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Charles Spiro, the New York watchmaker, invented the Bar-Lock. He had previously invented the beautiful Columbia Index typewriter.

The prominent ornate copper shield covers the type bars that stand vertically behind. The type bars swing down to the top of the platen to print. Just before the type bars strike they encounter a small semi-circle of metal pins that insure the type bars are aligned. Supposedly these pins reduce the clashing of the type bars as well, but they seem to have little if any effect on the matter. This typewriter gets its name from these locking pins.

This is a visible typewriter, seeing as you typed, as long as one sat up straight to see over the ornate curved shield.

This typewriter sold for $100.

© , Martin Howard