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    Home » Thrift Store Finds

    Typewriter Love

    Published by Pam Kessler | 238 words. · About 2 minutes to read this article. - 38 Comments

    Is it wrong to love an inanimate object?


    I found Kate at an estate sale last weekend. According to her serial number, she was born in 1925.

    She's a little dusty and needs some cosmetic work, but for an 86 year old she's in pretty good shape.


    I originally bought her with thoughts of reselling her, but as soon as I brought her home and put a piece of paper in her, she was mine.


    How long has it been since I've heard the bell ring on a typewriter? I had totally forgotten about the sound, but it really is pretty sweet.

    You've accomplished something when you hear that sound. Another line typed. Time to throw the carriage return lever. Advance the paper. Go on to the next line.

    You just don't get the same sense of achievement from the automatic word wrapping (or whatever you call that feature) on a computer keyboard where you just type and type and type and occasionally hit the mute enter key.


    I don't even know what all her levers and such do anymore. It used to be so much a part of us, now it is so foreign. How quickly we forget.


    I'll be attempting to restore Kate to her younger glory days. Nothing major, just cleaning, oiling and removing some rust. I imagine I may have to roll some new ribbon on the old spools.


    Kate is one classy Royal.

    « Dreams
    Remington Quiet-Riter »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. michelle

      July 29, 2011 at 7:37 am

      You found a great one Pam! She is very pretty and I love the sounds of typewriters as well. 🙂 I can't wait to see her all dolled up. 🙂
      xo

      Reply
    2. Stuff and Nonsense

      July 29, 2011 at 8:07 am

      what a pretty old thing...my then 10 year old daughter bought a vintage typewriter at a yard sale last year and loves the clackity clack sound the keys make when she types...i don't know what we'll do when the ribbon runs out! thanks for linking up to fridays unfolded!

      alison

      Reply
    3. Janette - The2Seasons

      July 29, 2011 at 9:24 am

      We trashed one that was in an old office building my husband bought. Darn it.

      Reply
    4. Laura Ingalls Gunn

      July 29, 2011 at 10:19 am

      I am visiting via Romantic Homes.

      What wonderful treasure!

      Have a happy weekend!

      Reply
    5. Kit

      July 29, 2011 at 2:59 pm

      How lovely and I have to tell you Kate's brother is living on my coffee table and he says to say Hi!....LOL I love Vintage Typewriters too! Kit

      Reply
    6. Faye

      July 30, 2011 at 10:46 am

      I love old tyepwriters too. I still have 2 from my family that have survived all of these years. Yours looks great!
      Faye

      Reply
    7. Crystal Rose Cottage

      July 30, 2011 at 10:50 am

      Too bad my dad is no longer living or he would have it back into shape in a jiffy. He used to have his own typewriter repair business in our house when I was growing up and we had ones like yours sitting all over the basement floor. You're right...we were used to those kinds of things for much of our lives and now look how far technology has come! Nice find!~Hugs, Patti

      Reply
    8. Bunny Jean

      July 31, 2011 at 12:52 am

      Don't you just love it! Makes me think of all the people that actually typed on those keys.

      I have a much smaller vintage typwriter sitting on top of the table I featured in this linky party.

      xoxo Bunny Jean

      Reply
    9. Linda

      July 31, 2011 at 4:07 pm

      Kate sure is a beauty! They made things so lovely years ago!

      Reply
    10. Paula

      July 31, 2011 at 7:10 pm

      You found a real treasure!

      My mom used to sit at the kitchen table at night typing quizzes and tests for her business classes on a manual typewriter. I loved to hear the keys, the carriage return, and the dings.

      Reply
    11. Betsy

      July 31, 2011 at 7:37 pm

      Kate is looking might fine for her ripe old age. I'd be making a few noises and need some oil here and there too. I have one typewriter that I've kept for myself. I think she needs a name.

      Reply
    12. Faith, Trust, and a Little Pixie Dust

      July 31, 2011 at 8:57 pm

      What a darling blog! And I love this typewriter. I don't own one {or hardly anything old}, but I think they're so cool!

      Warmly, Michelle

      Reply
    13. Lauren @ My Wonderfully Made

      August 01, 2011 at 10:58 am

      This has been on my "list of wants" for a long time -- I just love these old beauties! We had one in our basement at home growing up . . . wish we had kept it!

      Reply
    14. [email protected]

      August 01, 2011 at 1:11 pm

      This is a great find! You are justified in being excited about it :).

      Reply
    15. andrea

      August 01, 2011 at 10:09 pm

      Your blog is GORGEOUS!!! You are doing a great job! I am signing on. I love your typewriter. I bought one for ten bucks last year dated 1917 and I love her, too. She was all nasty in a cardboard box with webs and grossness. Aren't the funny lettered keys just darling??? andrea @ townandprairie

      Reply
    16. Debra @ Common Ground

      August 01, 2011 at 10:34 pm

      Such a great little gal! She's in wonderful shape for sure. And I DO love that bell. Thanks so much for linking up with VIF, xo Debra

      Reply
    17. shopgirl

      August 03, 2011 at 5:52 am

      This classic typewriter is just beautiful. Love that you named her Kate.

      Cheers! Reese

      http://rambleswithreese.etsy.com
      http://rambleswithreese.blogspot.com

      Reply
    18. SJ @ Homemaker On A Dime

      August 04, 2011 at 11:56 pm

      I know that you have so many blog parties to choose from so thank you for choosing Creative Bloggers' Party & Hop. This post is added to the party blast! Enjoy the rest of the week 🙂

      Reply
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