Casillo
The Typewriter Restoration Site by Paul Robert
