So the one thing that ‘travel’ brings along with it, is the love for spotting the most desirable vintage possessions you crave to have everyday! And for me – it has always been an ‘old Typewriter’!
Posting this gallery as my tribute to the 23rd June 2014 – the National Typewriter Day, honestly a vintage typewriter is the most impeccable creation of all times. Failing the first attempt of patenting the typewriter back in 1714, it was only on 23.06.1868 by Christopher Latham Sholes, a U.S. Mechanical Engineer who managed to rearrange the keyboard – to patent the modern typewriter forever. And since then till today, I am sure a lot of vintage lovers have been on the trail of capturing this rusted but still lovely piece of ‘machine’ – which does have some interesting facts attached to it…
FACT #1 – Patented as the ‘QWERTY’ keyboard then, the old typewriter and the today’s computer use the same key layout. And for all those who have ever wondered why the keyboard is tagged as Qwerty – well they are the first three alphabets of the keyboard along the top!
FACT #2 – Its intriguing to think why the alphabets were never arranged in the prescribed alphabetical order? – Well it seems like Sholes intentionally placed all the letters apart to slow down the pace of typing so jamming would not occur in the typewriter.
FACT #3 – The electronic typewriter, a typewriter with an electronic “memory” capable of storing text, first appeared in 1978. It was developed independently by the Olivetti Company in Italy and the Casio Company in Japan.
FACT #4 – The longest word that can be typed using the left hand is – STEWARDESSES. The longest word that can be typed using one row of letter is actually – TYPEWRITER.
FACT #5 – Apparently the shift key was a game changer for typewriters, as it allowed for 1 key to perform 2 roles at the same time, manufacturing costs (and therefore purchase price) were greatly reduced, and typist operation was simplified.
While the above were some of my favorite facts about the typewriter, the best part about this unique machine is that it never goes out of fashion, it serves as the best vintage showpiece in a house or at a restaurant, and according to some amazing google search – In 2008, New York City spent almost $1,000,000 to purchase a few thousand typewriters for use by the New York police department – mainly to type property and evidence vouchers on carbon paper forms.
Happy National Typewriter Day!
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