So as I said earlier, I decided to go buy a typewriter. Just for the tactile feedback and the increased concentration it forces you to have. I go a little ADHD when I write on a computer, and although that’s OK at some levels I think I’d like the discipline that comes with knowing you can’t cut-and-paste. And besides, it was only $87. And I had had a couple of beers.
So, I went and bought a 45-year old typewriter on eBay. Turns out there’s quite the thriving market in such things, although even the best examples are not fetching a huge amount. However, I couldn’t go past this portable typewriter – it was in excellent condition and exactly what I was looking for. I’ve now received it, and it is in beyond excellent condition. Yes, I need to pick up my typing (it’s amazing how slack computers let you become), but the typewriter itself is as it was when it came off the production line 45 years ago. And I do mean that without the slightest hint of ‘for it’s age’.
And since I wonder sincerely whether my Netbook (now 1 year old) will still be operating in any shape in 44 years time (remember, that’s 2053 for crying out loud!), I thought it would be nice to give the Monarch the unboxing treatment, as it is my ‘brand-new’ gadget.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you… “unboxing the 1964 Remington Monarch.
Firstly, the eBayer who sold it to me knows their stuff had it very well packed:
I plan to introduce my children to the wonders of bubble wrap later.
And you can see the size of it (it’s not diminutive, but it’s not impossibly heavy, as I remember my first typewriter was):
The carry case is the item that has had the most wear and tear over the years, and even it is in good condition:
With plenty of foam packaging, it was well-protected:
The Remington Monarch, with its travel protector and everything all there as well:
Everything inside the case is here, including some brushes for maintenance and the original (!) user’s guide:
The keys are in excellent condition, and after a little fiddling it was operational. Not bad for a 45-year old machine:
And just for the record, here’s an example of its typing:
Not bad – fortunately I do remember what it’s like to type on a typewriter. It’s not always fun, and I will probably abandon it in favour of the computer again. But for the moment it’s my gadget-of-the-week, and I think it does well in the longevity stakes.