From the House of Cards

From Very Small to Gigantic!

My typewriter weekend went from very small to gigantic. It started when I visited my local vintage/junk shop in search of a new typewriter.  They have lots of cool stuff in this shop but, alas, I have never found a typewriter there. What I did find while hunting their shelves was this neat little Type-Silk typewriter ribbon tin.  It actually has a new, yet dried out, Underwood ribbon in it.  Nice find for only $2.  I visited another vintage shop later in the day and came across two typewriters that I decided to pass on.   

One was this 1930's L.C. Smith 

Secretarial model in olive.  

Another was this 1960's Underwood-Olivetti 21

I actually did get one typewriter this weekend from a nice gentleman named Chuck.  He had heard about me through an article about my type-in and offered me his late father's 1958 IBM 11c.  This gigantic typewriter is in pristine shape and types like a rocket.  Every time I look at it I start to hear the theme from "Mad Men" in my head. (Yes, I know they had Selectrics in the series, but I still hear that music!)  Vintage television aside, I can't say enough about letting people know you are interested in typewriters.  They are in basements and attics just waiting for you.  There are people like Chuck who just want them to go to a good home!

Underwood Champion: A Day at the Races

I got my hands on a nice little Underwood Champion today.  This was a great Craigslist find from a nice woman named Sherry who lives about an hour and a half from me.  She even offered to have her brother-in-law bring the Champion up to my neck of the woods.  He was going to attend the stock car races at our local track, Thunder Road, and he was nice enough to bring it with him.  It's a great typewriter with grey crinkle paint.  I am a bit curious about the serial number as I read #548007 or perhaps #348007.  It's kind of hard to make out before I clean it out.  I see 585000 as a 1932 vintage and I do not see any 300000 numbers.  At #548007 this might be an early 1932 but I am not sure.  In any event, I am glad to add this second Underwood to my collection.  

Underwood Quiet Tab Deluxe

I posted a small picture of my new typewriter and Jack of A Kid, a Mouse, and a Typewriter guessed that it was Underwood Quiet Tab Deluxe, from 1956.  I will have more to tell about this spended machine in the days to come but check out the picture below.  Cody, the cool guy that I bought it from is totally into 50's, 60's vintage.  That's a 1953 Hotpoint Stove that he rescued for his house!