THE TYPEWRITER’S LOVE LETTER
Who better than Janice Vangool, editor of the appropriately-named Uppercase magazine, to produce a fun and fact-filled history of the typewriter? The Typewriter: A Graphic History of the Beloved Machine (UPPERCASE publishing) is filled with facts, photos,
Typewriting protocol (pullout book) The handbook, titled “How to be a super-secretary,” offers a range of etiquette tips and ideas for working women that is rife with sexist language and is frequently hilarious. For example, on appropriate dress for the office, ladies should find the balance between “ultra-extreme” and “over casual” and avoid elaborate makeup and hairstyles. A two-page quiz encourages secretaries to rate their performance in 13 categories and then to check it again six months later. An extensive list of boss pet peeves includes admonitions against “chewing gum” and “swearing (this should be the boss’s privilege).”
Pretty in pink The 1950s heralded a new age in design and colour for cars and household appliances. Typewriters were no exception, with new hues designed based on the alleged female preference for soft and warm colours, including the model pictured. Out went industrial greys and blacks and in came pink, mint, yellow and turquoise. Typewriters also became more streamlined in design with sharp edges replaced by rounded ones.
Keyboard basics
One of the earliest examples of a typewriter keyboard shows a design that competed with and eventually prevailed over rival designs to become the standard for typewriter and computer keyboards in the modern era. Note that in the interest of economy, the keyboard in the picture does not include a key for the number 1, instead relying on uppercase I or a lowercase l. Other machines at the time omitted the numbers 1 and 0 for the same reason.
Origins of the office pool A lantern slide shows a typical scene in a secretarial pool busily working away in a crowded office space in Vienna circa 1910. Note that the women are all well covered in the conservative dress of the day and wear their hair pinned up. The slide has been hand-painted to add colour to their cheeks. Two images on the right hand side of page portray two stereotypical examples of secretaries with demure smiles and fashionable dress.
Early advertisements
As women began to enter the workforce in ever greater numbers, an array of post cards from the early 20th century demonstrate the issue of office romance in ways ranging from gently humorous to downright lecherous. The underlying message is that men are in charge in the workplace and may or may not take liberties while women may be objects of attraction but are always subordinate.
Beauty in the first machines Two early typewriters, the Crandall by the Crandall Machine Company of Groton, New York and the Yost from Paris demonstrate the vast differences in design, both functional and esthetic, that were found in the earliest models. The Crandall, for example, has a floral inlay above a keyboard of 28 keys and space bar. The Yost is far more complicated, with separate keys for uppercase (black) and lowercase (white) and no ornamentation. Advertisement copy provides examples of how language has changed since the 1880s.
Modern multi-tasker
One of the most important innovations in the history of the machines was the advent of electric typewriters. IBM was a leader in the field, promoting a model that required far less “finger-effort,” allowing for greater speed and also higher productivity. The automatic return feature was also promoted as a time saver. “Typing gets done so fast, secretaries have more time for other work,” notes the IBM advertisement.
Ribbons: A necessary accoutrement for every machine, typewriter ribbons came in a variety of types and materials over the decades. That’s equally true of the boxes they came in. After the Second World War, ribbons were made from nylon, polyester and rayon rather than silk, which could hold more ink and was considered to provide a better printed image on the page. Note the clever matchbook advertising Ultimo ribbons which came with tiny wooden splints and glue which secretaries could use to repair runs in their stockings.