Typewriters through the years: from tools to inspiration

Los Angeles Times ^ | November 4, 2014 | Carolyn Kellogg

[EveningStar]

... In a release about his upcoming [short story] collection, [Tom] Hanks explained that he was inspired to write the stories by his typewriter collection...

Take a look at some typewriters throughout history and their owners at work in the photo gallery above.

[BunnySlippers]

I took typing in school even though it was understood I would never use it. Guys usually did not take the class.

I still look back on those drills and realize I DID get something out of them.

Who knew we would ALL need to type. Even the CEO!

[Daffynition]

*sigh*

My dad was an engineer for Underwood for many years. [he held 6 patents for them]. When Olivetti bought them out .....he lost his job .....which was devastating for the family....but he bounced back. If that happened in today’s market...It would have been more troublesome.

I mourn the loss of all the incredible manufacturing we had in Connecticut.

“The modern typewriter is the product of American inventive genius, coupled with the foresight, ability and aggressiveness of the American manufacturer, and supported by the confidence of the American capitalist. It stands as an industrial monument to the American commercial spirit which has in a few decades made the institutions of this country the marvel of the world.” - The Banker’s Magazine

[FlyFisher]

I made a nice living for several years repairing IBM Selectric typewriters. The engineering that went into designing them was incredible. Service manager for the largest independent typewriter company in Los Angeles and we maintained thousands of them. Switched to computers and printers when they came along and still service typewriters...2 or 3 a month...just for fun.

I actually repaired the actual typewriter used by Stephen J. Cannell that was featured in the closing credits of his TV shows, where he drags the paper out of the typewriter and it flies around turning in to his logo.

Fun memories.