notable typewriters

These typewriters, from the collection, all mark their place in history by having new and notable design features.

Select the typewriter images to see more.

Photograph of the Stenograph 1, 1st form, small file.

Stenograph 1

First machine for typing shorthand – 1879

Photograph of the Hammonia typewriter, small file.

Hammonia

First European typewriter – 1884

Picture of the Hall 1 typewriter, small file.

Hall 1

First index typewriter (no keyboard) and the world’s first portable – 1881

Photograph of the Crandall 1 typewriter, small file.

Crandall 1

First typewriter to use a single type element instead of type bars – 1883

Photograph of the Columbia 1 typewriter, small file.

Columbia 1

One of the first typewriters to have proportional spacing – 1885

Photograph of the Victor typewriter, small file.

Victor

First typewriter to use a daisy wheel – 1889

Photograph of the McLoughlin Brothers typewriter, small file.

McLoughlin Brothers

One of the first typewriters to be marketed for children as well as adults – 1890

Straight on view of the Blickensderfer 5 typewriter (small).

Blickensderfer 5

First portable, keyboard, typewriter – 1893

Photograph of the Daugherty typewriter, small file.

Daugherty

First typewriter to have the three design elements that would define the modern typewriter – 1894

Ford typewriter, small file.

Ford

First typewriter to use the new metal, aluminum, in its construction – 1895

Photograph of the Underwood 1 typewriter, small file.

Underwood 1

The typewriter that set the standard for the 20th century – 1896

Photograph of the Hall 1 Braille-writer, small file.

Hall Braille-writer 1

First successful mechanical point writer for the blind – 1892

Rapid,-lightbox

Rapid 

First typewriter to have the lateral thrust type bar design – 1890

Front view of the Diskret typewriter from 1899.

Diskret

This intriguing typewriter was able to type a cyphered message by offsetting one of two concentric index discs