1956 Tower Collegian #56-26262
Status: My Collection
Hunter: Daniel Burgoyne (Ixzed23)
Created: 11-22-2023 at 09:11AM
Last Edit: 11-22-2023 at 11:40AM
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Description:
This Tower model is not labelled as a Collegian but it matches the Sears catalog so that's what it is. The model name reflects the potential targeted clientèle of this affordable, small portable typewriter.
Gifted to me by W. Jetz, who had heard I wanted a Suissa typewriter. Thank you! In effect it is like a Suissa, as this is a clone of the Patria. Made by Oliver in England.
The keyboard has both symbols for the dollar and the British pound, something often found on typewriters sold in Canada at that time, mostly destined for the anglophone market.
The mechanism needed a couple of small fixes: a new spring for the bell striker and less tension in the mainspring. This machine might have been serviced a long time ago, as the whole mechanism is coated in some oil residue that has dried up. I suspect that is was soaked in a tank of kerosene with a little bit of oil. The mainspring click was stuck solid in that old oil. After little cleaning, it is working fine.
The typeface is a standard Courier style in... surprise, metric pitch! It is a 2.6 mm per caracter pitch, slightly bigger than 10 cpi.
The platen rubber is hard, but that is expected for model of this age, which accentuates the loud clacking of this typewriter. For a collegian living in residence, it would have annoyed your fellows residents.
I love the case on this machine. It is made of wood, covered with some kind of snake-textured leatherette.
Typeface Specimen:
Photos:
Hunter: Daniel Burgoyne (Ixzed23)
Daniel Burgoyne's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]
Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 565
Bonjour! I am from the region of Montreal, Quebec and moved to Ottawa, Ontario in 1992.
Amateur watchmaker and machinist, I love anything mechanical, hydraulic or electric. I have restored American and Canadian clocks and small lathes, milling machines and a jig bore.
Most of my typewriters have French Canadian QWERTY keyboards, with some exception for rare finds.
RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Tower Collegian on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Tower Serial Number page and the Tower Collegian By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.
