1911 Underwood 5 #374823
Status: My Collection
Hunter: Plante and Doole-Fisher Typewriters (venneburgtypewriters)
Created: 03-06-2018 at 12:01PM
Last Edit: 03-06-2018 at 12:18PM
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Description:
There is a bit of a sad story attached to this typewriter. This Underwood No.5 was promised to me by a friend, as his mother was cleaning her house for Christmas 2013, and she came across it, She remembered that I collected typewriters and my friend said she'd give it to me. However, because the holidays became very busy, the typewriter was forgotten and we started the new year. Unfortunately, my friend's mother developed pneumonia in the winter of 2013 (she was 91 years old) and passed away in March of that year. I expected the typewriter would go into her estate. However, in April, it ended up on my doorstep.
Turning towards the typewriter, this No.5 is in surprisingly good cosmetic and mechanical shape. The carriage was off when I first got it which took some tinkering before that was working the way it should, and the typewriter had sat on it's type-bar leavers underneath the machine for a lengthy amount of time, which had bend the center bars. The keys would therefor stick horribly, but oil would not fix this issue. It took me a long time to resolve this issue, by slowly bending the bars back into place. But as of now, that has all been fixed. This typewriter types very nicely, and has a great feel too it. I use two sheets of paper when typing as the platen is hard, but not pitted or cracked. The type-face is Pica 10, with a distinct chip in it's lower-case "E". Mechanically, the typewriter is sound, except for a broken part on the left margin which I will find a replacement for. Cosmetically it is also in very good condition, probably due to the fact that someone varnished everything a long time ago. The varnish has changed the color of the decals somewhat but it also has assisted in their survival. But it is a pleasure to use it for sure.
The No.5 Underwoods are among my favourite typewriters, and again this one does not disappoint. (I have owned 5 5's, and all of them have been absolutely joyous.) For being well over 100 years old, this machine surprisingly can type like there is no tomorrow. No wonder this machine has been such an important part of typewriter history.
- Dirk
Typeface Specimen:
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Hunter: Plante and Doole-Fisher Typewriters (venneburgtypewriters)
Plante and Doole-Fisher Typewriters's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]
Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 2501
This gallery represents the machines owned by good friends Dirk Plante and Sean Doole, who reside in British Columbia, Canada. Together they have established Venneburg Typewriters, a partnership that to date has seen over 400 typewriters since 2009. Here you will find the machines that are currently still in possession or that have come and gone since December 2017.
***As of July 2020, this collection now also represents pieces from the collection of Troy Krahn!
RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Underwood 5 on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Underwood Serial Number page and the Underwood 5 By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.
