THERE’S something stylish about a typewriter on display. On recent trips to Turin and Amsterdam, I’ve seen some beautiful typewriters in a hotel reception and in a bar. The typewriter has similar status to Singer sewing machines when it comes to attractive nostalgic decor.
Sleek, bulky, plain, robust, cool, elegant: the typewriter comes in a variety of styles.
Essential to offices from the 1950s through to the early 1990s, the busy tapping sound of keys stamping ink onto paper was common… there was even a ding when you returned the carriage.
Yep, I also have a typewriter… a working typewriter! It’s a decorative feature but I did test it out a few weeks ago. I managed to type four sentences before giving up: my fingers felt like they were doing a tough gym workout, the poor alignment may have suggested I was under the influence of alcohol and four sentences for ten minutes worth of work is downright embarrassing! The funny thing is that I did typing as a subject at school back in 1984. My typewriter and evidence of my poor attempt are featured at the end of this post.
We’ve been spoiled: the typewriter is an excellent machine but we’re now spoiled with computers with softer keys, spellcheckers, a delete button and quick instant editing… no need for Tipp-Ex, ribbon (ink) or dictionaries.
One thing the typewriter did was give us the opportunity to practise scrunching-up that letter which couldn’t be corrected and shooting it basketball style into the waste paper bin. I was one of those who silently screamed “YES” each time my scrunched-up mistake landed straight inside the waste paper bin when launched.
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The Freeman Hardy Willis shoebox – Mr Kipling: The master baker and the tale of Sandra the nosey parker! – Making and consuming Angel Delight by Mrs Dolly Enright – Cadbury’s Milk Tray … all because the lady loves Milk Tray – Lucozade: In sickness and health – enthusiastic advice from general practitioner Davis J Daniels – Wall’s Ice Cream: Keeping cool during the scorching hot summer – Beanz Meanz Heinz – Grandstand or World or Sport? Sport rules on Saturday afternoon – How to win at Monopoly: The cheat sheet – Smash Hits: Lester Drake talks to the bitch with the notepad – The name is Vic: held captive by the Vic 20 home computer – The Raleigh Chopper: stretching the imagination – Ready Brek: central – heating for Harry – My preferred choice of weapon by Mrs J Hastings – Ian’s survival plan whilst at Grange Hill – The Allegro, the Ambassador, Sel the mechanic and Castrol motor oil – The Ford Capri: a short tale of a regretful taxi driver – The Green Cross Code Man – the helpless gent – John Stoneyleigh-Smith is the voice of Access – Your flexible friend – A brief history of British Telecom told by Eastender Scott Manning – Matey to the rescue – The big clean-up with Judy Jacobson – Brut aftershave: Homme de France with attitude – Maxwell House coffee
Get yours here: Section N Underpass: the fun retro book of great brands and entertainment from the 70s and 80s
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