19XX Remington Vertical Adder 21 #Y108415
Status: My Collection
Hunter: Javier Vazquez del Olmo (Javi)
Created: 10-22-2016 at 04:09AM
Last Edit: 10-22-2016 at 04:18AM
Description:
This is one of the weirdest (if not the weirdest) typewriters I have.
Right off the bat, it´s a Remington Vertical Adder 21, which is not the most common typewriter. Then, it´s not a "normal" one. So far, I´ve seen them as beefed up versions of the classic Remington 12, but this one is quite different. In fact, when I got it I had no idea at all about what was I looking at. I had never seen a Remington painted like this, let alone this model, so I got it and maybe later I´d guess what had I bought.
Before going on, I have to acknowledge the good work done by the seller shipping this beast. It weighs the colourful barrage of 19,8 kg (43,65 lbs).
Things get worse with the s/n. That Y prefix is puzzling enough, and I wonder if this is some kind of rebuilt machine or something. I have no idea on how to date it. To make things a bit worse, it has a second serial number (S 117 208), but I´m pretty sure that one is for the calculator.
More trouble: it doesn´t work. The typewriter part of this hybrid is mostly well, but the drawband is broken, and it needs a good cleaning and oil. But what´s really problematic is the calculator part. Tere are several pieces missing, bceause there´s no fisrt decimal tabulator key, and all the array that should be at the right side of the frame isn´t there.
I don´t know how this beast is supposed to work, but the calculator apparently does its job. Wheels turn as tou enter numbers, and there´s a lever which prevents typeslugs from reaching the platen and activating the escapement. I guess that turns the typewriter into a calculator when needed. There´s also that weird counter at the front, which seems to be jammed.
Fully repairing this thing has to be a nightmare. I even doubt Pascual could handle it because of the missing pieces.
Typeface Specimen:
Photos:
Hunter: Javier Vazquez del Olmo (Javi)
Javier Vazquez del Olmo's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]
Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 6476
The first typewriter I saw was my grandpa´s Olivetti Linea 98 at the office. It was just a curio for me. Then I was given a Nakajima, which I didn´t use and my grandfather took it from me because it was easier to handle than the bulky Linea 98. Now I own that typewriter, and I started a little collection in Valladolid, Spain. The Nakajima, which is "my" typewriter only returned home in 2017, almost 20 years later, when he wanted a better typewriter.
A collection that started small grew into something bigger, a nuisace for my family and a great source of satisfaction for me.
RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Remington Vertical Adder 21 on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Remington Serial Number page and the Remington Vertical Adder 21 By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.






























