Sunday, September 25, 2016

Corona Four serial number H311516

The carrying case was cleaned earlier. The typewriter itself is now mostly clean also with the keys polished and the ribbon-spool-covers newly painted.



This is a British machine with the there common wondrous wealth of fractions on the keyboard. Mention of the Corona Typewriter Company address in London at Aldwych House, WC2. Patents still pending according to the label.

All this makes it likely it is an English typewriter that was sold in Britain, typewriters for the Dutch market would have had a 'Dutch' international keyboard. That it's British is a bit unusual, as the original owner was said by the seller to be Dutch. Then again not impossible for him to have been in England in the twenties. Though it was suggested by the seller he'd kept this machine with him during his imprisonment, that strikes me as unlikely.

History.

Back to the typewriter: Some detail views of the carriage. It is very similar to the Corona 3 carriage - not very 'tight' in its rails, but light-running and comfortable in use.




The serial number in the machine frame H311516. From the information in The Database, the machine was made sometime in the summer of 1925.


As per standard Corona practice, the serial number is also scratched by hand in the carriage.


The typeface with the opportunity to keep an account precise to eighths of a penny.



The rubber of the machine still needs seeing to - it is rock solid and makes for a very loud machine. Other than that it is fully functional and ready for use!

7 comments:

  1. New platen rubber! it really makes these machines sing (:

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    1. Now there's a thought - currently it's more percussion instrument ;-)

      Thought an RP2 would be first for me (have a spare platen), but this 4 is just nice. Can do feet and typebar rest myself, but would need to source new platen.
      Hmmm. Now where to get this done... (at this side of the pond).

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    2. ABKLongs in the Netherlands makes rubber platens for printing presses. Perhaps also for typewriters? Be sure that you know which size you want for your platen. Fortunately this information is obtainable in the TWDB: library -> age listst -> the Liste der Herstellungsdaten 1941 gives the Walzdurchmesse.
      En om drietalig te worden: succes ermee, ik ben benieuwd. Als het kan via ABK dan ga ik het misschien ook eens proberen.

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    3. Sorry, the firm is AKB Longs (in Zoetermeer).

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    4. May give it a try - admit I'm a bit nervous about sending off an irreplaceable part to be worked on. En natuurlijk of dit in liefhebberij-bereik blijft met de kosten.

      Om nog taal er bij te doen: tige betige :)

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    5. What do you think of max € 64? Mail me if you want more information.

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    6. Da's nog in proportie. Zal eens kijken bij ABK :)

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