A few months ago I acquired a Royal Standard 1 typewriter and tucked inside the package was a brochure for the National typewriter.
But before doing so, I scanned in the brochure. Here it is:
The National, designed in 1885 by Franz Xaver Wagner
for Henry Harmon Unz and Stephen Terhune Smith Snr, was first produced by the National
Typewriter Company of Philadelphia (established 1886) in 1889, after modifications from Unz.
Stephen Terhune Smith Snr
Paul
Robert at the Virtual Typewriter Museum comments, “One of the most
remarkable aspects of the National typewriter is the compactness of its design.
The machine looks as if one should be able to store it in a corner of a desk,
right behind the family portrait. Being so compact, it would have been
extremely difficult to repair any broken parts, had not the inventor … produced
the machine in such a way that the entire keyboard and type basket can be
removed from the machine …
“The National is an upstrike typewriter with a double
shift. The shift in fact moves the entire keyboard and type basket forward,
while the carriage stays in place … ” My post looking at the Wagner-Unz-Smith connection is here.
That is one very nice and interesting typewriter. It is great to have the brochure and in such good condition.
ReplyDeleteGreat typewriter, great brochure -- and thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you Bill and Richard. I hope Richard won't be too disappointed when it eventually does arrive by the Slow Boat to Cincinnati, as it's a wee bit tattier than it looks here, but it is 109 years old! Anyway, it's the least I could do ...
ReplyDelete