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1927 Underwood Portable 4 Bank Serial # 4B 86580 1927 Underwood Portable 4 Bank typewriter, Serial # 4B 86580 James Grooms's 1927 Underwood Portable 4 Bank typewriter. 2026-02-02 From the Virtual Typewriter Collection of James Grooms: 1927 Underwood Portable 4 Bank Serial # 4B 86580 When was the four bank introduced? Here is Ted's main page side bar:
"At least one example of Portable 4-Bank known with serial number in 17k range, which suggests that production actually started at serial #1, as was done with other Underwood series at the time. Marketing for 4-Bank appears to start in mid-1926, so it seems reasonable that manufacturing could have begun earlier in 1926. In this case, the missing serials 1-17999 were probably made in 1926. If it were known that production started in 1925, those serials *could* be 1925, but right now I feel confident that 1-17999 (if they exist, and at least one does) are 1926. Underwood age list sources always round Underwood numbers to the nearest "thousands" anyway, so there's probably a double-fistful of leeway in every reported number. Grain of Salt & all that."


The first mention, in a trade journal, is a demo test in Apr 1926. And it is noted it is not available. For good measure, it is repeated again in July (image). Were they available for sale before this? The newspaper ads support Sept 1926 when the dealers run ads for an item they have in stock. This coincides with a massive Underwood Sesquicentennial push in Oct covered by the trade journals extensively.

As late as Dec 1925, dealers were still running ads for three bank machines.

On sources, the Underwood strategy is to lean on the main feature upgrade. So this makes ad search fairly straightforward. There are no "four" or "4" bank ads before late 1926. Also, the price point helps sort this out (last image).

For what it is worth, Beeching has it as 1926. However, his SN info makes no sense. So it is likely the SN info has been confusing/conflicting from the first time anyone had an interest in it.

The gallery has been populated by misreading Ted's note in my opinion. And the next thing you know, we have "rare 1924 Four banks" in the wild.

On source evaluation. There are over 5,000 returns for "Underwood portable" across various platforms for 1925-1926!!!. It is a slam dunk that the Underwood Four bank started rolling out for demo in May/June/July of 1926. Joan's info has been proven to be unreliable on several occasions, and without access to the other footnotes, that one doesn't come close to trade and dealer primary sources.

The period context is that Corona rolled out its four bank in mid 1924. Note the SNs match the ad rollout. So Underwood has fallen behind in the marketplace. Rest assured, the reps were getting an earful from the dealers. If 18,000 machines were sitting around in 1925, the dealers would have demanded them to counter the lost sales to Corona. Instead, the Underwood dealers are two years behind before they get a four bank machine.

Underwood is also in a race with Royal's Portable (P) coming out in Q4 1926.

If you have some primary source data for a Four Bank in 1925, let's see it. See the images below for just a few of the sources mentioned here.

1927 Underwood Portable 4 Bank #4B 86580

Status: My Collection
Hunter: James Grooms (jgrooms)
Created: 04-21-2025 at 05:35PM
Last Edit: 02-02-2026 at 03:20PM

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When was the four bank introduced? Here is Ted's main page side bar:
"At least one example of Portable 4-Bank known with serial number in 17k range, which suggests that production actually started at serial #1, as was done with other Underwood series at the time. Marketing for 4-Bank appears to start in mid-1926, so it seems reasonable that manufacturing could have begun earlier in 1926. In this case, the missing serials 1-17999 were probably made in 1926. If it were known that production started in 1925, those serials *could* be 1925, but right now I feel confident that 1-17999 (if they exist, and at least one does) are 1926. Underwood age list sources always round Underwood numbers to the nearest "thousands" anyway, so there's probably a double-fistful of leeway in every reported number. Grain of Salt & all that."


The first mention, in a trade journal, is a demo test in Apr 1926. And it is noted it is not available. For good measure, it is repeated again in July (image). Were they available for sale before this? The newspaper ads support Sept 1926 when the dealers run ads for an item they have in stock. This coincides with a massive Underwood Sesquicentennial push in Oct covered by the trade journals extensively.

As late as Dec 1925, dealers were still running ads for three bank machines.

On sources, the Underwood strategy is to lean on the main feature upgrade. So this makes ad search fairly straightforward. There are no "four" or "4" bank ads before late 1926. Also, the price point helps sort this out (last image).

For what it is worth, Beeching has it as 1926. However, his SN info makes no sense. So it is likely the SN info has been confusing/conflicting from the first time anyone had an interest in it.

The gallery has been populated by misreading Ted's note in my opinion. And the next thing you know, we have "rare 1924 Four banks" in the wild.

On source evaluation. There are over 5,000 returns for "Underwood portable" across various platforms for 1925-1926!!!. It is a slam dunk that the Underwood Four bank started rolling out for demo in May/June/July of 1926. Joan's info has been proven to be unreliable on several occasions, and without access to the other footnotes, that one doesn't come close to trade and dealer primary sources.

The period context is that Corona rolled out its four bank in mid 1924. Note the SNs match the ad rollout. So Underwood has fallen behind in the marketplace. Rest assured, the reps were getting an earful from the dealers. If 18,000 machines were sitting around in 1925, the dealers would have demanded them to counter the lost sales to Corona. Instead, the Underwood dealers are two years behind before they get a four bank machine.

Underwood is also in a race with Royal's Portable (P) coming out in Q4 1926.

If you have some primary source data for a Four Bank in 1925, let's see it. See the images below for just a few of the sources mentioned here.

Typeface Specimen:

Links:

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Nov 1925 and dealers still running three bank ads. If they had the four bank, they'd run ads for it.
Nov 1925 and dealers still running three bank ads. If they had the four bank, they'd run ads for it.

Gregg Writer for June 1926. The Ms America tour with the new Four Bank machine.
Gregg Writer for June 1926. The Ms America tour with the new Four Bank machine.

Office Appliance trade journal "new" portable demo from 7/1926.
Office Appliance trade journal "new" portable demo from 7/1926.

Sept 1926 first dealer ad.
Sept 1926 first dealer ad.

Oct 1926 and the new machines have arrived in the UK.
Oct 1926 and the new machines have arrived in the UK.

First TT mention found for 1927. "New."
First TT mention found for 1927. "New."

A tip to sorting the data. The Four bank sold for $60. The Three bank for $50.
A tip to sorting the data. The Four bank sold for $60. The Three bank for $50.

Jan 1926. UK Underwood branch is doing an exhibition. They are using a Three Bank and no mention of a new machine, because it doesn't exist. This one is the smoking gun. The rest support the same thesis for 1926.
Jan 1926. UK Underwood branch is doing an exhibition. They are using a Three Bank and no mention of a new machine, because it doesn't exist. This one is the smoking gun. The rest support the same thesis for 1926.

10 / 1926 the rollout of the new Four Bank. Ms America, Underwood executives and Tangora.
10 / 1926 the rollout of the new Four Bank. Ms America, Underwood executives and Tangora.

A good example of source eval by looking at the the context your base data appears. Here we have a look at the market sitrep. Aug 1924 and the Corona four bank is a big deal.
A good example of source eval by looking at the the context your base data appears. Here we have a look at the market sitrep. Aug 1924 and the Corona four bank is a big deal.

July 1924 and now they have artwork to feature in ads. Another excellent context clue. Yes, I took Historiography and Methods.
July 1924 and now they have artwork to feature in ads. Another excellent context clue. Yes, I took Historiography and Methods.

May 1924 first found. Could be earlier.
May 1924 first found. Could be earlier.



may 1927
may 1927


Oct 1926 Philly. The big event.
Oct 1926 Philly. The big event.

Jan 1 1927 dealer ad. Looks like they might have had a machine photographed on their own.
Jan 1 1927 dealer ad. Looks like they might have had a machine photographed on their own.

Sept 1927 co op ad still calling it new.
Sept 1927 co op ad still calling it new.

The manufacturer's national ad. jan 21 1927
The manufacturer's national ad. jan 21 1927


Beeching ,1974, pg 218.
Beeching ,1974, pg 218.

ca 32 quiet model and transition out of four bank.
ca 32 quiet model and transition out of four bank.

ca 32 Junior and transition out of the four bank era.
ca 32 Junior and transition out of the four bank era.

Hunter: James Grooms (jgrooms)

James Grooms's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]

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Typewriters are the perfect blend of using one's technical skills, history and functional purpose. My goal is type tested machines. My interests are not isolated to anyone area. For example, I am a big fan of Smith Corona electrics, mid century electrics and all things Royal.


RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Underwood Portable 4 Bank on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Underwood Serial Number page and the Underwood Portable 4 Bank By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.

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