Have you ever wondered what QWERTY means? Or why the letters on our keyboards are arranged in the seemingly random way that they are? The answer is rooted in the history and origins of nothing less than… typewriters. But did you know they can be actually worth some money as well? Quickly read on to discover how much your old typewriter could be worth these days!
Left Behind in History
Keys on the very earliest typewriters were arranged on 2 rows, in alphabetical order. Letters were positioned on rods, which when struck, would swing up and hit the ink-coated tape to then transfer the image onto paper. However it was quickly discovered that when neighbouring letters (such as S and T) were pressed one after the other too quickly, the rods would hit together and the machine would jam.
It was decided that the keyboard should be mixed up, making letters which commonly precede one another in popular words, be moved apart and therefore prevent the jamming. (Or make the jamming less frequent, at least.)
Thus the rearranged QWERTY keyboard was the solution. And although the QWERTY system remains with us to this day, typewriters have been left behind in history. What does that mean here at Catawiki? Collectable, in-demand and exciting objects!
The Top Five Most Expensive Typewriters Sold on Catawiki
Typewriters varied greatly in style, function and ability over the 19th and 20th centuries. Let’s dive in to see how much old typewriters can be worth today...
5) Hammond Multiplex - €385
Referred to as the ‘Multiplex’, the Hammond typewriter was first marketed in 1913. One of the most notable features of this machine is that it could type both Roman typeface and italic typeface with one quick adjustment of the anvil ring at the top of the turret. The seller of this machine discovered his find hidden in the attic, and happily walked away with a fantastic €385 at auction.
4) Rare Mignon Model 3 USG Typewriter with Case, English Keyboard - €420
The Mignon is the godfather of all index typewriters. It appeared on the market very late, in 1905, but remained a popular machine until its final year of production in 1934. Usually these typewriters would feature a German keyboard but this model is English - an unusual and appealing attribute.
3) Helios Klimax - €440
Another German typewriter, this stylish typewriter was sold in good working condition. What’s interesting about this machine is that it is a type ball machine, meaning it only has two rows of keys. The press of each key can print up to 4 different characters and is operated by none or one of three separate shift keys.
2) Germania No.5 Typewriter - Schreibmaschine - €530
This German upstroke typewriter was manufactured around 1900 by H. & A. Scheffer, Sundern/Westfalen, under license from the Jewett Typewriter Co. At auction, this piece sold for over double our expert’s valuation, a fantastic achievement for the seller.
1) Unique Picht Braille Typewriter in Nice Wooden Box - €1,632
Oskar Picht was the inventor of the typewriter for the blind. It’s easy to marvel at the innovation of this design: six keys in a fan shape connecting to six braille dots. This unique writing machine is very rare, and hard to find on the market.
We auction a beautiful array of typewriters in our Typewriters & Calculators auction, every four weeks. We’re always searching for gems… and so is our worldwide audience of buyers! If you have a typewriter or special item you’d like to sell online, we can help! Register as a seller here and then follow the next simple steps to start offering up your items for auction straight away.
Looking to buy? You can check out our range of typewriters, calculators that we currently have in auction here.