Matching typewriter purchases identify u/Proud_Illustrator266 with Kathy Tetlak
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1w7b12q/thrift_store_find/<br /> https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1363217359330368/
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Russellville native finds niche in typewriter repair business |<br /> by [[Jack Dobbs]] for Bowling Green Daily News<br /> accessed on 2026-09-04T08:59:30
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Royal Royalite/Parade/Signet Full Tear Down for Service Walkthrough Tutorial<br /> by [[Hot Rod Typewriter]]<br /> accessed on 2026-09-03T21:56:07
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Much classier that "nicotine beige" haha.
via u/Wooden_Underpants at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1w69ulq/comment/p7n66y2/?context=1&screen_view_count=1&ext-referrer=DIRECT
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archive.org archive.org
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On receipt of orders from designated person in authority, destroy typewriters as completely as time, means, and personnel permit. Priority will be given to the obliteration or destruction of all unit identification lettering or markings, all serial numbers, and all manufacturer's nameplates. Smash typewriters and components with a sledge or other heavy instrument ; burn with kerosene, gasoline, fuel oil, flame thrower, or incendiary bomb; detonate with firearms, grenades, TNT, or other explosives. In the absence of other means, bury, sink, or scatter parts and components.
Department of the Army. 1955. TM 10 601 Dept of the Army Technical Manual: Underwood Typewriter Maintenance and Repair. http://archive.org/details/TM10601.
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I have a weird affection for ”reciept/cheap bible” paper, and I don’t intend to type on both sides, so I’m actually pleasantly surprised that such a giant is actually surprisingly gentle with the paper! I have a Hermes 2000 that is the opposite; I call her the ”Swiss Machine Gun” because she punches ”bullet holes” in so many papers if you are not careful haha 😅
reply to u/240snusit at https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1w55sxd/dream_machine_aquired_1959_olympia_sg1_with_two/p7ciyaz/
I'll never understand how people love their typewriters so much, but refuse to take care of them. It's like driving around a nice Ferrari, but with bald tires.
Go ahead and spend the money to recover your brick hard platen and then get a proper ring and cylinder adjustment. It'll keep your machine from punching holes in your paper, your ribbon will last a lot longer, and your machine will love you for it.
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sites.google.com sites.google.com
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https://sites.google.com/site/downeyprinterrepair/<br /> Cameron Skill <br /> I have 42 years experience as a typewriter technician.(as of August 2026).
See listings on Craigslist at https://www.craigslist.org/search/area/losangeles?cat=sss&query=zzyzx#search=2~gallery~0
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Olivetti used regular M3 thumb nuts.
via Otto Koponen at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1w4cy0o/spool_nuts_for_olivetti_lettera_32/
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Let's start with ending the absolute myth of the "perfect study method". This is something app developers and influencers want you to believe so they can sell you something.
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Tom Hanks' Unusual Hobby -Friday Night With Jonathan Ross
Likely Season 14, Episode 1 from Sun 13 Jan 2008
Hanks has a collection of "about 80 typewriters" circa 2008.
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Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, Series 14, Episode 1<br /> by BBC One<br /> accessed on 2026-08-31T10:06:21
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www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
- Aug 2026
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I know the gray fives like the back of my hand.
Typewriter repair people colloquially called the Underwood Touchmaster 5 the "gray fives".
via Jim Tuxbury on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1355024096816361
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I am an old typewriter repairman. I worked at the underwood assembly plant in Hartford Connecticut for two years and became a typewriter service man for 20 years in St. Louis. I don’t own any typewriter’s I know the gray fives like the back of my hand. As well as the scriptors and forums. Still interested in those fabulous machines that I made a living off.
via Jim Tuxbury on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1355024096816361
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I know of nothing that softens platens. Just appearance. Maybe grip, by lightly sanding. Or trick put simple green on the platen, pull paper release lever. Wipe it on let it dry. Resdue helps grip if slipping.
via Mitch Fixit, a typewriter repairman at https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1358201939831910
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In the Sunday, March 8, 1964 edition of The Plain Dealer Heloise Cruse suggest putting several drops of pure glycerin onto one's dried out typewriter ribbon as a means of rejuvenating them. She recommends letting them soak for at least three days.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10163177170344678/
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www.intelligentchange.com www.intelligentchange.com
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Productivity Planner® Cards - Be More Productive<br /> by [[Intelligent Change]]<br /> accessed on 2026-08-28T10:25:07
Productivity cards with inspirational quotes...
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Life-Nectarine-4337
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vywh68/comment/p629ss4/?context=1
Is u/Life-Nectarine-4337 the Reddit account of Just My Typewriter?
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IBM Jingle: https://youtu.be/wtaI18Yq59s?si=1rexqhuKQafnOzuu&t=569
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"Thou shalt conduct IBM's business in a responsible and ethical manner."<br /> —IBM Sales Manual #
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uncommonly large typewriter spools
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www.douglassfh.com www.douglassfh.com
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radiopaedia.org radiopaedia.org
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Throckmorton sign, also known as John Thomas sign, refers to when the penis points in the direction of unilateral disease, typically of the pelvis or hip. Throckmorton sign is a slang term used humorously by medical students and residents.According to the first serious study of the sign published in 1988, the sign is less accurate than tossing a coin 2. This finding was supported by another subsequent study and also a meta-analysis 5,7.
https://radiopaedia.org/articles/throckmorton-sign-pelvis?lang=us
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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writingball.blogspot.com writingball.blogspot.comSlopbait1
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Slopbait<br /> by [[Richard Polt]]<br /> accessed on 2026-08-28T08:25:18
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The purse on Erasmus’s lap may be included in order to illustrate his generosity. Erasmus and Gillis made a point of informing More that they had split the cost of this gift because they wanted it to be a present from them both.
Compare this suggestion of the purse as an attribute suggesting generosity to Jardine's (1996) suggestion that its meant to place Erasmus in the merchant class.
(Of course it could be doing both.)
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The books on the shelf behind the scholar have inscriptions relating to his recently published works: Novum Testament[um] and Hieronymus refer to Erasmus’s editions of the New Testament and St Jerome; Lovkianos refers to Erasmus’s and More’s collaboration in translating Lucian’s Dialogues; and Hor, which originally read Mor and must have been altered during an early restoration, spells the first letters of the Englishman’s name and refers to the ‘Praise of Folly’ (Encomium Moriae), a satirical essay written whilst Erasmus stayed with More in Bucklersbury in London in 1509. The words on the paper are a paraphrase of St Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, the handwriting is a close imitation of Erasmus’s own hand, and the reed pen was Erasmus’s favourite writing tool.
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https://www.rct.uk/collection/405759/desiderius-erasmus-1466-1536
One ought to notice the shears hanging on a nail or hook on the bookshelf in the background. Presumably these would have been a primary tool for Erasmus' ars excerpendi practice.
Cross reference Lisa Jardine (1996) who calls out the purse on Erasmus' chest which identifies him as part of the merchant class.
Also cross reference Hans Holbein's portraits of Erasmus.
Tags
- scissors
- class
- ars excerpendi
- generosity
- cut and paste
- Thomas More
- Lucian's Dialogues
- Portrait of Erasmus of Rotterdam
- status
- Dan Allosso Book Club 2026-08-22
- Hieronymus
- St. Jerome
- portraiture
- Pieter Gillis
- attributes
- Quinten Massys
- Praise of Folly (Encomium Moriae)
- Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam
- Lovkianos
- photos
- paintings
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en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.comFacebook1
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Coke contains phosphoric acid, which chemically breaks down iron oxide (rust) into iron phosphate. And Diet Coke isn’t sticky like Coke. And aluminum loses electrons and oxidizes, while the iron oxide (rust) gains electrons. This chemical reduction fundamentally changes the rust back into a form that easily breaks away from the base metal.
Craig French recommends soaking rusty typewriter springs in Diet Coke and then wiping them with aluminum foil to remove rust.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1354433773542060
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1355607023424735
The Corona Zephyr and Smith-Corona Skyriter typewriter cases used to have two strips of leather sewn over a metal internal strip on their case handles.
Most of these vintage metal cases are missing the leather straps leaving only an uncomfortable metal strip.
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I worked in the SCM plant in Groton NY back in the 60's. This is one of the machines that we built there. Plastic was never ment to last over 50 years.
via Greg Hubert
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I would be more than happy to help you fix it, or if you are just done with it, I have a large number of machines for sale. I have everything from the 1920's to the 1980s, Manual, electric, electronic. I have portables and ultra portables. I also sell mine for about 1/3 of normal shops because I do this for the fun of it, not for income. I have a large number of Royal Quiet Deluxe and can even custom paint one if you want. Depending on your location, I'd even take that one in trade.
via Milton Solomon at https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1354754280176676/
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www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
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Dolly Parton, Country Music Superstar Whose Songs Spoke to Millions, Dies at 80<br /> by [[Bill Friskics-Warren]] in The New York Times<br /> accessed on 2026-08-25T14:50:12
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Success is a lagging indicator from hard work done earlier.<br /> —Jimmy Carr "Laughs Funny" Tour 2026 #
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variety.com variety.com
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This is Angie Dickinson's Life<br /> by [[Army Archerd]]<br /> accessed on 2026-08-24T13:33:09
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www.etsy.com www.etsy.com
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https://www.etsy.com/shop/HartongInternational
Looks like Jason of Hartong International refurbishes(?) typewriters and sells them via an Etsy Shop.
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Typewriter maintenance all machines<br /> by bremeloboy
Vaguely hilarious in it's portrayal of the way that typewriter repair should never be done.
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Millard Kaufman on Working in Hollywood #:
He said, "You're the writer; I'm the producer." He said, "You do it my way or I'm gonna fire your ass." And I was sitting at a typewriter when he said this. So I picked up the typewriter and threw it at him.
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reply to u/dragonfenixbird at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vuht9b/about_to_buy_my_first_ibm_selectric_supposedly/
Honestly, unless you're in the game to spend months/years learning IBM repair and maintenance, the single best thing you can do for yourself is to buy a refurbished machine from a repair shop.
Chances are almost 100% that your machine will require some level of servicing and in addition to the $30 you'll have lost you'll end up paying as much or more to have it serviced than you might have done just buying refurbished from the start, especially if you just want to start typing.
Save yourself a lot of time, effort, and heartache and just buy one that you know works: https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-repair.html
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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One of a handful of Professional Elite No. 41 machines in the typewriter database as of 2026-08-15:
- https://typewriterdatabase.com/1959-olympia-sm4.10661.typewriter
- https://typewriterdatabase.com/1959-olympia-sm4.17725.typewriter
- https://typewriterdatabase.com/1969-olympia-sm9.12039.typewriter
- https://typewriterdatabase.com/1958-olympia-sm3.18757.typewriter
- https://typewriterdatabase.com/1959-olympia-sg1.11825.typewriter
- https://typewriterdatabase.com/1959-olympia-sm4.22064.typewriter
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www.404media.co www.404media.co
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We Tracked a Shipment of Rare Books. It Ended at an Amazon AI Training Facility<br /> by [[Emanuel Maiberg]]<br /> accessed on 2026-08-21T07:46:53
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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https://typewriterdatabase.com/show.16666.typewriter
A script typewriter missing the number 1 and on which the lower case L doesn't suffice. Perhaps the Capital i would work?
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Of all coincidences, the post immediately after yours in the sub was for a refurbished Studio 44 out of Berkeley Typewriter Shop with a script typeface: https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vtctas/will_i_regret_it_passing_on_this_olivetti_studio/
The though thing is recognizing how to identify potential script machines in online auctions when they don't explicitly state or show the typeface. For many machines prior to 1970 the clue to a script machine may be a dedicated "1" key as script lower case "l" typically won't suffice to also stand in for the number 1 as it did for most other typefaces.
If you'd like to scroll through some and do some research, the database has a section for typefaces: https://typewriterdatabase.com/typefaces.php If you log in there are also downloadable typeface catalogs you can browse through in addition to the resources Ted Munk has at https://typecast.munk.org/category/typewriter-typestylesfonts/
On machines with stated script faces, you may need to be prepared to pay $100-150 on average above the cost of just the machine itself. Less common (and more expensive) variations are machines with Fraktur, Vertical Script, or Spencerian typefaces.
Good luck in your hunt for one, they're definitely out there and not rare.
Reply to u/Ganimor at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vtcpjz/cursive_typewriter/
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I spent $45 for it which isn't bad for typewriters here in Southern California.
u/WeepinbellJar13 is in the SoCal area for potential type-ins.<br /> https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vszw4i/second_typewriter_bad_call/
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reply to u/rjekyllhyde at https://old.reddit.com/r/Libraries/comments/1vruija/typewriter_request/
Librarian Suzanne LaPierre wrote an article last year about typewriters in libraries. I'll link it and some additional references below for those who are curious.
The Los Angeles Public Library has recently been doing some events with LA poet laureate Brian Sonia-Wallace who creates on his typewriter: https://www.instagram.com/p/DXufGLmgRB3/
There are more than a handful of typewriter enthusiasts who have been holding "Type-Ins" at libraries in the US over the past 5 or more years. I've held a couple of these at a nearby bookstore in Pasadena, CA and we had over 200 people stop by at both of them. (I'd have held them at a local library, but our main branch is undergoing a huge renovation and some of our other nearby branches have been affected by the Eaton Fire in January 2025.)
I know one collector who recently did a display at a library: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJqYPVOb2Ss
I've run across one or two libraries that have typewriters as part of their Library of Things collections along with other analog materials like sewing machines, binoculars, and telescopes.
There are still lots of reasons to want to use a typewriter including for creativity, distraction-free writing, getting away from screens and having a more analog writing experience. Woz Flint has a relatively recent book about using typewriters to create first drafts of writing projects. In the last five or so years a lot of children in the 7-21 year old bracket have been drawn to typewriters as a means of getting away from their computers and screens and allowing them to concentrate better on their writing work. Richard Polt, a typewriter collector and professor of philosophy at Rutgers, wrote a book about the resurgence of typewriters. A handful of college professors have recently been reintroducing typewriters to their pedagogy. Creating art with a typewriter is also still a thing. Taylor Swift has been using typewriters in her songs and videos which adds to the cool factor, especially for the kids.
Is it worth mentioning that Ray Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451 on a typewriter at the UCLA Library which was coin operated?!?
I've personally got a small collection of typewriters as well as a list of articles and resources on them for those who may be interested in considering them. I'm happy to chat with any librarians who might consider adding them to their collections.
Happy typing!
References:<br /> * LaPierre, Suzanne S. “BiblioTech: Typewriters in Libraries.” Computers in Libraries 45, no. 2 (March 2025): 24–26. https://www.infotoday.com/cilmag/mar25/index.shtml. * Polt, Richard. 2015. The Typewriter Revolution: A Typist’s Companion for the 21st Century. 1st ed. Woodstock, VT: Countryman Press. * Flint, Woz Delgado. 2023. The Distraction-Free First Draft. One Idea Press. https://www.oneideapress.com/product-page/the-distraction-free-first-draft.
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There are dozens of books (and websites) out there that have writing prompts which may help you. Flip open to a random page and start writing.
Here's a good example: https://www.amazon.com/Things-Write-Francisco-Writers-Grotto/dp/1452105448/
If there's some longer work you're hacking away at, another exercise I like to do occasionally that helps on the work at hand, but also gets me away from it is to put one or more of my characters into other popular books or movies. For example, what happens when I drop the 15 year old high school girl from my work into the middle of Die Hard? How would her dad attempt to fit into the milieu of Regina George's gang in Mean Girls? It can be quirky and fun, but also works to hone who those characters are by having them interact with other well developed characters.
reply to u/Sinfully-Dead https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vrnldl/neglecting_my_typewriter_not_really/
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www.irishwithmollie.com www.irishwithmollie.com
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It's Standard Pica. Probably a from the J H Shand type foundry, I see them fairly often on Babies.
Otto Koponen indicates that a "1B" foundry mark on a Hermes Baby is likely a standard pica face from the J. H. Shand type foundry.
via https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vnpxg8/what_typeface_is_a_hermes_baby_1b/
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axminsterheritage.org axminsterheritage.org
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https://axminsterheritage.org/industry-commerce/
J H Shand Ltd.<br /> From 1940 until the late 1980s J H Shand Ltd employed highly-skilled engineers and technicians, designing and manufacturing steel type used in office equipment and industrial marking systems; and the manufacture of tools and equipment for use by other manufacturing companies. The company’s original role was to supply individual letter type blocks to manufacturers of manual typewriters which they could build into their machines. As electric typewriters took over, the company specialised in the manufacture of plastic ‘daisy wheels’. As well as producing raised characters for use in typewriters etc , the company made embossing type to produce raised letters or numbers when pressed into metal or plastic. This technique was used to make credit cards, many millions of which have been issued. Another side to the business made larger equipment including precision machine tools.
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archive.org archive.org
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https://archive.org/details/typewriter-foundry-marks-haas/page/n11/mode/2up
JHS is a foundry mark, along with a lion logo, which might appear on Royal, Oliver, Voss, and Underwood typewriters.
Example of it on a Royal Dart at https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10164011983564678
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www.gracesguide.co.uk www.gracesguide.co.uk
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of Axminster. 1895 Company founded. 1936 Private company. 1961 Manufacturers of steel type dies, moulds and press tools.
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ugmonk.com ugmonk.com
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https://ugmonk.com/collections/accessories-1/products/small-analog-card-sleeves-set-of-6-earth-tones
Ugmonk selling index card dividers (as "analog card sleeves") as a set of 6 for $12. They're fun colors but don't actually have tabs. They also function more as sleeves or folders for notes, but it's not immediately obvious how many cards they'd hold.
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in James Ellroy's Red Sheets (Knopf, 2026) set in 1962.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10164017890544678/
Ellroy's Red Sheets (Knopf, 2026) mentions fictional typewriters Olivetti 2119, Underwood Selectronic, and the IBM Officemaster.
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1347466777572093/
1965 episode of The Addams Family (S2 E8) "Morticia, the Writer"
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windjview.sourceforge.io windjview.sourceforge.io
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Example of female typist covering keyboard up with handkerchief to show how light the touch needed would be.
"Note that the handkerchief is hardly ruffled."
I feel like that time period and the century before, being able to do something through a thin piece of cloth was indicative of how little effort was required, or how dainty something could be. It definitely feels very gendered to me, but I'll have to find other historical examples to back this argument up.
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In the digital age, these typewriter superfans hold the keys<br /> by [[Victoria Hoffmann]], [[Mackenzie Farkus]], [[Melanie Stetson Freeman]] in The Christian Science Monitor CSMonitor.com<br /> accessed on 2026-08-15T16:33:28
a mini history along with some reasons to use typewriters in the 21st century. nothing really new here...
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politician and inventor William Austin Burt patented the “typographer.” He invented the machine to help handle the amount of paperwork that his job as a surveyor entailed.
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The first documented typewriter is from 1575 Italy, when Francesco Rampazetto, a printer and publisher, invented the scrittura tattile, a machine that left imprints of letters on paper.
Tags
- Pirojsha Godrej
- typewriter revolution
- nostalgic typewriter news story
- typewriter patents
- inventions
- William Austin Burt
- typewriter collectors
- typewriter history
- Francesco Rampazetto
- Grit Matthias Phelps
- scrittura tattile
- Michelle Geffken
- surveying
- read
- Godrej & Boyce
- Richard Polt
- Ardeshir Godrej
- distraction free writing tools
- typographer
- Godrej typewriters
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writingslowly.com writingslowly.com
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Remembering what you read<br /> by [[Richard Griffiths]] in Writing Slowly<br /> accessed on 2026-08-15T16:16:37
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I suspect the memory-aiding features of the bookshelf itself are qualitatively different from those of a plain list of the books in that bookshelf. The book shelves are a kind of ‘memory palace’ for the books themselves. In fact this realisation is quite important to me. It might explain why I get frustrated when someone reorganises these books: they’re literally reorganising my memory.
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www.wincofoods.com www.wincofoods.com
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https://www.wincofoods.com/recipes/<br /> WinCo Foods used to have index card recipes for all of their bulk goods. Now their collection is online and references their SKU numbers in many cases to match with purchased goods.
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en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
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A 1955 Smith Corona Silent-Super in Vertical Script, made its way into my hands. In Whitefish, MT currently, and of course I had to check FBmarket for any machines in the area. The ONLY one for sale was this ad with a bad-photo'd SCM with no photos but the machine sitting in an upside down case. BUT, I saw that little "I" on the @ key and BAM! Vertical script.
via nickila_typewriter at https://www.instagram.com/p/Db9wFQ2G8eW/
Smith-Corona machines with an @/1 key on the home row can be indicative of a machine with vertical script.
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archive.org archive.org
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Remington Typewriter Company. 1927. An Easy Guide for Operating the Remington Portable Typewriter. http://archive.org/details/AnEasyGuideForOperatingTheRemingtonPortableTypewriter (August 13, 2026).
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www.ebay.com www.ebay.com
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https://www.ebay.com/str/keatsandyeats
Web storefront at: https://www.typewritermechanic.com/
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www.typewritermechanic.com www.typewritermechanic.com
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https://www.typewritermechanic.com/<br /> Unknown name and address in Lebanon, PA<br /> Private home, not a storefront<br /> Etsy shop: https://www.ebay.com/str/keatsandyeats
Not currently on Richard Polt's list as of 2026-08-13.
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The sharpest increases include lunch boxes (26.8 percent), notebooks (23 percent), index cards (22.2 percent), notebook paper (20 percent), and tissues (20 percent).
As Students Head Back to School, Families Face 11% Price Hikes<br /> by [[Elizabeth Pancotti]], [[Zoe Butler]], [[Natalie Forman]], [[Janelle Jones]]<br /> accessed on 2026-08-12T14:37:28
2025 price: $3.16<br /> 2026 price: $3.86<br /> Increase 22.2%
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typespec.com typespec.com
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Suspicious-Diver-630
u/Suspicious-Diver-630 on Reddit is Mos 6502 on TWdB
https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vjoyny/underwood_touchmaster_ii_revival/ https://typewriterdatabase.com/typewriters.php?hunter_search=8385&collection_search=My+Collection
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lumicrest.com lumicrest.com
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www.rankless.org www.rankless.org
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nb.notabene.com nb.notabene.com
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https://nb.notabene.com/<br /> Nota Bene software
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1307796088205829/
You'll notice that the gallery on the TWdB (https://typewriterdatabase.com/Remington.Streamliner.42.bmys) has a number of different prefixes for these models. I've got two that start with "AX" while others are "EX", "FX", "HX", "IX", "MX", and "NX". These different prefixes surely indicate something, but what that is isn't known.
My first guesses are that it may have something to do with the keyboard configuration or number of keys or maybe it's the country of manufacture as Remington went from manufacturing in the US to Canada, Holland, and England all around the time of these machines. it might also be platen width, color, or it maybe something internally like the specific assembly line they rolled off of or incredibly subtle style or manufacturing changes which may relate to spare parts replacements. You can use the examples in the database to try to compare and contrast them to puzzle it out.
Where was yours manufactured? What keyboard does it have?
Be sure to upload your example to the database with the details you do have as more examples make these things easier to puzzle out as time goes by.
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10163361603349678/
Merit Elite - foundry mark: 590<br /> Merit Pica - foundry mark: 378
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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An article from American Machinist Magazine (January 4, 1923). The article, "The Organization and Management of a Medium Sized Plant," was written by Percy S. Brown, a Works Manager at The Corona Typewriter Company in Groton, NY. He would become vice-president of Corona in 1924. Here's a snippet on what went into making one Corona typewriter. "There are 671 parts on the typewriter, 139 on the case, 110 on the folding stand, a total of 920 parts. There are 355 different parts on the typewriter, 61 on the case and 37 on the stand, a total of 453 different parts. There are 1,999 manufacturing operations on the typewriter, 210 on the case, and 205 on the stand, a total of 2,414 operations, exclusive of inspection. To these must be added 38 subassembly operations and 15 assembly operations, a total of 53 assembly operations, and a grand total of 2,467 operations of all kinds, exclusive of inspection. If inspections are added, the total number of operations performed amount to approximately 4,600."
via https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10163958948944678/
check original source
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www.maritime.org www.maritime.org
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War Department. 1944. Typewriter Maintenance. War Department Technical Manual TM37-305. United States Government Printing Office. https://maritime.org/doc/typewriter/index.php (February 6, 2025).
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A typewriter contains approximately 1800 to 2000 parts, which require approximately 20,000 different operations to manufacture. An operator typing at the rate of sixty words per minute actually motivates, with his or her fingers, 10,000 to 12,000 parts per minute, approximating 200 moving parts per second.
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oztypewriter.blogspot.com oztypewriter.blogspot.com
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Structure should be earned. Start with enough organization and meta components to allow you to start working. Only the bare minimum. Add more only as needed.
via Bob Doto, but ne doesn't cite the original source... https://www.reddit.com/r/Zettelkasten/comments/1vlh6ru/organizing_for_the_sake_of_organizing/
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booksbrassandthebear.wordpress.com booksbrassandthebear.wordpress.com
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The El Casco M-430<br /> by [[the Analog Savage]]<br /> accessed on 2026-08-11T10:03:22
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shopgoodwill.com shopgoodwill.com
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www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
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The 4 Best French Presses of 2026<br /> by [[Melissa McCart]], [[Sabrina Imbler]] Reviews by Wirecutter in New York Times<br /> accessed on 2026-08-11T09:06:56
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www.dailynews.com www.dailynews.com
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Dennis McCarthy: When the best way into the 21st Century is through a Selectric typewriter<br /> by [[Dennis McCarthy]] in Daily News accessed on 2026-08-10T12:06:13
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Selectric III. How much, I asked? “Completely refurbished and working beautifully, $350,” Ray said, noting my choking sound at the price tag.
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Ray sells four or five Selectrics a year and refurbishes another 20 or so that people bring in. “You interested in one?” he asked.
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Ray, a former IBM technician who cut his teeth on these machines in the ’70s, owns Business Machines Center in Woodland Hills, where old electric typewriters go for a second chance.
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the first season of “Columbo” on my VCR. In the opening of the first episode — “Murder by the Book” directed by Steven Spielberg in 1971 — Martin Milner is typing furiously on an IBM Selectric with the magic ball.
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www.imdb.com www.imdb.com
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Columbo S1, E1 "Murder by the Book"<br /> Episode aired Sep 15, 1971<br /> https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066932/<br /> Written by Steven Bochco and directed by Steven Spielberg
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
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The *Bund für deutsche Schrift* was founded to preserve and promote the traditional German scripts—Fraktur for printing and Sütterlin or Kurrent for handwriting—at a time when they had largely disappeared from everyday use. During the 1980s the association commissioned a limited number of Fraktur-equipped Erika typewriters from VEB Robotron so that members could continue producing authentic Fraktur documents using modern mechanical equipment.
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davistypewriters.blogspot.com davistypewriters.blogspot.com
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Davis Typewriter Works: A Royal Safari at Eighteen Years on the Net<br /> by [[Will Davis]]<br /> accessed on 2026-08-06T20:57:15
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These machines were very heavily encased in plastic, with a fair amount of space between the body shell (mask, officially) and the machine itself.
typewriter body shell (aka mask)
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The rounded, downward curved margin set tabs are always a giveaway for a Nakajima (although there are some Nakajimas out there that don't use this design, mostly electrics.)
Tags
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Annotators
URL
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www.tbwritersplus.com www.tbwritersplus.com
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Service Calls: $55 + $75/hour for labor within Greater Dayton Area. Service calls outside of Greater Dayton: $55 + $75/hour drive time + $75/hour for labor. (Currently servicing Ohio and Indiana, for other states please contact us.) Cleaning: $75-$200+ Prices fluctuate based on the method we have to use to clean your machine. Call or come in to get an exact price. Replacement of key legends and polishing key rings: $100 New/Replacement Parts: Ribbons $8 Metal spools $25 each Recovered platens $90-150 Recovered feed rollers $10-50 each Felt removed and replaced $5 per piece Replacement draw bands $35 New feet $35-45 Other Services: Type height adjustment $35 Ribbon height adjustment $30 Main spring tension adjustment $25
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https://www.tbwritersplus.com/general-8
You have to love that they have DIY services for typewriter repair enthusiasts!
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www.tbwritersplus.com www.tbwritersplus.com
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https://www.tbwritersplus.com/plans-pricing
$50/month for unlimited typewriters per month one at a time<br /> $40/month for one typewriter
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airporter.com airporter.com
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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reply to u/dazzleshipsrecords at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vhiow0/passed_this_on_up_will_i_regret_it/
You'll always regret the typewriters you don't get (or can't carry—just yesterday I had to pass up on a $44 Olympia SM3 in good condition because I couldn't physically carry it with me on vacation and I'm still irked about it).
Watch Shopgoodwill.com and surely you'll run into a few KMMs in similar condition that you can pick up at nearby shops in the $15-25 range.
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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reply to u/betonyourself19 at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vhjuav/what_am_i_looking_at_here/
It's a Smith-Corona 5 series from the 1950s, likely a Silent-Super (though it's difficult to read the lettering on the back of the paper table. Looks like it may have been either originally a pink machine and someone repainted the body grey or someone chopped the pink parts off and put them on a gray machine.
Repair shops in the US typically run $40-75/hour of labor plus parts or a few hundred for a general clean, oil, and adjust. You can ask for the bare minimum to get it going again all the way up to a full restoration depending on your needs and budget. Typically based on what you need a shop will give you a quote before starting work.
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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I’d be in for that. I’ve been doing it for awhile, but would love the networking and fun. I have areas I’m still learning about and know enough to probably make me dangerous at times. Add me to your list. I’m in the Central Valley.
Tom Hansen interested in typewriter repair workshop https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1333610698957701/
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www.motherjones.com www.motherjones.com
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The Post-Roe Surprise: More Abortions<br /> by [[Reveal]] in Mother Jones<br /> accessed on 2026-08-02T21:36:29
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Whacking away on a typewriter is key to shifting my mood. It's great if you have space, bar none.
via u/Briaaanz at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vc6nhe/iso_good_typewriter_quotes/
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www.goodreads.com www.goodreads.com
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“take a writer away from his typewriter and all you have left is the sickness which started him typing in the beginning.” ― Charles Bukowski, The Pleasures of the Damned: Selected Poems 1951-1993
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/8328077-take-a-writer-away-from-his-typewriter-and-all-you
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sharktastica.co.uk sharktastica.co.uk
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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As for names, John E. Hickerson and Ralph E. Page are credited as inventing both the IBM single element printing head (US2895584A) and the IBM single element printing machine (US2879876A), with James A. Weidenhammer also credited with the former and Leon E. Palmer the latter.
Hammer for typewriter technology, naturally!
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https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vc5bd4/happy_65th_birthday_to_the_ibm_selectric/
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sharktastica.co.uk sharktastica.co.uk
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https://ftp.sharktastica.co.uk/patents/<br /> Admiral Shark's Keyboards FTP
found via https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vc5bd4/happy_65th_birthday_to_the_ibm_selectric/ maintained by u/SharktasticA
Tags
Annotators
URL
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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https://typewriterdatabase.com/show.23738.typewriter
1938 Royal KHM with 32" carriage!
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- Jul 2026
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www.goodreads.com www.goodreads.com
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“I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with typewriters.” ― Frank Lloyd Wright
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/312645-i-m-all-in-favor-of-keeping-dangerous-weapons-out-of
original source?
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Yes, this was one of the oldest, most unique typewriters with history in a while, last one before this was Larry McMurtry's Hermes 3000. Before those I was both Erma Bombeck and Paul Harvey's typewriter tech, both used IBM selectric's
via Duane Jensen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJxFzACiISM&lc=UgyDGDDU6cEskMvsPmh4AaABAg.9Vb0zueAXOF9VbnHZ4AT_F
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1st hand, Because his assistant was the one who contacted me first, then I talk to Larry via phone, after working on 2 Hermes 3000's, the 3rd typewriter I delivered myself to him at his place in Tucson. After he died, all 12 of his Hermes 3000's were auctioned of for about $3000.00 ea, I was hoping he would have willed those to me . . . .
via Duane Jensen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJxFzACiISM&lc=UgyDGDDU6cEskMvsPmh4AaABAg.9Vb0zueAXOFAEfXxtmCuPo
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Royal KHM 1940 Typewriter, Special Order for Frank Lloyd Wright, W-I-D-E Carriage, Unique Type Fonts
1940 Royal KHM typewriter that as customized for Frank Lloyd Wright. 20" platen with custom slugs. Oversized mainspring for wide carriage.
Serial number KHM 20-92-2155513
Custom slugs include. <br /> - 3 space wide oval/Rectangle (Moved Q to effectuate this) - Circle with plus /2 - filed diamond/3 - filed circle/4 - plus/5 - double dagger/6 - octothorpe/7 - section/8 - filled triangle/9 - filled circle/0 - six point asterisk/ hollow square <br /> - ( / ) - , / empty circle (next to P and Q on second row) - $/+<br /> - 1/2 / & - - oval / larger square<br /> - % / ,<br /> - ; / . - : / pilcrow - " / _ - arrow up - thermometer-esque glyph
The extra-wide slugs were at either end of the basket. They moved the letter Q to the far side of the keyboard to fit the custom left slug into the machine.
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.comYouTube3
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IBM Selectric Service Training (1978, Restored)<br /> by [[Thickboy]] on YouTube<br /> accessed on 2026-07-31T10:13:34
I just finished a project and I think a lot of you would like it. I found the old Selectric training videos but the narration is very outdated, slow paced and the slides were all burned red and miscolored.
With the help of AI I restored the photos and created a new narrator. The script has been modernized to sound more palatable to our ear. "Stop the reel" updated to "pause the video", for example and is now narrated at a natural pace in a woman's voice.
These courses, for me at least, are way easier to sit through and absorb. There maybe be some coloration errors or glitches in some photos, but for the most part they came out pretty good. Take a look and let me know what you think.
I'm also putting together some review videos with quiz questions for each section that I will release soon.
IBM Selectric Service Training (1978, Restored)<br /> via u/Mike3521 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vbcsob/just_finished_restoring_the_old_selectric/
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250. Tackling ‘Big History’ feat. Ian Morris<br /> unSILOed Podcast with Greg LaBlanc
- Most of human history and evolution is about energy capture.
- Investing 80x energy into land to get 4x output from it has been transformational for modern farmers. (Turning oil into bread.)
- Marshall Sahlins - synopsis: agriculture is a really bad idea.
- Morris Theorem: human history is driven by lazy, greedy people.
- "Fossil fuel values" (00:39:00)
- fairness is a fundamental human value; justice is dramatically different across time and space (00:45:08)
- Morris' "5 Horsemen of the Apocalypse" (the five problems humans encounter when they reach the limits of energy extraction): massive movements of people (mobility); epidemics; climate change; war; governmental collapses;
- The price of overhunting for one person versus the price for the collective. How do we solve these collective problems (particularly for lazy, greedy humans)? (00:52:35)
- Regional failures were the general pattern before; now failures are a global scale problem.
- Morris' explanation of Brexit based on his Big History thesis as one of how Britain maintains power with respect to both China and Europe. (01:05:40)
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250. Tackling ‘Big History’ feat. Ian Morris<br /> unSILOed Podcast with Greg LaBlanc
Watched 2026-07-29
Tags
- collective problems
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- energy capture
- tragedy of the commons
- watch
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- inequality
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- agriculture
- Big History
- Greg LaBlanc
- Ian Morris
- history
- regional failures
Annotators
URL
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1332186355766802
Sister Boniface Season 3, Episode 5
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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I have possibly the rarest machine on the planet. Owned by the CEO of Coca-Cola who contracted Royal to make a special slug in the 50s for business correspondence. This is one slug, shift produces the Coca, flat gives cola. To my knowledge there's not another in existence...
u/NashvilleTypewriter reports that he owns a typewriter with a custom Coca (shift) - Cola (unshifted) slug that came from the daughter of a former Coke CEO.
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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reply to u/NoFace125 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vb701u/thoughts_on_3d_printed_parts_on_typewriters/
I've heard mixed things on 3-D printed platens and there aren't many out there from what I've seen/heard.
I've seen lots of broken spacebars, though never run across a 3-D printed one.
As for the platen knobs on the Hermes 3000, they're probably one of the most commonly broken parts of any typewriter out there, and I've seen dozens of variations of printed knobs for those. It's almost like you don't own a real Hermes 3000 unless you've replaced the knobs on it.
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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I also still use the BSI function on the iPhone which stands for Braille Screen input. It allows you to type in landscape if you were using a brailler. So using the 6 dot method and once you have 'got your fingers lined up and done a command to tell the phone where your fingers are on the screen you can type as if you were using a brailler and it then translates that into normal keyboard / number presses and types the appropriate letters in. So because of the fact that we use contractions in grade 2 for words, arguably it's quicker than typing normally on the on screen keyboard on the phone. I can use both though using the screen reader Voiceover. I prefer the sound of a typewriter over a brailler though. Much quieter and more pleasurable to type on honestly.
via u/liamkembleyoung at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1v19s46/got_my_first_typewriter/
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vajqs7/olympia_sg3_question/
Olympia SG3 typewriter with an optional carbon ribbon set up?
My guess:
Is it just a holder or is there some sort of drive mechanism associated with it? Is the other side a mirror version of it?
I have seen a handful of custom machines (all of them standards) in the late 50s/early 60s that had dual ribbon set ups: one being the standard cloth ribbon mechanism and the second, usually in a "Princess Leia's hair bun" configuration on the sides of the machine (similar to your photo) in which a secondary carbon ribbon was stored for secondary use when/as necessary. I've never seen one on an Olympia however.
It could also potentially have been used for white correction tape as well.
Here's an example of a Royal FPCP with such a feature: https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1203433725308733/
It could be the passive holder side for an optional carbon ribbon that is then threaded to the spool on the left side which does the pulling. Typically most carbon ribbons are single use only, so you wouldn't need/want an auto-reverse mechanism.
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shop.skepticsannotatedbible.com shop.skepticsannotatedbible.com
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https://shop.skepticsannotatedbible.com/products/the-skeptics-annotated-bible-2nd-edition-pre-order<br /> The Skeptic's Annotated Bible
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ecodevoevo.blogspot.com ecodevoevo.blogspot.com
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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reply tu u/liamkembleyoung at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1v9g96o/best_prewar_typewriters/
Best by what criteria? Manufacturing, design, materials, user interface, ease-of-use, portability, serviceability, price, features, value, collectability, rarity? There's a lot to consider here and your analogistic comparison to the Olympia SM3 leaves out a lot. Even worse, you're asking for opinions from a crowd that is typically not using the best exemplars of machines by which to be making such comparisons, not to mention the personal bias that enters into these sorts of comparisons.
Generally you'll get a lot more bang for your buck on all the criteria (except for portability) with a solid well-tuned standard like a Royal Ten, an Underwood No. 5, or even a Woodstock No. 5, but then I'd also be more partial to the Olympia SG1, SG3, Hermes Ambassador, Remington Super-Riter, or a Royal HH or Royal FP in the post-war era.
Really the hidden secret to any era is to be using a typewriter that has been properly cleaned, oiled, and adjusted with properly functioning replaced rubber.
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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I regularly use this “Renaissance” wax to protect paintings and, above all, very fragile inscriptions. After it dries (10 minutes) and is lightly buffed, the surface becomes very slippery and is no longer susceptible to friction or fingerprints. It also helps preserve nickel plating that is beginning to deteriorate on levers or axles, for example. It’s a truly reliable product.
via u/Tall_Garage_7398
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To preserve raw steel without oxidation, you can apply a very thin layer of microcrystalline wax after thoroughly degreasing it to ensure good adhesion. This is the method used in major museums around the world. With this protection, there is no more oxidation and no grease.
via u/Tall_Garage_7398
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www.theatlantic.com www.theatlantic.com
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How to Negotiate Effectively With a Child<br /> by [[Joe Pinsker]] - The Atlantic<br /> accessed on 2026-07-28T10:31:20
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One important part of those negotiations (or any negotiation), she said, is empathizing—“allowing ourselves to just sit with our children in their feelings,” without agreeing or disagreeing, applying logic, or attempting to lift their spirits. “It’s only from a place of calm that children can negotiate in any real way,” Russell noted.
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children are at an age when it’s healthy to assert their agency (“All four-year-olds engage in power struggles”).
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“So, moving away from the particular issue at stake to the process,” Wheeler explained.
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a Harvard colleague, Deepak Malhotra, who had advised on the peace-brokering process between the Colombian government and FARC rebels: “His advice on ultimatums—take-it-or-leave-it kinds of statements—is to ignore them.
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Direct bargaining—“I’ll give you this if you do that”—can be useful in a negotiation, but it’s also something to be cautious about. Wheeler told a possibly apocryphal anecdote about Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger in which Kissinger watched Nixon use a treat to coax his Irish setter off a chair in the Oval Office. Kissinger supposedly told Nixon that the lesson the dog had learned was not that he should stay off the chair—but rather that if he got on the chair, he’d get a treat for getting off it. (In some tellings, the problem behavior was chewing the rug.)
but be careful as it doesn't have intrinsic motivation
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One tactic he suggested is carefully structuring the choices kids are presented with.
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One common feature of negotiations is that each party has the ability to walk away.
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1330939455891492/
Olympia SM1 with metal bumps placed onto the plastic keys of a keyboard. One on the 6 and J, two on the Z and N (a German keyboard) presumably for the blind.
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www.huffpost.com www.huffpost.com
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What It's Really Like to Leave MAGA Christianity<br /> by [[Molly Wadzeck]] in HuffPost Life<br /> accessed on 2026-07-27T23:17:52
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Freeman, Michael Stuart. 1991. “Pen, Ink, Keys, and Cards: Some Reflections on Library Technology.” College and Research Libraries 52(4): 328–35. https://hdl.handle.net/2142/41489 (July 26, 2026).
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The card catalog was one of those li-brary inventions that greatly helped in-dividual libraries, but it did so at theexpense of library cooperation.
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Inthe 1880s, it was considered insulting touse typewriters for private correspon-dence. It was thought, for instance, thata typewritten letter from a man was notreally personal because it would gener-ally have required a professionaloperator's help to produce.
- Bruce Bliven, The Wonderful Writing Machine (New York: Random, 1953), p.68-71.
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Unlike the card catalog thathad to be consulted in one place, thebook catalog was a portable index
pros and cons of library card catalog versus a book catalog
- ease of use/comfort
- theft/security/defacement/misfiling
- size
- queueing
- display
- speed
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Other ideas,such as the electric pen, looked promis-ing, at least at first, judging from com-ments in the library press in 1877 and1879. The pen's story proves that inven-tions must not only serve a general need,they must adapt to the specific require-ments of libraries and conform withother existing technologies. Invented byThomas Alva Edison and patented in1876, the electric pen was a writing in-strument that used electromagnets and asmall storage battery. The actual pen,connected by wire to the power source,resembled a sewing needle; it producedsmall punctures in the form of letters andnumbers, and when an inked roller waspassed over the resulting stencil plate,legible copies could be made.
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We maychuckle at John Cotton Dana's proposalin 1907 to use vending machines, justcoming into popular use for chewinggum and novelties, to display and circu-late books, but the concept behind themachine-that of the self-service li-brary-was and is a good idea. In hissuggestion that users insert their librarycard (or more precisely an encodedmetal strip "not larger than a Yale key")so borrower data could be recorded, wesee a distinctly modern application oftechnology to solve a library problem.
I've actually used a library vending machine that had books and DVDs in it in the last 2 years at a local pizza parlor.
Tags
- library technology
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- electric lighting
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- References
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Annotators
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www.newyorker.com www.newyorker.comDiscards23
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Baker, Nicholson. 1994. “Discards.” The New Yorker 70(7): 64. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1994/04/04/discards (August 6, 2021).
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looking at these expressive dirt bands
dirt bands in library card catalogs, similar to dirt and wear marks on the fore edges of books gives some evidence of use
this can be useful research, but it has silently disappeared over time due to lack of archiving materials like card catalogs
some of these issues also pop up with digitizing physical books and throwing them away... we lose the information about how they were bound, how they might have been used, all the physicality is gone
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Fifty drawers compose it. They are made of blond wood. Pull out one of the C drawers, the one labelled “Catalogs.” Here are several guide cards: one for “Catalogs,” one for “Censorship,” one for “Children’s Literature.” Before you have read or touched a single card, you have learned something important about the library-school library, and even possibly about librarianship in general: the edges of the cards following the guide cards for “Censorship” and “Children’s Literature” are dark with handling, whereas the ones following “Catalogs” are not. Thus “Censorship” and “Children’s Literature” have over the years been of more interest to library-school students than “Catalogs” has. This is a surprise—at least, it was a surprise to me. Maybe it’s one reason we’re in this pickle.
wear on library card catalog cards as an indicator of use
a similar thing can be found in one's personal note cards and has been noticed in Niklas Luhmann's zettelkasten
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But for the time being, if some afternoon, depressed by thoughts of cardnage now in progress, you were to travel to the stacks of the library-school library, you could restore your good spirits by contemplating an unharmed, unshrunk, fully operational (though frozen) subject catalogue.
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I can fantasize about one that would include an aging-and-fading component, so that the older a given database record is, the yellower (or pinker, or ocean-bluer) the screen would be at its corners, thereby offering us some of the instantaneous secondary information that cardboard offers us now.
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“Studies of online catalog use and users have uncovered a pair of problems that seem to be endemic in today’s online catalog systems,” Ray Larson, a professor at Berkeley’s library school (or, as it is now called, the School of Information Management and Systems), wrote conclusively in 1991:These are: (1) a large percentage of subject searches fail to retrieve any bibliographic records; and (2) when subject searches succeed in retrieving records, they often retrieve too much material for the user to evaluate effectively.Larson cites an earlier study of his own in which he found that the average number of on-line records retrieved in his sample was 77.5, whereas the average number that users actually took a look at was 9.1. The “futility point” in on-line searches—the point at which you give up and go with what you have—is, because of screen fatigue and the lethargy of system response, much lower than in card-catalogue searches. The life of the mind suffers as a result.
This sort of search fatigue still persists in 2026 as most online searches don't go past the first page of results.
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Sadly, on-line catalogues are terrible at subject searches; their noise level, in the informational sense, is incredible. Card catalogues have the sense not to shuffle together alphabetically the myriad subheadings for “labor” in the medical sense and “labor” in the A.F.L.-C.I.O. sense; the on-line catalogues I’ve seen don’t. Card catalogues don’t lump subheadings for, traffic control in Alexandria, Virginia, together with ones for the lost library at Alexandria, Egypt, either. The “See also” card at the beginning of a set of subject entries in a card catalogue didn’t yank you to another part of the catalogue, and abandon you there; it just suggested that you might want to expand your search in various directions if you didn’t find enough where you stood. There is no real equivalent for this yet in on-line catalogues, nor is there an equivalent for guide cards—those that stick up above the rest, with typed headings—which constitute a sort of loose outline of knowledge built into the trays, and help you to keep your bearings. Card catalogues are “precoÖrdinated,” whereas on-line catalogues are still almost entirely “postcoÖrdinated,” which means that the burden of figuring out how the universe of subjects ought to be organized has been shifted away from the cards and onto you, the user, who must now master Boolean “AND NOT” operators and keyword trickery and crabwise movement by adjacent call numbers merely in order to block avalanches of irrelevancies.
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Subject searches are obvious confessions of ignorance; author-title searches aren’t, or aren’t so straightforwardly.
Is it the case that subject searches are more interesting for syntopic work than other forms of generic reading?
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In a study of some fourth, sixth, and eighth graders carried out at the Downers Grove Public Library, in Illinois, Leslie Edmonds found that sixty-five per cent of the kids’ card-catalogue searches were successful, versus only eighteen per cent of their on-line searches. No fourth graders used the on-line catalogue successfully. (They were asked to look up things like “Fire Stations,” “Insects—Poetry,” “Octopus Pie,” and “The Curse of the Blue Figurine.”)
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he replied by making a point that seems to me undeniable: “I guess what we’re really doing is we’re having a short Dark Ages of scribalism as we transcribe from the original records into the electronic form. There’s going to be that same blot on the historical record in our age as there was in the Middle Ages.”
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By studying Haverford’s card catalogue, Michael Stuart Freeman, Librarian of Haverford College, was able to determine when his predecessors deployed their first typewriter (it was during the summer of 1916)—a tiny fact, perhaps, but one of sufficient interest to Freeman that he published a brief paper which discussed the history of typewriters in libraries. Freeman kept several handwritten cards as samples (“I save a few, because I’m a sentimentalist,” he confided to me); but once his own passing curiosity was satisfied, he dumped the rest of his catalogue.
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When we redefine libraries as means rather than as physical places—as conduits of knowledge rather than as physical buildings filled with physical books—we may think that the new, more “visionary,” more megatrendy definition embraces the old, but in fact it doesn’t: the removal of the concrete word “books” from the library’s statement of purpose is exactly the act that allows misguided administrators to work out their hostility toward printed history while the rest of us sleep.
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Berkeley’s subject catalogue is already gone. Though it was more or less frozen in the nineteen-eighties, it was nonetheless very efficient for some kinds of searches: if the primary sources in your field were published in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, you don’t want your retrievals spread among the thousands of irrelevant records that a mechanical database subject haul brings up. Any drawer of an out-of-date paper catalogue represents the equivalent of a filtered computer search, a Boolean date-limited search, of a very sophisticated sort—in fact, one drawer represents the outcome of a kind of search that most on-line catalogues can’t and won’t ever be able to perform, since it offers clues to what books were in the library during different eras. If in seventy years a historian of science (say) wants to know whether some Nobel-laureate physics professor could possibly have seen and been influenced by a certain out-of-the-way Dutch mathematical monograph from the thirties which bears important similarities to his work—whether, that is, it was part of the library’s collection during the period when the professor was developing his ideas or was acquired only after the professor’s papers were published (perhaps acquired by the library as a gift from the professor’s estate, in fact, because the professor was sent the monograph by the Dutchman himself, anxious to establish primacy)—the historian of science will have little chance of finding an answer to his question now, because the computer record will bear the (to him) meaningless date of the retrospective conversion of the card, i.e., sometime in the late eighties or early nineties, which has no relation to the time that the card was originally produced (and the book placed on the shelf), whereas the original card, even if it bore no direct date of creation, would have exhibited distinct features (typewriter style, format, cataloguing conventions) that might have enabled a cataloguecard paleographer to place it within a five-year Period.
interesting research example of a search not enabled by a digital card catalog
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There have been a few embarrassments along the way, naturally: “Madonna” was globally altered by O.C.L.C. to “Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint” as part of an authority-control routine—a change that, before it was corrected, caused problems for libraries interested in cataloguing the recent work of Ms. Ciccone.
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I have no doubt that Dale Flecker believed what he was saying when he told me that “the machine catalogue is in almost no cases worse and in most cases better than the card catalogue was.”
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“The card catalogue,” as Tom Delsey, of the National Library of Canada, wrote in 1989, “exhibited a relatively high tolerance for deviation from literal and logical norms. . . . Typographical errors or inconsistencies in headings could be silently corrected in the process of filing the card; added entries that did not match exactly the corresponding main entry on the card to which they were related could nevertheless be placed in their proper sequence in the file.”
the benefits of the actual filing process can subtly correct for errors in categorizing
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The whine of power erasers was heard through the land. (In librarianship, “eraser lung” was the seventies equivalent of carpal-tunnel syndrome.
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And the brilliance of Kilgour’s enterprise was that if the cataloguer did not find a record, she could undertake to describe the book herself, and contribute her work to the system as a “master record” for that book, for the good of all members. She wrote a sort of poem, following a set of rules more rigorous than a villanelle’s; she sent it off to people in Ohio who published it for her; and then she got paid a few dollars—in the form of a cataloguing credit against fixture O.C.L.C. charges. The more fresh “copy” a cataloguing department offered O.C.L.C., the cheaper its use of O.C.L.C. was, and thus there was plenty of incentive for all libraries, engaged in the creation of a kind of virtual community long before there were such things as the Internet, to pump up the burgeoning database. What began mainly as a handy, unilateral way of delivering the Library of Congress MARC files to member libraries turned into a highly democratic, omnidirectional collaboration among hundreds of thousands of once isolated documentalists: currently, there are close to thirty million records in the database, only a quarter of which originally came from the Library of Congress, the majority being the work of seven thousand member libraries.
OCLC's original arrangement could also make an interesting sort of model for academic publishing in a general sense.
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A shelf list is a card catalogue arranged in call-number order, cataloguers use it to help them shelve like books with like.
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This same pre-computer-age study, published by M.I.T., determined that the average number of cards in a drawer was eight hundred and twenty-six, that the typical book represented by a card was 276.6 pages long, and that the growth rate of Rice’s library holdings closely tracked that of the United States gross national product.
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Charles Ammi Cutter (1837-1903), the author of what is in Mr. Ranz’s opinion the finest library catalogue ever made. Cutter’s masterpiece is the five-volume catalogue of the Boston Atheneum, published between 1874 and 1882. “I’m not sure he wasn’t the greatest cataloguer that lived,” Mr. Ranz told me. The work is three thousand four hundred and two pages long, and is elaborately and commonsensically cross-referenced; it cost the Athenaeum almost a hundred thousand dollars to produce. It is still of interest and utility to historians—as is the card catalogue for the Athenaeum, which Cutter also developed.
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Jim Ranz, retired Dean of the Libraries of the University of Kansas, from whose immortal monograph “The Printed Book Catalogue in American Libraries: 1723-1900” (1964)
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In 1848, Antonio Panizzi, Keeper of Printed Books for the British Museum, had a similar notion:By an alphabetical catalogue it is understood that the titles be entered in it under some “headings” alphabetically arranged. Now, inasmuch as in a large. library no one can know beforehand the j uxtaposition of these headings, and it would beimpossible to arrange them in the requisite order, if they cannot be easily shifted, each title is therefore written on separate “slips” of paper . . . which are frequently changed from one place to another as required. It is selfevident that if these “slips . . . be not uniform, both in size or substance, their arrangement will cause mechanical difficulties which take time and trouble to overcome.
Tags
- typewriters
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