Sears 'Throwback' Portable Typewriter

Will Davis called this an “exceedingly attractive portable, with a very interesting treatment to the top portion style-wise that even includes rounded shaping over the ribbon spools. There's also a lip around the opening above the typebasket. Clearly, someone who had a hand in the styling of this machine had some kind of historical perspective - or at least I'd like to think so. This great-looking modern machine was made by Nakajima, Japan.”

That stylish “someone” was Karl Tillman Baughman, who applied for a patent for his design in March 1973. It was issued in June 1975 and assigned to Sears Roebuck of Chicago.

Baughman was born in Rockford, Illinois, on August 21, 1930, the son of Kenneth C. and Lillian Wicklund Baughman. He passed away at Lake Forest, Illinois, on November 10, 2009.

The design for this Sears typewriter was actually based on Carl W. Sundberg’s 1963 design for the Remington Envoy II series (Riviera, Reporter, Correspondent, etc etc etc - you name it, it was called it). Also, a series of US designs for SCM machines made in Britain, which we will get back to later. The case took its lead from one John Cuccio designed for Olivetti in 1969.

Earlier, Baughman had in 1965 designed this Sears typewriter, which looks like the Sears Citation (made by SCM) and the Signature.

But I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a typewriter cased in Baughman’s 1973 design for a “typewriter housing with a Tambour cover”. Has anyone seen one?

Purple Prose: In a Purple Haze with Purple Typewriters

I swear I did not paint this purple KMart typewriter purple. It came like this - as evidenced by the purple case (I don't recall ever being guilty of painting a case!).

No, I saw it advertised as a purple typewriter and, though I have enough Nakajima ALL Model 2000s to last me a lifetime or three, I just had to have it. If only so I could put it beside the little Remington duo-tone purple and mauve (I have seen this described as "orchid") that I bought from Charles Gu at my.Typewriter.com some years ago. When is one purple typewriter ever enough?

I love the little Rem. The KMart? Well, yes, I do like the colour,a lot, and it's the only KMart typewriter that I've allowed in my collection - got to have one of everything, after all! But as for that Japanese script on the paper plate, I have no idea. If someone can read it, and it's rude, please don't tell me. Oh, all right, go on, tell me ...

What is it with purple and typewriters?  You can judge from all the artwork here using purple with typewriters that it has some wide appeal. Does the colour make for more purple prose? As much as I like the hue, I'm afraid too much of it puts me in a purple haze ...

And here's a lovely "lavender" Corona 4 from the Herman Price Collection

Is this Carl W. Sundberg-designed Remington Riviera a shade of purple, or is it, as described, "hot pink"? Whatever it is, its colour helped it sell for a ridiculous $172.50 on Australian eBay a few weeks ago (and NOT to me, I hasten to add):

Here is the same model looking a little more purpley, but still called "hot pink":

Looking at it, I know exactly how this lady feels:

That's right, give me one of these any day: