Computers & Business Machines

Apple II Personal Computer

Imagine the loss, 100 years from now, if museums hadn't begun preserving the artifacts of the computer age. The last few decades offer proof positive of why museums must collect continuously—to document technological and social transformations already underway.

The museum's collections contain mainframes, minicomputers, microcomputers, and handheld devices. Computers range from the pioneering ENIAC to microcomputers like the Altair and the Apple I. A Cray2 supercomputer is part of the collections, along with one of the towers of IBM's Deep Blue, the computer that defeated reigning champion Garry Kasparov in a chess match in 1997. Computer components and peripherals, games, software, manuals, and other documents are part of the collections. Some of the instruments of business include adding machines, calculators, typewriters, dictating machines, fax machines, cash registers, and photocopiers

Topic: Typewriters

Keaton Music Typewriter

As typewriters developed during the 20th century, a class of music typewriters began to emerge. This is a Keaton Music Typewriter that was invented by Robert H. Keaton of San Francisco, California.
Description
As typewriters developed during the 20th century, a class of music typewriters began to emerge. This is a Keaton Music Typewriter that was invented by Robert H. Keaton of San Francisco, California. Keaton had two patents that covered his music typewriter, the first was given patent number 2,047,690 on July 14, 1936 and related to a 14 key music typewriter, and the second was given number 2,631,712 on March 17, 1953 and covered a 33 key music typewriter. The typewriter’s board held sheet music in place while a semicircle ring of keys containing notes and musical notation typebars could be maneuvered above the sheet music to create musical compositions.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Keaton Music Typewriter Company
ID Number
ME.330212
catalog number
330212
accession number
287938

Corona No. 4 Typewriter

This Corona Four model typewriter was manufactured by the Corona Typewriter Company Incorporated of Groton, New York around 1924. The Corona Four had a smaller frame to allow portability.
Description
This Corona Four model typewriter was manufactured by the Corona Typewriter Company Incorporated of Groton, New York around 1924. The Corona Four had a smaller frame to allow portability. The Corona Four had 42 full size keys, a 10-inch carriage, a 2-color ribbon, and an accelerating type bar action.
The success of the Standard Typewriter Company’s Corona model typewriter prompted the company to change its named to the Corona Typewriting Company in 1914. In 1926 the company joined with the L. C. Smith & Brothers Typewriting company to become Smith-Corona. Smith-Corona manufactured typewriters and typewriter accessories throughout the 20th century, becoming Smith Corona Marchant in 1958. After two bankruptcies, Smith-Corona returned to operation in 2010 as a thermal paper manufacturing company.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1925
maker
Corona Typewriter Company
ID Number
ME.308355
catalog number
308355
accession number
85488

Corona Silent Typewriter

This is a Smith & Corona Silent typewriter manufactured by around 1934. The model was made to be portable, and operate quietly thanks to the Smith Floating Shift used in the machine (note the cursive word “Floating” above the shift key).
Description
This is a Smith & Corona Silent typewriter manufactured by around 1934. The model was made to be portable, and operate quietly thanks to the Smith Floating Shift used in the machine (note the cursive word “Floating” above the shift key). When the shift key was invented, it originally shifted the cylinder, or platen, to be struck in a new position by the capital letters on a typebar. The floating shift moved the typebars up and down instead, allowing for a smoother typing action. The four row keyboard has a QWERTY layout.
The success of the Standard Typewriter Company’s Corona model typewriter prompted the company to change its named to the Corona Typewriting Company in 1914. In 1926 the company joined with the L. C. Smith & Brothers Typewriting company in to become Smith-Corona. Smith-Corona manufactured typewriters and typewriter accessories throughout the 20th century, becoming Smith Corona Marchant in 1958. After two bankruptcies, Smith Corona returned to operation in 2010 as a thermal paper manufacturing company.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1934
maker
Smith & Corona Typewriters
ID Number
ME.336760
catalog number
336760
accession number
1978.2479
serial number
50911

Hammond Folding Multiplex Typewriter

One (1) Hammond Folding Multiplex typewriterNew York, New York, about 1923Description: Aluminum frame with keys arranged to fold. Contained in a case. Standard keyboard.
Description (Brief)
One (1) Hammond Folding Multiplex typewriter
New York, New York, about 1923
Description: Aluminum frame with keys arranged to fold. Contained in a case. Standard keyboard. Complete with four sets of type.
Description
This Hammond Folding Multiplex typewriter was manufactured by the Hammond Typewriter Company of New York beginning in 1923. The typewriter uses Hammond’s patented type-shuttle and hammer typing mechanism where the printing is done by a hammer in the back of the machine striking a type-carrying shuttle in the front of the machine, with the paper and ink ribbon in between to receive the impression. This Hammond Folding Multiplex contains two additional Hammond innovations. It is called a Multiplex because the typewriter contains two type shuttles that can easily be rotated into use, allowing the typing of two complete alphabets in different typesets on each machine. This typewriter’s keyboard could also fold up to allow a cover to be attached to the base, allowing the typewriter to be carried. The keyboard is in a three row QWERTY array.
James Bartlett Hammond filed patents for his type-shuttle and hammer typing mechanism present in Hammond typewriters in 1879, receiving patent number 224088 on February 3rd, 1880 and patent number 232402 September 21st, 1880. The Hammond Typewriter Company was founded in 1880, and produced its first machine by 1884, winning a gold medal at the New Orleans Centennial Exposition that same year. The Hammond Typewriter touted its superior strength and durability due to its unique type-shuttle and hammer typing mechanism. The replaceable type-shuttle also contributed to the Hammond’s popularity with the ability to print in a variety of typesets in various sizes, including math formulae, special symbols, and foreign characters with an easy replacement of the type shuttle, or an even simpler rotation of a wheel in the Hammond Multiplex.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1923
maker
Hammond Typewriter Company
ID Number
ME.315035
catalog number
315035
accession number
213958

IBM Model D Executive Typewriter

The IBM Model D electric typewriter was produced in the spring of 1967 in both a regular and executive versions. The Model D Executive featured proportional spacing originally introduced in IBM’s Model B Executive typewriter.
Description
The IBM Model D electric typewriter was produced in the spring of 1967 in both a regular and executive versions. The Model D Executive featured proportional spacing originally introduced in IBM’s Model B Executive typewriter. Instead of every character taking exactly the same space on the page, thin letters received narrower space, and wide letters got wider space. Other features of the Model D included a "control row" above the keyboard that allowed the user to adjust the margins, the tab settings, and the ribbon position.
Originally founded in as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company in 1911, IBM began its venture into typewriter manufacturing with the acquisition of the Electromatic Typewriter Company in 1933. In 1935 IBM produced its first electric typewriter, the Model 01, which IBM considered a commercial success. IBM continued producing typewriters throughout the 20th century until 1990.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
International Business Machines Corporation
ID Number
1984.0499.01
accession number
1984.0499
catalog number
1984.0499.01
serial number
83851122

Royal Portable Typewriter

This portable Royal Typewriter was manufactured by the Royal Typewriter Company in 1933. The portable Royal came in several variants of the “Quiet DeLuxe” including this model A. The model has the serial number A373262, dating it to 1933.
Description
This portable Royal Typewriter was manufactured by the Royal Typewriter Company in 1933. The portable Royal came in several variants of the “Quiet DeLuxe” including this model A. The model has the serial number A373262, dating it to 1933. The typewriter has a four row QWERTY keyboard with right and left shift keys and variable touch control.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
ME.334269
catalog number
334269
accession number
308487
serial number
A373262

Samuel W. Francis Typewriter Patent Model

Samuel Ward Francis of New York, New York received patent number 18,504 on October 27, 1857 for this printing-machine patent model. The model has a light wooden frame with four piano keys, and a metal platen carriage system.
Description
Samuel Ward Francis of New York, New York received patent number 18,504 on October 27, 1857 for this printing-machine patent model. The model has a light wooden frame with four piano keys, and a metal platen carriage system. Samuel Francis made several attempts at an early typewriter prototypes, and held several patents (see object ME*180060) for early printing machines. This patent was related to the circular arrangement of the type hammers that allowed them to strike in the same place. Additionally, the patent covered the paper carrier moving by spring and catch so that paper would move whenever a letter on the key has been struck allowing for a continuous printing line.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1857-10-27
1857
patent date
1857-10-27
transfer
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
maker
Francis, Samuel Ward
ID Number
ME.251215
catalog number
251215
accession number
48865
patent number
18504

Blickensderfer No. 5 Typewriter

This Blickensderfer Moderl number 5 typewriter was manufactured by the Blickensderfer Manufacturing Compmany of Stamford, Connecticut between 1893 and 1896.
Description
This Blickensderfer Moderl number 5 typewriter was manufactured by the Blickensderfer Manufacturing Compmany of Stamford, Connecticut between 1893 and 1896. The Blickensderfer was advertised as having one quarter of the parts that other typewriters used, allowing for easier operation, maintenance, and repair. Other features include a tabulator and a scaled with slots for carriage stops. Blickensderfer typewriters also had a patented type action using their patented “type wheel,” a metal wheel containing all the characters which would rotate and strike the paper to create the inked mark. The type wheel allowed for easier type alignment, less jamming, and an easier way to change type fonts. The simplicity of the Blickensderfer made it portable, and this model had a wooden cover with a leather handle for easy carrying. While QWERTY keyboards could be ordered, by default most Blickensderfer typewriters eschewed the QWERTY keyboard in favor of a “Scientific” keyboard that put the most used letters “D, H, I, A, T, E, N, S, O, and R” on the bottom row nearest the space bar to minimize hand movement.
George C. Blickensderfer founded the Blickensderfer Manufacturing Company in Stamford, Connecticut in 1893. The Blickensderfer Manufacturing Company produced nine different models of typewriters, including an electric typewriter, and operated until George Blickenderfer’s death in 1917. The company was reformed as the Blick Typewriter Company for a few years before the Blickensderfer patents and designs were sold and manufactured by a variety of different companies.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1894 - 1897
maker
Blickensderfer Manufacturing Company
ID Number
ME.334777
catalog number
334777
accession number
314637

“Double Pigeon” Model DHY Typewriter

This is a “Double Pigeon” Model DHY typewriter that was manufactured by the Shanghai Calculator and Typewriter Manufacturing Works of Shanghai, China around 1974. The typewriter is made to print Chinese characters.
Description
This is a “Double Pigeon” Model DHY typewriter that was manufactured by the Shanghai Calculator and Typewriter Manufacturing Works of Shanghai, China around 1974. The typewriter is made to print Chinese characters. The character is selected, inked, and printed by the machine, in a somewhat tedious process due to the 2,500 characters available and the fact that each typist could change the organization of the type tray to fit their writing style, varying the organization from machine to machine. Other character sets can be placed in the machine, allowing it to print over 7,000 unique characters. The typewriter was acquired to be displayed in the bicentennial exhibit "A Nation of Nations."
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1974-1975
maker
Shanghai Calculator & Typewriter Manufacturing Works
ID Number
ME.334953
catalog number
334953
accession number
320831
serial number
717967

Smith-Corona Classic 12 Typewriter

The Smith-Corona Classic 12 portable typewriter was manufactured by Smith Corona Marchant during the 1960s.
Description
The Smith-Corona Classic 12 portable typewriter was manufactured by Smith Corona Marchant during the 1960s. The typewriter came in a carrying case and was billed as “The World’s Most Advanced Standard Portable Typewriters.” It is an electric typewriter with a manual carriage return. The Classic 12 had a 12-inch carriage, with a “half space” and “power space” key, as well as a touch selector to toggle between light, medium, and heavy key strikers.
The success of the Standard Typewriter Company’s Corona model typewriter prompted the company to change its named to the Corona Typewriting Company in 1914. In 1926 the company joined with the L. C. Smith & Brothers Typewriting company to become Smith-Corona. Smith-Corona manufactured typewriters and typewriter accessories throughout the 20th century, becoming Smith Corona Marchant in 1958. After two bankruptcies, Smith-Corona returned to operation in 2010 as a thermal paper manufacturing company.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
1994.0189.01
catalog number
1994.0189.01
accession number
1994.0189

Franklin Typewriter

This Franklin typewriter was manufactured by the Franklin Typewriter Company of New York, New York around 1898. The design for the Franklin typewriter was patented by Wellington P. Kidder, receiving patent number 464,504 on December 8, 1891.
Description
This Franklin typewriter was manufactured by the Franklin Typewriter Company of New York, New York around 1898. The design for the Franklin typewriter was patented by Wellington P. Kidder, receiving patent number 464,504 on December 8, 1891. The main feature of the Franklin typewriter was a series of radial type-bars that carried a plurality of types. The curved Franklin keyboard remains one of its most distinctive features.
The Tilton Manufacturing Company of Boston, Massachusetts was originally assigned patents to both the Victor Index Typewriter (invented by Arthur Jacobs in 1889) and the Franklin typewriter (invented by Wellington Kidder in 1891). Eventually, both these typewriters were sold by their own companies, with Victor staying in Boston and the Franklin Typewriter Company moving to New York. The Franklin Typewriter Company began producing Franklin Typewriters in 1892, releasing numerous models before the company went bankrupt in 1904. This typewriter is similar in style to models 7 and 8, produced from 1898 until 1904.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1898
maker
Franklin Manufacturing Company
ID Number
ME.318462
catalog number
318462
accession number
235473

Ideal Polyglott Typewriter

This is an Ideal Polyglott typewriter that was produced by Seidel and Naumann A.G. of Dresden, Germany between 1902 and 1913. The Ideal typewriter was patented by E. E. Barney and Frank Tanner, but production occurred in Dresden, German, beginning in 1900.
Description
This is an Ideal Polyglott typewriter that was produced by Seidel and Naumann A.G. of Dresden, Germany between 1902 and 1913. The Ideal typewriter was patented by E. E. Barney and Frank Tanner, but production occurred in Dresden, German, beginning in 1900. In 1902 Max Klaczko of Riga, Russia received a patent in Great Britain for an improvement in typewriting machines, allowing for two different languages to be printed with one key, doing away with changing typefaces or switching machines. This patent was incorporated into Seidel and Naumann’s typewriter, hence the name Polyglott (many tongues).
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Seidel and Naumann AG
ID Number
ME.321693
catalog number
321693
accession number
245476
serial number
94003

IBM Electromatic

This electric typewriter was manufactured by the International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation around 1935. IBM purchased Electromatic Typewriters, Inc. in 1933, taking over its Rochester, New York factory.
Description
This electric typewriter was manufactured by the International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation around 1935. IBM purchased Electromatic Typewriters, Inc. in 1933, taking over its Rochester, New York factory. After a variety of improvements IBM issued the IBM Electric Typewriter Model 01 in 1935. The innovation of electric typewriters was that each type bar hit the paper with the same force, and that force was more powerful than manual typewriters. This was especially useful in business situations as multiple carbon copies could be produced. IBM continued producing typewriters, including the very popular Selectric model, throughout the 20th century until 1990.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1948
ca 1948
maker
International Business Machines Corp.
ID Number
ME.336753
catalog number
336753
accession number
1978.2227
serial number
156065

Victor Index Typewriter

This Victor index typewriter was manufactured by the Tilton Manufacturing Company of Boston, Massachusetts around 1889. The typewriter lacks a keyboard, and is called an “index” typewriter because you used your index finger to select the letters.
Description
This Victor index typewriter was manufactured by the Tilton Manufacturing Company of Boston, Massachusetts around 1889. The typewriter lacks a keyboard, and is called an “index” typewriter because you used your index finger to select the letters. Bringing the selector over the character on the letter plate rotates the daisy wheel to the corresponding character. Pressing the inner left-hand key swung the hammer to strike the character, imprinting the type on the paper. The far left hand key served as the space bar. The daisy wheel went on to be used in typewriters and printers in the 1970s and 1980s. The black metal body of the typewriter notes that the typewriter contains two patents, patented on August 13, 1889 and August 20, 1889. These corresponded to patent number 409128 and patent number 409289, patented by Charles E. Tilton and Arthur I. Jacobs, respectively. Jacobs assigned his patent to the Tilton Manufacturing Company while it was still located in Portland, Maine. The typewriter is contained in a wooden carrying case.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
ME.313694
catalog number
313694
accession number
192508

Hall Index Typewriter

Thomas Hall was awarded patent number 238,387 on March 1, 1881 for his “Type-Writer” design represented in this typewriter. The Hall Typewriter was manufactured by the Hall Typewriter Company of New York, New York, beginning in 1881.
Description
Thomas Hall was awarded patent number 238,387 on March 1, 1881 for his “Type-Writer” design represented in this typewriter. The Hall Typewriter was manufactured by the Hall Typewriter Company of New York, New York, beginning in 1881. The company moved from New York to Salem in 1887, then Boston in 1889, producing a similar model typewriter in all three locations. This Salem variant of the Hall index typewriter began to be produced in 1887. Index typewriters have no keyboard—the characters are selected by a pointer system. In the Hall index typewriter each hole on the grid corresponds to a character, pushing the key through the hole imprints the letter on the page and shifts the page over one space. This typewriter is contained in a wooden carrying case, with a metal handle and a metal plaque that bears the image of a feather with the inscription “HALL TYPE WRITER Co./TRADEMARK/SALEM, MASS.”
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Hall Typewriter Co.
ID Number
ME.314603
catalog number
314603
accession number
205421

Fox Portable No. 1 Typewriter

The Portable No. 1 typewriter (also known as the Baby Fox) was produced by the Fox Typewriter Company of Grand Rapids, Michigan beginning in 1917. The typewriter carriage collapsed behind the body of the typewriter, becoming flat and easily portable.
Description
The Portable No. 1 typewriter (also known as the Baby Fox) was produced by the Fox Typewriter Company of Grand Rapids, Michigan beginning in 1917. The typewriter carriage collapsed behind the body of the typewriter, becoming flat and easily portable. The QWERTY keyboard has glass topped keys with a wooden space bar.
The Fox Typewriter Company was founded in 1902 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The company originally produced blind upstriking typewriters before producing a visible typewriter in 1906. World War I created a lack of materials that led many typewriter companies to cease manufacture during this time. The President of the Fox Typewriter Company, William R. Fox, returned to the Fox Machine Company in 1915, but a new Fox Typewriter Company was founded later in the year, buying the company’s patents and factory. The new Fox Typewriter Company produced the Fox portable in 1917 before declaring bankruptcy in 1921.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1917
ID Number
1985.0653.01
accession number
1985.0653
catalog number
1985.0653.01
accession number
1985.0653

Blickensderfer No. 6 Portable Typewriter

This is the case for the Blickensder No. 6 typewriter. The Blickensderfer typewriter No. 6 was manufactured by the Blickensderfer Manufacturing Company of Stamford, Connecticut from 1910 to around 1928. The Blickenderfer No. 6 was essentially the Blickensderfer No.
Description
This is the case for the Blickensder No. 6 typewriter. The Blickensderfer typewriter No. 6 was manufactured by the Blickensderfer Manufacturing Company of Stamford, Connecticut from 1910 to around 1928. The Blickenderfer No. 6 was essentially the Blickensderfer No. 5 in an aluminum frame, and could be ordered with either a standard QWERTY keyboard or a DHIATENSOR keyboard. Blickensderfer called the latter their “scientific” keyboard because the most used letters—“D, H, I, A, T, E, N, S, O, and R”—were on the bottom row nearest the space bar to minimize necessary hand movement. The aluminum frame of the No. 6 made it exceptionally portable, weighing only 5 pounds, and came in a leatherette case for easy carrying, seen here.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
1895
maker
Blickensderfer Manufacturing Company
ID Number
ME.310701.B
catalog number
310701.B
accession number
125450

Corona Typewriter

This is a Corona Special typewriter that was manufactured by the L. C. Smith Corona Company during the 1920s. The Corona Special came in a variety of different colors besides gold including lavender, light maroon, channel blue, mountain ash scarlet, cream, and bruce green.
Description
This is a Corona Special typewriter that was manufactured by the L. C. Smith Corona Company during the 1920s. The Corona Special came in a variety of different colors besides gold including lavender, light maroon, channel blue, mountain ash scarlet, cream, and bruce green. The typewriter had a three-row QWERTY keyboard, and the typewriter’s carriage could fold down onto the keyboard making it compact and portable.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1920 - 1941
maker
L. C. Smith & Corona Typewriters Inc.
ID Number
ME.334780
catalog number
334780
accession number
314637
serial number
x646413

Hammond Multiplex Typewriter

This Hammond Multiplex typewriter was manufactured by the Hammond Typewriter Company of New York beginning in 1913. The typewriter uses Hammond’s patented type-shuttle and hammer typing mechanism.
Description
This Hammond Multiplex typewriter was manufactured by the Hammond Typewriter Company of New York beginning in 1913. The typewriter uses Hammond’s patented type-shuttle and hammer typing mechanism. The type shuttle is a curved piece of rubber/metal that rotates when the key is pressed to bring up the correct character. The printing is done by a hammer in the back of the machine striking the type-shuttle in the front of the machine, with the paper and ink ribbon in between to receive the impression. The typewriter is called a Multiplex because the typewriter contains two type shuttles in its central “turret” that can easily be rotated into use, allowing the typing of two complete alphabets in different typesets on each machine. The keyboard is in a three row QWERTY array.
James Bartlett Hammond filed patents for his type-shuttle and hammer typing mechanism present in Hammond typewriters in 1879, receiving patent number 224088 on February 3rd, 1880 and patent number 232402 September 21st, 1880. The Hammond Typewriter Company was founded in 1880, and produced its first machine by 1884, winning a gold medal at the New Orleans Centennial Exposition that same year. The Hammond Typewriter touted its superior strength and durability due to its unique type-shuttle and hammer typing mechanism. The replaceable type-shuttle also contributed to the Hammond’s popularity with the ability to print in a variety of typesets in various sizes, including math formulae, special symbols, and foreign characters with an easy replacement of the type shuttle, or an even simpler rotation of a wheel in the Hammond Multiplex.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
ME.334776
catalog number
334776
accession number
314637
serial number
AL 218262

Harris Visible Typewriter No. 4

This Harris Visible Typewriter No. 4 was produced by the Harris Typewriter Manufacturing Company of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, beginning in 1912 until around 1918. DeWitt C.
Description
This Harris Visible Typewriter No. 4 was produced by the Harris Typewriter Manufacturing Company of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, beginning in 1912 until around 1918. DeWitt C. Harris submitted a patent application on April 15, 1912 for improvements to a front-striking visible typewriter. The patent was granted patent number 1,115,311 on October 27, 1914 and mainly concerned the machine’s ease of assembly and repair. The patent described a typewriter with upper and lower actions that can be tested before the machine is fully assembled into the main metal frame of the typewriter. The three-bank keyboard is in the QWERTY layout, with left and right shift keys, shift lock, tabulator, back spacer, and marginal release. It has an 11-inch carriage and writes a line 9-inches long. While this model is Number 4, model numbers one through three never sold at retail and were likely early Harris prototypes. The Harris typewriter attempted to undercut the market, claiming to have all the features of a $100.00 machine, but selling for $39.80.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Harris Typewriter Manufacturing Company
ID Number
ME.314854
catalog number
314854
accession number
211302

Smith-Corona Marchant Electra Typewriter

This Electra brand typewriter was manufactured by the Smith-Corona Marchant Corporation during the 1960s. This Electra is an electric typewriter with a Dvorak keyboard layout. The popular QWERTY keyboard layout was invented primarily to prevent jams of the type bar.
Description
This Electra brand typewriter was manufactured by the Smith-Corona Marchant Corporation during the 1960s. This Electra is an electric typewriter with a Dvorak keyboard layout. The popular QWERTY keyboard layout was invented primarily to prevent jams of the type bar. The original keyboard layout was alphabetical and led to often-typed letter combinations jamming the typewriter. Moving these keys to different rows solved this jamming issue. When the Remington No. 2 became popular in 1878 with the QWERTY layout, it began to become an industry standard. The unscientific nature of this layout has led to several variants being developed in an effort to increase typing speed and typist comfort. The Dvorak keyboard was developed by August Dvorak in 1932, placing the most commonly used letters and digraphs on the middle “home” row, with all the vowels on the left. The QWERTY layout requires typists to move their fingers to the upper row, while the Dvorak layout results in 70% of keystrokes occurring on the home row (compared to 32% on QWERTY), reducing hand movement and increasing typing speed.
The success of the Standard Typewriter Company’s Corona model typewriter prompted the company to change its named to the Corona Typewriting Company in 1914. In 1926 the company joined with the L. C. Smith & Brothers Typewriting company to become Smith-Corona. Smith-Corona manufactured typewriters and typewriter accessories throughout the 20th century, becoming Smith Corona Marchant in 1958. After two bankruptcies, Smith-Corona returned to operation in 2010 as a thermal paper manufacturing company.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
1994.0237.01
catalog number
1994.0237.01
accession number
1994.0237

Demountable Typewriter

This is a Demountable typewriter that was manufactured by the Demountable Typewriter Company of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin during the 1920s. The Demountable was designed by DeWitt Clinton Harris who had previously brought the Harris Visible and the Rex Visible typewriters to market.
Description
This is a Demountable typewriter that was manufactured by the Demountable Typewriter Company of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin during the 1920s. The Demountable was designed by DeWitt Clinton Harris who had previously brought the Harris Visible and the Rex Visible typewriters to market. The Demountable bears a strong resemblance to these previous typewriters, but as the name suggests, the Demountable can be separated into three main components without the use of any tools. The Demountable could be separated into the frame unit, carriage unit, and the action unit, allowing for the replacement of parts as the type bars or platen wore out as well as allowing the use of different carriage lengths without having to buy a totally new machine.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Demountable Typewriter Company
ID Number
ME.334783
catalog number
334783
accession number
314637
serial number
125806

Fox No. 3 Typewriter

This Fox No. 3 Typewriter was manufactured by the Fox Typewriter Company of Grand Rapids, Michigan during the early 1900s. Fox No. 3 is an upstriking machines, with a three row QWERTY keyboard with a fourth top row containing the machine’s number and symbols.
Description
This Fox No. 3 Typewriter was manufactured by the Fox Typewriter Company of Grand Rapids, Michigan during the early 1900s. Fox No. 3 is an upstriking machines, with a three row QWERTY keyboard with a fourth top row containing the machine’s number and symbols. The disadvantage of the upstriking machine is that the carriage had to be lifted up for the typist to view her work, slowing the typing process down and obscuring errors.
The Fox Typewriter Company was founded in 1902 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Fox Typewriter Company was an offspring of the Fox Machine Company, originally produced blind upstriking typewriters before producing a visible typewriter in 1906. World War I created uneasiness in the typewriter market, leading many companies to cease manufacture. The President of the Fox Typewriter Company, William R. Fox, returned to the Fox Machine Company in 1915, but a new Fox Typewriter Company was founded later in the year, buying the company’s patents and factory. The new Fox Typewriter Company produced the Fox portable in 1917 before declaring bankruptcy in 1921.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1904
maker
Fox Typewriter Company, Ltd.
ID Number
ME.315311
catalog number
315311
accession number
219759
serial number
7424

George W. N. Yost Typewriter Patent Model

This typewriter patent model accompanied George W.N. Yost’s patent application that received patent number 313,973 on March 17, 1885.
Description
This typewriter patent model accompanied George W.N. Yost’s patent application that received patent number 313,973 on March 17, 1885. The patent covered a variety of improvements to typewriters, including a platen and carriage adapted for regulating line and letter spacing, and a bell ringing on the carriage return.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1885
patent date
1885-03-17
inventor
Yost, George W. N.
ID Number
ME.308633
catalog number
308633
patent number
313,973
313,973
accession number
89797

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