Columbia No. 2 Typewriter
Columbia No. 2 Typewriter
Usage conditions apply
- Description
- This Columbia No. 2 typewriter was manufactured by the Columbia Typewriter Company of New York after 1886. The typewriter was invented by Charles Spiro, and covered by patent number 322,989 and 335,392. The Columbia typewriter was an index typewriter, meaning that the letters were selected with a pointer, manipulated by the index finger, and imprinted by pressing another key. The absence of the keyboard made the typewriter simpler to operate, but sacrificed speed and efficiency. The machine also had variable spacing, allowing each letter to take up a varying amount of space, for instance, an “I” take up less space than an “M.”
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- typewriter
- Other Terms
- typewriter; Manual
- date made
- ca 1890
- maker
- Columbia Typewriter Co.
- Measurements
- overall: 6 1/4 in x 13 3/8 in x 4 1/4 in; 15.875 cm x 33.9725 cm x 10.795 cm
- ID Number
- ME.326233
- catalog number
- 326233
- accession number
- 257824
- Credit Line
- George C. Spiro
- See more items in
- Work and Industry: Mechanisms
- Typewriters
- Computers & Business Machines
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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