Tap, tap, zzzzzzzip
I received a typewriter for Christmas. Santa sure did know how to melt this girls heart. Sigh.
For those of you smitten with these machines of old, you may recognize this as a 1938 Remington Noiseless Portable.
It sure isn’t the kind of typewriter I learned on, back in the day, when I was in high-school typing class with Mrs. Hush (I’m actually impressed I can even remember her name). Those big clunkers took up the whole desk and zip,zip, PING they would fly as we raced through our typing exercises.
Backspace key
This beauty is not just another pretty face. This typewriter clickity-clacks with the best of them. I did need to purchase ribbons, and at the suggestion of Claire from Banff Snail Mail Society, I found just the place in The Modern Typewriter shop on Etsy. I can’t wait to try out my purple ribbon.
It has been a big hit in the house. A novelty I would say. One of my kids, after trying out the typewriter, said “Where is the delete key?” Smile.
XXX:lkn;l;n;n;kjds;af
I’ve noticed how any kid that spends time at my house is completely fascinated with the typewriter. They just start tapping on the keys to see what will happen.
In fact, there seems to be some magnetic attraction between little hands and the typewriter keys. One youngster, 9 yrs old, has been asking if I have received my new ribbon yet so he can come back over and type a letter.
This interest from kids in a typewriter has got me thinking. Wouldn’t it be fun to expose kids today to the typewriter?
And then, one of you lovely readers, tipped me off to a recent project involving typewriters in St. Louis, U.S.A. Poet Henry Goldkamp, the creative force behind this organic typewriter movement, randomly placed typewriters all over the city and people were free to walk up to them and start typing. Magical I say. Just magical.
Do you have any fun memories of typewriters?
P.S. I would love to hear what you think of this idea of introducing kids to typewriters. Perhaps you have seen this done somewhere/somehow?
Hallo, Hallo! 🙂
I only just crossed paths with you today during the #bringbackpaper Twitter convo but it felt electric to find a fellow enthused spirit for the traditional typewriter! I was so hoping I’d one day stumble across a way to join this community of free spirits who have a penchant for letter writing, postal mail correspondences, and vintage typewriters! I dabble in mixed media art collages as well, as mail art and mixed media collages are birds of the same feather with a switch in supplies! lol 🙂 I am thankful I crossed your path today, Ms Brittain-Marshall because just by reading this blog post, I can tell we share quite a heap in common!
I cannot wait to start going to IRL meet-ups and type-ins whilst participating in other keenly wicked typosphere events! Like you said, there is a strong movement (although not everyone is aware of it!) for kinetic communication via analog practices! If your familiar with The Missive Maven (missivemaven.com) you have your foothold in the mail community but if you look up the typosphere (typosphere.blogspot.com) you start to enter into the other side of it!
I’ve been trying to slowly blog outside the world of books and publishing, to start to incorporate my other geeky passions such as knitting, letter writing, mixed media collage, and photography. It’s a work in progress, but as I’m taking a bit of a self-directed hiatus from the schedule I’ve maintained thus far along starting in August — I’m re-inspired today via the connections I’ve found via #bringbackpaper to start to insert these avenues sooner rather than later!
I cannot wait to follow you via bloglovin and see where our next convos take us! You’ll get to know a bit more about me upcoming in July (on the 12th) in regards to letters and correspondences as I wrote an anchour to a book review for #3000MilesToEternity. It will have coordinated links within my blog to past reviews for epistolary novels as well as a bit of an overview of why I love this counter-culture!
Thanks for sharing the story of how your Remington entered your life! It’s quite magical isn’t it?! How something like a retrofitted and/or restored vintage typewriter can parlay such a leveling of outward joy!?
Hello there Jori, Such a treat to meet you via recent #BringBackPaper chat on twitter.Thanks for taking the time to come on over and explore my blog. I do know Missive Maven, but have yet to discover typosphere, but will definitely check it out. Thanks for suggesting. Clearly we are both crazy about letter writing and typewriters! Can’t wait to read your piece on July 12. Do send me a link. Until then, happy typing. 🙂
I love it! What an awesome gift. My husband and I rented an old typewriter from a salvage shop for our wedding, and we got some nice paper from Staples and used that as our guestbook 🙂 So much fun to see everyone’s typed notes- and their mistakes!
Oh my goodness, Christy, I absolutely love that idea! I had no idea you could even rent a typewriter. I make a ton of mistakes, but you are right, this is half the charm. Thanks so much for stopping in and sharing with us.
I have been a writer since I was in the womb… ok, shortly thereafter, and discovering a typewriter as a gift from my father when I was in middle school was absolutely wonderful. I didn’t know until later I received it because I typed with such exuberance I was prone to cause damage to typewriters! Yeah, the tap tapnick poster in my typing classroom inspires me.
I can still lower myself on a string into that classroom and completely be there.
Completely.
I still have that typewriter. It doesn’t work anymore but it does look lovely in my living room. I’ve started a collection now, none quite as cool as yours but each with a personality. My goal is to have a wall of typewriters. I’m eccentric. I don’t try to hide it anymore. 🙂
Hi Julie, Love the ‘mission impossible’ dropping into the room picture (at least this was what popped into my head); some memories last forever. But your goal of a typewriter wall is what I love most! You should most definitely get the wall space ready as I am sure you will be able to fill it. Would love to see some pics some time. So lovely of you to stop in and share your story. Thank you. And, happy writing.
I LOVE that typewriter! That’s a beauty. I might have to start scouring estate sales for one to have in my office.
Hi Kristy, The beauty was found via Kijiji. You just never know what you may find. Happy hunting. Thanks for your visit.