Beautiful Spanish Underwood 5 Typewriter. USA, 1919

Beautiful antique Spanish Underwood 5 typewriter, made in the USA in 1919 and in very good condition. This typewriter has always belonged to the same family and currently looks as fine as we can appreciate in the photographs. It is also in perfect working order and types with clear and visible lettering. The typewriter bears a rear inscription indicating it was manufactured in the USA, though it was designed for the Spanish market. The keyboard includes the Ñ letter and the indications are in Spanish too. It is a really antique piece: the serial number 1999007-5 reveals it was made in 1919. The typewriters black cast-iron body preserves the original enameled finish in fine condition. The golden decorative lines and the Underwood decals located over the carriage and the keyboard are also wonderfully preserved: the golden lettering remains in perfect condition. The keyboard is composed of white circular pieces with the classic nickel-plated reinforcement rings. They are greatly preserved and show no stains or worn parts. The typewriters body has rear and side openings that make it lighter and let us see the intricate mechanism that makes it work. This beautiful antique Spanish Underwoo 5 typewriter will stand out as a decorative ancient piece in any place, and can be used to type documents too.Underwood Typewriters History The Underwood Typewriter Company was founded in 1895 by John T. Underwood. The family business made typewriter ribbon and carbon paper from 1874, but when some of their clients (such as famous Remington brand) started making their own supplies, they considered starting to manufacture typewriters. The first model produced was a design by Franz Xavier Wagner who showed it to J. T. Underwood: then, the Underwood No. 1 was born. The Underwood No. 5 launched in 1900 has been described as "the first truly modern typewriter". Two million had been sold by the early 1920s, and its sales were equal in quantity to all of the other firms in the typewriter industry combined. In 1959, Olivetti bought a controlling interest in Underwood and completed the merger in October 1963, becoming known in the US as Olivetti-Underwood with headquarters in New York City, and entering the electromechanical calculator business. The Underwood name last appeared on Olivetti portable typewriters produced in Spain in the 80s.