Historic Underwood Typewriter No. 5 Very Well Preserved. USA, 1908

This elegant typewriter is a real classic in the field of office antiques. It is an Underwood Nº5, a machine that became hugely popular in the first half of the 20th century: a timeless design for its solid design and reliability. This beautiful piece is in very good condition, having been revised and fine-tuned so it can be used. It works fine. The body is made of black-enameled cast iron with side and rear openings that let us see the intricate mechanism. The finish also preserves the original golden decorative lines and decals. Underwood typewriters were made and commercialized by the Underwood Typewriter Company located in New York. This company was the first in manufacturing reliable and modern typewriters. The first design was developed by Franz Xaver Wagner who showed it to entrepreneur John T. Underwood. The businessman was able to recognize the designs potential and started a company to produce it. After the launching of models 1 and 2, in 1900 appeared the Underwood Nº5, the first truly modern typewriter. In 1920 two million units had already been sold. This particular typewriter is a very remarkable piece because of its ancient age and good condition. At the front side, over the keyboard we can see the word UNDERWOOD flanked by two golden shields. At the back there is an inscription with the companys name and a long list of patents. Last but not least, the keyboard is composed of circular white keys with black symbols and nickel-plated reinforcement rings. It is complete and works wonderfully. Full of history and with a great decorative potential, this antique typewriter will provide any study or living room with a touch of class.