Collectability in typewriters is different for almost everyone. I like mid-century standards, some only like pre-1900 machines, some red typewriters, some toy typewriters, some less common typefaces, and still others prefer plastic 70s portables. Some treat them like Pokémon and "gotta catch them all".

Typewriters as a whole are all "collectibles"... What is your specific definition and criteria (value, rarity, popularity, etc.)?

In aggregate, knowledgeable pricing may help you determine the most collectible ranking them by most expensive. But by this ranking there aren't many of us who can buy even a single Sholes and Glidden or collect the typewriters of famous authors like Steve Soboroff.

ETC Magazine did a rarity versus desirability survey a while back of some serious collectors: https://www.antikeychop.com/mostwantedtypewriters

Interestingly, on this list you won't find many of the most collected typewriters out there as ranked by general "popularity" including machines like the Hermes 3000 or the Olympia SM3.

The Typewriter Database also has some data (albeit skewed) of the most "popular" machines ranked based on how many examples have been uploaded by collectors: https://typewriterdatabase.com/popular.0.typewriter-models

All these rankings are highly subjective though, so, again, you should figure out what's most interesting to you and create your collection from there. Figuring this out is half the fun of doing this as a hobby.

reply to u/WRSD605 at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1n6nhts/remington_16/

https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1m18qlk/anticipation/

A lovely little piece on the anticipation of a new typewriter by collector u/IrmaBecx.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1027629382889169/

reply to u/FriendlyAd4234 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1cn004l/olympia_sg1_dust_cover/

Other than the traditional fabric-like dust covers, you might consider doing a thicker plastic/acrylic cover, particularly if you've got several machines and are using them for display purposes. I live in Los Angeles and there are half a dozen places that do this sort of custom work all the time for very reasonable rates. Searching for "plastic fabricator memoriabilia case" along with variations of plastics (acrylic, lucite, plexiglass) should get you what you want locally. (Here's a few examples I've used in Los Angeles before to give you an idea: https://solterplastics.com/, https://www.plasticfactoryinc.com/, https://www.customacrylicproducts.com/, https://plexidisplays.com/). Search for something similar in your area for easier communication and pick up/shipping.

If you search around for companies that make plastic displays, particularly for memorabilia (baseball bats, baseball cards, etc.), you can have them design and make a custom sized clear plastic box/enclosure that will keep the dust and dirt out, but still allow you to see the machine inside.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_Wt-mzuzLVhNtRyw_Sz9iNRDn37axBO0HAePv7-_dG4/edit?gid=0#gid=0

Typewriter collection of u/JoelBerger via https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ltj1eh/comment/n1tszxi/

https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1leoo6j/what_are_these_extra_symbols_on_this_erika_2/

Capital glyphs with ligatures can be indicators of Fraktur typefaces on German typewriters.

Some interesting typewriter hunters:<br /> - Joe Van Cleave<br /> - Richard Polt<br /> - Michael Hoehne<br /> - Robert Messenger - Ted Munk<br /> - Ian Brumfield - Sarah Everett (aka JustMyTypewriter) - Mei Travis<br /> - Currie Russell - Otto Koponen - Marcin Wichary<br /> - Martin Howard - James Grooms - Suzanne LaPierre - Chris Aldrich

Typewriter repair people: - Scott Connors

via u/Koponewt (Otto)

Typewriter Collection: IBM Typewriters by [[Erik Bruchez]]

https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1kzw0fk/your_typewriter_collection/?sort=old

reply to u/Back2Analog at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1kzw0fk/your_typewriter_collection/?sort=old

1. Total: I currently have 53 with 2 incoming and 1 outbound. About 12 are standards, 7 ultra-portables, and the remainder are portables. Maybe a dozen non-standard typefaces including 2 Vogues and a Clarion Gothic. You can find most of the specifics at https://typewriterdatabase.com/typewriters.php?hunter_search=7248 or on my site at https://boffosocko.com/research/typewriter-collection/#My%20Typewriter%20Collection

2. Display: I've usually got eight displayed in various places around the house including three on desks, but ready to actively type on. The remainder are in cases either behind our living room couch or a closet for easy access and rotation. I'm debating a large credenza or cabinet for additional display/storage space. There are two machines out in the garage, and one currently disassembled on our dining room table (my wife isn't a fan of this one right now).

3. About 25 have been cleaned and mostly restored, most are functional/usable, but need to be cleaned, repaired, or restored to some level. One is a parts machine. I always have a Royal KMG, a Royal FP, and two other standards out ready to go and rotate the others on a semi-weekly basis. There's usually at least one portable in my car for typing out in the wild.

4. Use cases: I spend a few hours a day writing on one or more machines and use them for nearly every conceivable case from quick notes (zettels), letters, essays, lists, snide remarks, poetry, etc., etc. I should spend more time typing for the typosphere. Because I enjoy restoring machines maybe even more than collecting them, I've recently started taking mechanic/restoration commissions.

5. At 50 machines, I'm about at the upper limit of my collecting space. I've given away a few to interested parties, and sold a small handful that I didn't use as frequently. I'm currently trying to balance incoming versus outgoing and might like to get my collection down to a tighter 35-40 machines in excellent condition.

6. Next typewriters: I'm currently looking for an Olympia SG1, a Royal Ten, a Hermes Ambassador, and a Hermes 3000. I'm also passively looking for either very large (6 or 8 CPI) or very small typefaces (>12CPI). I'm definitely spending less time actively hunting these days and more time restoring. I'm tending towards being far more selective in acquisitions compared to my earlier "acquisition campaign".

7. Miscellaneous: I enjoy writing about typewriter collecting and repair to help out others: https://boffosocko.com/research/typewriter-collection/

via u/leapwolf at https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/17/acquisition-1966-underwood-touch-master-five-standard-typewriter/

https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1kppij9/blue_olivetti_valentine_how_rare_is_it/

In increasing order of rarity, the Olivetti Valentine was made in red, white, green, and blue.

https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1kiqk82/optima_typewriter_with_cyrillic_and_german/

After some continued research on the TWdB, I've come to realize that the "88" in the serial number has likely nothing to do with the palm tabulator.

The 88 is for an extra character count due to more keys (44) versus the more standard 42 or 43 keys and similarly some examples with a 92 in the serial number corresponds to 46 characters. So there isn't a designator in the serial number for a palm tabulator.

See: <br /> - https://typewriterdatabase.com/1961-royal-fp.22586.typewriter<br /> - https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1kg820b/just_bought_this_typewriter_for_10_at_a_charity/<br /> - https://amsterdamassassin.wordpress.com/2018/12/16/typecast-my-royal-fp-steampunk/

https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1kianra/not_an_ad_please_dont_hang_me_just_shock_i_suppose/

Cross reference: https://syracuse.craigslist.org/atq/d/syracuse-the-smith-corona-typewriter/7841959463.html

For the collectors out there, this is an excellent caveat/warning: What will you do with your collection when you're gone? Where will it go? What will happen to the work you've put in?

On longevity of collections: https://www.instagram.com/p/DJC9BwUvA8T/

The Olivetti Valentine is one of Pete Doherty's favorites.

Library Typewriter Display Case Project by [[Joe Van Cleave]]

https://www.antikeychop.com/mostwantedtypewriters

https://typecast.munk.org/2023/04/24/how-to-properly-describe-the-condition-of-a-typewriter/

reply to u/Pope_Shady at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1iwrlij/highest_price_youd_spend/

Generally my cap for typewriter purchases is in the $20-35 range. Most of my favorite machines (the standards) were acquired for $5-10 and they're so much better than the portables. At these prices I'm not too worried about the level of work required. I regularly spend 3-4 times more money on a full reel of bulk typewriter ribbon than I do on a typical typewriter.

A few of my more expensive acquisitions: * I went as high as $100 on a machine (including shipping) to get a Royal Quiet De Luxe with a Vogue typeface that turned out to be in about as stunning a condition as one could hope for. * I went to $130 on an Olympia SM3 in part for it's Congress elite typeface as well as an uncommon set of mathematical characters. I'm sure I could have gotten it for significantly less, but wanted to help out the seller and it was in solid condition except for worn bushings. * I also went to around $150 for an (uncommon in the US) early 30's Orga Privat 5 that was in solid shape. I've yet to run into another Orga in the wild in the US since.

It also bears saying that I don't mind buying "barn machines" as a large portion of the fun in collecting for me is cleaning, adjusting, and restoring them to full functionality. I've been dissapointed once to have bought a Remington Quiet-Riter once for $10 only to discover it was in near mint condition and didn't need any work at all.

I am at the point where I'm going to need to start selling machines, work at a local shop, or start my own shop if I'm going to keep up with the "hobby" and maintain a sane spouse simultaneously. If I didn't enjoy wrenching on machines so much, I would definitely be buying them from local shops for significantly more money, and I'd probably have far fewer.

It's not talked about in great length in some typewriter collector spaces, but I think some of the general pricing "game", beyond just getting a "deal", is the answer to the questions: "What am I into this space for anyway? What makes it fun and interesting?" If you don't have the time, talent, tools, or inclination to do your own cleaning and restoration work, then paying $300-$600 for a nice machine in exceptional clean/restored condition from a shop is a totally valid choice and shouldn't be dismissed. Some are in it for the discussions of typewriters. Some are in it for the bargain hunt. Some just want to write. Some want rare gems. Some want common machines from famous writers. Others just want one "good" machine while others want all the machines. It's a multi-faceted space.

I only tend to give my typewriters "names" once they're fully cleaned and generally restored and have used them for a bit to know their "character". An example here is my 1950 Royal KMG (Keset Magic Gray) which I call "Sterling" after the Mad Men character Roger Sterling; I also cleaned the the interior with bourbon as an homage.

Many I refer to by year of manufacture and model name ('55 Clipper or '48 Clipper, for example), particularly when I have several similar looking ones from the same time period. A few have names based on writers who I know have used the same models from roughly the same time period (so I have a '49 Royal QDL I've named "Nabokov"). My '48 Royal QDL I call "Dreyfuss" in honor of the typewriter's industrial designer who lived a few miles away from me.

Others are referred to by shorthands featuring unique characteristics, so I have one called "The Vogue" and another I call the "Math SM3" for it's unique math symbol characters. My Remington 666 is variously either "El Diablo" or "Robert Johnson", whose music I listen to while typing on it. I have a German Orga which I call the "Wonka Machine" as one of its brethren appeared in Willy Wonka's office in Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (1971).

A few I call by the first names of their prior owners as an homage to their history before I became their caretakers.

I call my Royal HH the "HHE" as that's the serial number prefix for my machine which has an elite face.

What you call your own is entirely up to you.

More on typewriters and naming: https://boffosocko.com/2024/05/25/collective-nouns-for-typewriters-and-typists/

Reply to https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1id4y49/how_to_refer_to_a_typewriter/ by r/ich_mag_frettchen

what's your deserted island typewriter? (if I had to pick 5 typewriters...)<br /> by [[Just My Typewriter]]

On the value of typewriters

As a hobbyist, you'll easily obtain several hundred dollars worth of potential diversion and satisfaction out of your alluring typewriter by cleaning, properly oiling, and adjusting it. Then you're guaranteed to both give and receive thousands of dollars worth of happiness out of it by typing letters to family and friends. With practice, you may reap millions by writing stories, plays, poems, screenplays, and books.

Even if your scintillating typewriter sits on a shelf as home decor only to be viewed as a museum piece, you'll have gotten $50 of value for even that lowly function.

You'll only have wasted your money if your wondorous typewriter sits lonely and forgotten in a dusty attic or dank basement to rust and rot away.

Might you have gotten it for less? Perhaps, but you've saved yourself a huge amount of time and effort in such a hunt for a machine as desirous as this. You have it in front of you for writing right now.

So get to typing at once my friend! For time is money, and every moment your fingers aren't caressing its keys, you are losing value.

Congratulations on your stunning find.

reply to u/readysalted344 at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1h3jyyt/did_i_waste_my_money/

https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1gu971q/whos_an_olivetti_expert/

Broad advice on the touch and feel of Olivetti's

https://www.austintypewriterink.com/typewriters-101-getting-started.html

If the "Hanks Effect" was really so prominent, then we should see the commensurate rise in price of 5 Series Smith Coronas and particularly the Clipper and the Silent which he's also mentioned several times. In fact, he's said these would be the typewriter he'd keep if he had to get rid of all others. Given this fact, it has to be, in part, a variety of other factors which inflates the prices.

Personally I think that it's a combination of the fact that they were manufactured at the peak of typewriter use and manufacturing and before companies began using more plastic and cheaper manufacturing methods, but were also done in a later timeperiod when exterior design and color were on the rise as a differentiator in the marketplace. Quality, form, and function become part of a trifecta which drive desire and collectability.

Reporter John Dickerson talking about his notebook.

While he doesn't mention it, he's capturing the spirit of the commonplace book and the zettelkasten.

[...] I see my job as basically helping people see and to grab ahold of what's going on.

You can decide to do that the minute you sit down to start writing or you can just do it all the time. And by the time you get to writing you have a notebook full of stuff that can be used.

And it's not just about the thing you're writing about at that moment or the question you're going to ask that has to do with that week's event on Face the Nation on Sunday.

If you've been collecting all week long and wondering why a thing happens or making an observation about something and using that as a piece of color to explain the political process to somebody, then you've been doing your work before you ever sat down to do your work.

Field Notes: Reporter's Notebook from Coudal Partners on Vimeo.

For Miles, getting the ideas down is paramount and they can later be sub-divided or re-arranged.

the list of broad parts of writing an essay

I've picked up about 20 of the typewriters in my collection from ShopGoodwill.

Only two were impeccably/properly packaged and shipped and one of these was a special machine that I emailed them after purchase with written details and links to videos about how to pack and ship it just to be on the safe side.

Three were dreadful disasters: one was a 40 pound standard that was dropped and the frame bent drastically (it had almost no padding materials inside the box), two were shoved into cases (one upside down and the other right side up, but neither locked into their cases properly nor with their carriage locks engaged so they both bounced around for the entire trip) and put into boxes with almost no packing material. All three refunded portions of the price and/or all the shipping costs.

Most of the remainder (all portables with cases) were packaged with a modicum of care (some packing material in the case and some outside the case with reasonable boxes) and showed up in reasonable condition.

Two of the machines were local enough that I did a local pick up to ensure better care.

Generally, it's a crapshoot, but this is also the reason why I don't spend more than $20 on any machine I get from them (except one reasonably rare German typewriter in the US and a Royal with a Vogue typeface that still came out at less than $100 because only one other person noticed its rarity in the photos).

Only one of the machines was clean as a whistle and ready to type on day one. All the remainder required serious cleanings at a minimum. Two were missing internal pieces, two had repairable drawband issues, one had dramatically bad escapement issues, and one had a destroyed mainspring that I need to replace.

Only one of the group had a platen with any life left in it. One had a completely unusable platen, but it was also relatively obvious in the photos. Most of the rest were hard, but usable.

I live in the US and typically only bid on machines that are in the top 20% of their class cosmetically.

I'll echo the thought of others that I wouldn't have a machine from them shipped directly to someone as a present unless I knew they were a tinkerer and had the mechanical ability, the facilities/tools, and desire to clean and service their own machine. Otherwise, I'd do that myself and ship it to them directly.

reply to u/Tico_Typer at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1g28v6z/i_am_curious_about_the_shopping_goodwill_websites/

The patron saint of typewriter collectors by [[Richard Polt]]

I've generally found that Olympia machines with a dedicated 1 key and a 4/$ key will usually have a script font. Additionally they don't have ribbon selectors (which are most often on the right hand side of the keyboard when they are present) or only have black and stencil settings.

The lack of bichrome settings on these machines is due to the taller/lower extenders on many script glyphs.

Downsizing Your Typewriter Collection by [[Joe Van Cleave]]

Similar in content and tone to his other videos: - "The Minimal Complete Typewriter Collection" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ej6kd1FsnE and <br /> - "Episode 31: Culling the Herd" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_ueHE3Whjk

https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/16qjgx5/first_typewriter_selection_quiz/

On some of the Sears rebranded Smith-Coronas in the 6 series (Citation, in particular) there are 1 1/2 line spacing options.

https://typewriterdatabase.com/1964-sears-citation.2600.typewriter

Sears Citations seem to have an above regular frequency for script typefaces. They shipped with red stickers next to the bichrome setting and on the right ribbon cup warning against the use of bichrome ribbon for the tallest script letters on machines which had script typefaces.

https://www.virtualhermans.com/

Based on this example and several in the TWdb, the Smith-Corona Coronet Automatic has a high likelihood for having exotic typefaces.

Typewriter Collection Curation (for Novices) by [[Just My Typewriter]]

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCScn9kxUjOfDNJk3Z-1NWKA Old Typerwriters and Calculators

The YouTube Channel of fausto tomesani https://typewriterdatabase.com/typewriters.php?hunter_search=7180

via Season 2 Episode 8: “Performance Review” - The Office<br /> https://genius.com/The-office-usa-season-2-episode-8-performance-review-annotated

Here we see in Michael Scott's incompetence the potential value of writing down our ideas as we go. Had he written down his ideas, his upcoming meeting with his boss would have gone better.

Isn't it telling that he hits on the idea of leveraging a commonly used communal zettelkasten structure (the suggestion box) to dig himself out?

name for typewriter collectors via LogInternational2253

I want a bookwheel for my typewriter collection.

Isaac Azimov had multiple typewriters and used each of them for work on a different writing project.

https://new.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1evl8e5/how_does_one_go_about_hiding_their_typewriter/

The "difficult fourth moped".... lol!

The collector in me says you ought to get a Royal 10 as your 10th machine. But what do I know? I bought a Remington 17 as my 17th and I'm looking forward to the days I'll buy the milestone Remington Ten Forty or the eventual Hermes 3000! 😁

If it helps, at Virtual Hermans 2022, Richard Polt recommended someone justify their continued typewriter collecting to their skeptical wife as an "investment" because typewriters are holding their value well.

I personally don't have a typewriter collecting problem, I have a typewriter ribbon collecting problem that's compounded by need to both store and use them in their original historical context.

https://munk.org/typecast/2023/04/24/how-to-properly-describe-the-condition-of-a-typewriter/

Typewriter Video Series Episode 31: Culling the Herd by [[Joe Van Cleave]]

Rating typewriters by:<br /> - looks<br /> - feel<br /> - print quality

Alternate systems for helping to thin out typewriter collections:

Designer William Morris' weighing system:

“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”

I once had a collector friend who loved standard typewriters, so his weighing system was as follows:<br /> - If it weighs over 25 pounds, keep it<br /> - If it weighs less than 25 pounds, sell it off

And naturally, minimalist Marie Kondo's system:<br /> - Does it spark joy?

Joe Van Cleave also had another video for creating a minimal collection based on categories of typewriter which may also be useful for some: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ej6kd1FsnE

https://willowcreektypewriters.com/products/still-collecting-more-sticker

SCM could stand for Smith-Corona Marchant, but some typewriter collectors think it stands for Still Collecting More.

According to Vashik Armenikus, reading and book collecting becomes an obsession/addiction when you do it indiscriminately, without thought, without taking into account the bigger picture.

https://www.antiquetypewriters.com/

The Minimal Complete Typewriter Collection by [[Joe Van Cleave]]

Joe Van Cleave's personal six categories in a (his) typewriter collection: - Standard manual - medium-sized portable (largest segment in the collector's space) - lightweight portable or ultra-portable - typebar electric - IBM Selectric - Electronic typewriter (thermal typewriter), portable, quiet, battery operation.

Joe's minimal collection based on what he's got in his collection currently and the condition that they're in: - Royal KMM (his only standard) - Hermes 3000 (boxy middle era) - Olympia Splendid 33 (he's also got a Royal Mercury & Groma Kalibri) - Olympia Reporter - Selectric I (the only one he's got) cloth, ribbon cartridge system, no lift-off correction - Canon Typestar 220

Some of Joe's most important criteria in a typewriter: he prefers an elite face, 1 1/2 spacing, and bichrome setting.

At the time of this recording Joe had 30 typewriters.

Joe Van Cleave has tags for his typewriters which also include typeface samples. timestamp 1:31

Before You Buy a Typewriter … Six Top Things You Need to Know by [[CreateX3]]

Considerations for buying a typewriter:

1. Where will you use it? Is weight a consideration? (Standard, portable, ultra portable)
2. What Kind of Work will you do? (Do you need tabs, bichrome?)
3. How does the Typewriter Feel?
4. What type of keyboard will you need? (language, characters, diacritics)
5. What is the typeface? You should like/enjoy it and it should be big enough to be easily readable to you.
6. Do you like the typewriter's look/style?

reply to u/Rabbits16 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1df7o2t/request_type_writer_suggestion_please/

For that budget range, pick up something cleaned and fully serviced from a nearby shop https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-repair.html

Too many resellers are pushing overpriced machines that say "works" or "may need servicing" on some online shops like ebay or Etsy for top end pricing when you can get something truly spectacular and ready for the next 50 years from a serious pro that needs the support for the same price.

As for particular machines to look at, I can't find much to fault in Joe's advice here https://youtu.be/aKMt-aCHZZk?si=CGPduwA4A3HPDm3u

Typewriter 101: The ULTIMATE TYPEFACE Guide (ft. Typewriter Chicago) by [[Just My Typewriter]]

featuring Typewriter Chicago's Lucas Dul

https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-manuals.html

reply to u/baxter1207 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1da0voq/repairsclean_ups/l7jg8nl/

I'm pretty sure those exact words have escaped my lips...

Her: "I know you've got five typewriters already, and I'm not counting the one I know you're hiding underneath the bed. Which ones are you going to sell??"

Me (in my head): Where am I going to stash the 12th machine when it arrives later today? At least it's an ultraportable, so it won't take up as much space. Why is my least favorite machine that I want to sell her favorite machine? Will selling it upset the delicate typewriter balance in the house? I can always say that the typewriter coming on Tuesday is a parts machine that I'm using to repair two of the others so I can sell them. Is this how all typewriter repair shops began?

Me: I'm trying to finish up refinishing the two executive tanker desks and the filing cabinet in the garage first so I can get them out and make some space.

😁

1954 Smith-Corona (SCM) Typewriter Type Styles and Keyboards Catalog – To Type, Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth… by [[Theodore Munk]]

Smith-Corona (SCM) Font Styles – To Type, Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth… by [[Theodore Munk]]

https://munk.org/typecast/?s=fonts

The Story of Vertical Script (AKA: “Script 46 Ra”, “Oxford Script”) – To Type, Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth… by [[Theodore Munk]]

colloquial advice

unreferenced here, so treat as colloquial

A field guide to hunting down script typewriters. by [[May Tobias-Papa]]

One to get rid of<br /> by [[Richard Polt]]

The Four Hobbies, and Apparent Expertise by [[Marc Brooker]]

Most hobbies, sports, and areas of interest can be split into four quadrants by an individual's particular sub-interest along the lines of doing/discussing versus the activity/gear for the activity. Many people will self-select into one of the four at the expense of the other three and this can affect the type and tenor of communities around that particular activity.

Excellence in one area doesn't imply excellence in the others. "True" fanatics ought to attempt to excel in all four quadrants.

via Glen Crookston at https://typewriterdatabase.com/1949-remington-allnew.17706.typewriter

Adding to the Typewriter collection with a bit of first aid<br /> by [[Midcentury Clive]]

It's a great thing to waste time. The secret of life is to waste time in ways that you like. —Jerry Seinfeld 6:18

Polt, Richard. The Typewriter Revolution: A Typist’s Companion for the 21st Century. 1st ed. Woodstock, VT: Countryman Press, 2015.

annotation URL: urn:x-pdf:65fe580cf845ed035c4e57ad02a987cf

alternate annotation URL

Why I’m excited about Richard Polt’s book. by [[Scott K]]

https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/typers.html

Solan, Matthew. “Tracking Down Typewriters: Those Trusty Tools of Days Gone By.” Poets & Writers Magazine, August 19, 2009. p 31-33.

reply to u/EquivalentHead3589 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1cbzx1n/how_do_you_price_typewriters/

The primary difference is that listing prices don't indicate actual value. That is only determined by actual sales price. Things are worse for the listings which don't indicate much about condition as you're probably more likely to need to have the machine serviced and/or replace or recondition parts. This can often add a few hundred dollars (or significant research and time, tools, and elbow grease) to the bottom line to be able to use a machine.

I do recall a burgundy Olympia SM3 which sold in the last 4 months for right at $300 which was regularly used (loved) and serviced and in excellent condition with some fantastic photos. If you compare it to this Burgundy/Gray machine (https://www.ebay.com/itm/404901285037) for $299, but which has a missing key cap, and a damaged case, and may likely have other hiding issues. If you consider that you'll likely need to put a minimum of another $100 into this to get it up to the fighting shape that the first was in and it's still got damage, you'll start seeing the stark difference. The people with listings at $550-800 know they're not selling and they're just sitting there, so why not email them and ask more specific questions about condition and get a typed typeface sample of all the keys. Then make an offer for $200 +/- with some wiggle room for service costs once you've gotten it to see if they'll sell?

As an example, look at https://www.ebay.com/itm/226016437104 which is a Gray SM3 originally listed for $549 and now on sale for $428. The seller knows it's not moving. They state that they got it at an estate sale (probably for around $25) and they definitely did no work other than quick check of the keys. If you demonstrate that you've savvy enough to know the specific machine (what shape are the rubber washers on the frame next to the feet to prevent the carriage from rubbing against the frame? how what is the durometer measurement on (how hard is) the platen?), the market (in top shape maybe $300), and what servicing/repair costs are, they'd probably accept an offer of $150-200 and you're off to the races and they've made a solid profit.

The biggest issue in the typewriter market at present is the broad lack of information and knowledge about them on both the buyer and seller side. If you can demonstrate you've got more knowledge than the other side, you'll be in a far better position to negotiate, otherwise a seller can sit and wait an undetermined amount of time waiting for a sucker who will likely never show up.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Soboroff

My quick typewriter purchasing crash course: <br /> Most typewriters are solid beasts and can take a serious beating and still work really well. I've got 5 now that I bought for $10-50 and mostly really only needed small tweaks to work perfectly. One has an issue that will require some more heavy work, but having gotten it for $10, it's not really much of an issue. Several of them worked incredibly well right out of the box with no work at all. Occasionally kids will pound on the keys which can cause the linkages to come undone, but a pair of needle nose pliers and some patience to look at the mechanics of what's not working underneath can usually get them repaired without any real work. Beyond this there's a wealth of online videos and help that can get you pretty far without paying for a repair shop. Some are just old and dusty and need a quick cleaning with compressed air and/or a toothbrush.

Ebay can tend to have heavily overinflated prices because a lot of folks think that all typewriters are rare. A very small percentage of some of the oldest are, but generally as a group they're not. If you don't want to fool around with repair issues you can purchase machines from repair shops serviced in full working condition from $75-200, but at least you can expect that they're nearly perfect beyond some small blemishes due to age. Sadly, a lot of places will list broken machines in questionable shape for this much because they see others listing (great machines) for the same amount. Don't fall prey to this. Some of the best places to look for functional machines are donation shops (Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc.) as well as yard sales or estate sales. Online sites like Facebook marketplace, https://shopgoodwill.com, or https://offerup.com can have inexpensive listings, but most are listed as untested because most folks don't know how to test them fully and are scared of them, but this is usually where you can find some great deals. You can also ask for typewriters on https://buynothingproject.org/ or a Facebook group for your particular area.

If you're able to test things in person, it can help to have some blank paper or index cards and even a universal ribbon ($5-15, in case the old ribbon is missing or too old and dry to work) with you. Then you can put in paper, try out each key (with/without shift), and all the other buttons, knobs, and switches as well as the margin stops, and the bell. Most folks listing them are well aware they're not actually selling for prices over $50 and will be open for 10-25% discounts off of what they're listing them for. I will mention that I bought one machine as dirt cheap because someone had it on the stencil setting (rather than the usual black or red ribbon settings) and they didn't know that this meant it wouldn't type anything visible. A quick flip of the switch after purchase and I was on my way.

r/typewriters is a wealth of information as are https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/index.html and https://typewriterdatabase.com/. Usually, you can't go too far wrong with one of the most popular models which are generally ranked at https://typewriterdatabase.com/popular.0.typewriter-models.

Good luck!

[[Mark Lawrence Schrad]] in Why the World of Typewriter Collectors Splits Down the Middle When These Machines Come Up for Sale<br /> at 2024-03-16 12:00 PM <br /> (accessed:: 2024-03-19 10:23:08)

Facebook group: Antique Typewriter Collectors https://www.facebook.com/groups/4770669677

Example of a small Weis steel card index which was used by a coin collector who had custom index cards made for tracking a collection.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/235342975576/

The flip side of the collector's fallacy....

https://www.napkin.one/

Yet another collection app that belies the work of taking, making, and connecting notes.

Looks pretty and makes a promise, but how does it actually deliver? How much work and curation is involved? What are the outputs at the other end?

An association copy is a copy of a book which belonged to the author or someone connected to them or a copy of a book that once belonged to someone particularly associated with its contents, often annotated.

I've got association copies of some information theory texts...

Just as Warburg's suggestion that an album of collected stamps could help us to understand the world visually if all other images were lost, perhaps subsections of traces of other cultures could do the same.

Typewriter Tips: Budgeting (AKA How to get cheap typewriters!)

• antique malls (look in unconventional places (like luggage))
• estate sales (everything must go)
• yard sales
• auctions
• facebook marketplace (negotiating)

Hunting tips - look for cases, folks they often don't know what's in them or think they're luggage - look under things - negotiate<br /> - bundle items as a group to negotiate<br /> - Tell friends and you'll get an army looking for you

TYPEWRITER TOUR: How I ended up with 17 typewriters (story time)

California Typewriter got Sara into collecting.

She names her typewriters.

She likes the consistency of the Corona Pacemaker, the IBM Selectric II, and the Olympia Electric.

• Smith-Corona Corsair Deluxe Aqua/Blue Travel
• Royal Futura 800

Any book collector worth their salt will already have in mind the way they want their collection arranged. Only someone who wants to use it as wallpaper would have a service arrange it.

I wonder what the other two cases were?

Perhaps the collector's fallacy may turn out to be useful in this broader argument?

David Quammen on Books

Of course anyone who truly loves books buys more of them than he or she can hope to read in one fleeting lifetime. A good book, resting unopened in its slot on a shelf, full of majestic potentiality, is the most comforting sort of intellectual wallpaper.<br /> —David Quammen (1948 ― ), science, nature, and travel writer in The Boilerplate Rhino: Nature in the Eye of the Beholder

Syndication link: - https://boffosocko.com/2016/08/03/intellectual-wallpaper/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hodge-podge

How is this broadly related to the intellectual history of commonplace books, zettelkasten, and other note taking matters.

I recall an idea of a Hodge-podge book from my youth, but these may have been published children's activity books for fun rather than collecting tidbits as in something closer to a scrapbook.

Link to: - Eminem's stacking ammo - Thought about this randomly while editing notes for [[Forte2022]]

Four broad criteria for collecting notes: - Is it surprising? - Is it useful? - Is it personal? - Does it inspire me?

Forte places these in the exact reverse order, but I would prefer to place them in order of importance to me, based on experience. I don't use the inspiration portion as often, but it may be more valuable for fiction writers, artists, and other creatives.

Spinney, L. (2020). What are COVID archivists keeping for tomorrow’s historians? Nature, 588(7839), 578–580. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-03554-0