Evolution of the Pelikan

Pelikan typewriter ribbon tins are nice to collect. On second sight, there is an evolution in the number of pelican chicks over the years.

The pelican was the coat of arms of the Wagner family. As Günther Wagner (1842 - 1930) had three kids when taking control of the company  - founded by Carl Hornemann (1811 - 1896) in 1832 - he had three chicks added to the pelican. So originally, the pelican was feeding three. When a fourth child was born, the number was adjusted accordingly. In 1937, the number was reduced to two. After 2003, only one lonely chick is left in the nest. You can read the details here.

Here is some tins (later made of cardboard) from my collection to show this evolution.

This one looks older like the one below - I just bought it as a result of my research. It shows the official founding year of the company 1838 (April 28th, to be exact).

detail from the wrapping paper of Pelikan ink, Alfred R. Wepf collection 2015

detailed view:

and here we go down to one:

in detail:

That's it for today. As always, Happy Typing!

UPDATE 30.8.:
Read on the Pelikan brand story: http://www.pelikan.com/pulse/Pulsar/en_US_INTL.CMS.displayCMS.151367./pelikan-the-brand

Hermes 2000 and Japy 50

I was lucky at a German bay auction and got a Japy 50 portable. It came in its original case, quite used, a few things to clean an polish. Mechanically, it is sound, and alignment is still perfect, despite obvious heavy use in the past. The platen is rock hard, but hey, we can't have it call, can we.

What wasn't my surprise to see its serial number 20525. Why was I surprised? The Japy 50 is the same built as the Etoile. Both were Japy brands, but the typewriters were made in Switzerland by Paillard, and only sold by Japy in France. This was around 1934/35. Don't quote me on this, as research is ongoing. So what we have here are Swiss typewriter, traded in France. I will include them in my book on Swiss typewriters, of course.

Still, why was I surprised? The Japy / Etoile registered so far have serial numbers in the 50'000s and 51'000s. As this doesn't fit the Hermes 2000 numbering, it is safe to say that Japy got their own separate numbers. From the samples known so far we might deduce that "Japy" / "Japy 50" correspond to the 50'000s, followed by "Etoile" in the 51'000s. This would mean consecutive names.

Now, this new Japy specimen is number 20525. This would be a very early Hermes 2000 number - they started with 20'001 in 1933. I placed this next to a very early Hermes 2000 #22970 (built in 1934). And indeed: a perfect match.

So what we have here is an Japy with the original Hermes 2000 numbering. The very low number doesn't necessary mean Japys were sold as early as 1933. Rumour has it that Paillard used older stock for sale in France (for example, with the Hermes Baby S, sold ca. 1939, but with a much earlier construction). This might very well be the case here. It's fascinating to find a machine with a number so close to the production start, though.

The Japy / Etoile only differ in the round ribbon cover, the slightly raised top cover, a slightly differently shaped return lever, and the cover above the platen (including the metal paper support). The lids are identical with the ones used on the Hermes standard machines of the period. They are missing on my Japy, but I found a Hermes 3 to replace them (or at least borrow them for the photo shooting).

Lambert

I recently joined Frank in the Lambert Club. His is a model 1, mine (serial number 4329) a model 2. Ever since I started collecting, this machine has exerted a strange fascination over me. I find it incredibly beautiful, and the life story of Frank Lambert is testimony of genius inventorship. We still know little about the likely co-developer, Eugène R. Pastre.

So I finally jumped on an occasion to buy one. A particularly well-preserved specimen. I preferred to see it with my own eyes before buying, so this was no e-bay transaction. I had seen Lamberts in the wild before, and very early on in my collecting career even passed on a (seen in retrospect) very good offer at a French collectors meeting. Prices for Lamberts are quite stiff, which on the one hand can be explained by the fact that is commonly agreed that the Lambert is a sought after model. But then, if it is true that 30.000 units were produced (cumulative US, GB and French production), and if the price is a function of the offer available, I cannot but reiterate the question Peter Muckermann asked 20 years ago: what happened to all those Lamberts? They fetch high prices at auctions, maybe a bit less so compared to 10, 15 years ago. Price lists like the one available for members of the IFHB confirm high level prices. Then again, there is other auction results where the Lambert scored much less.

Be it as it may, here it is, at my home. I attach some pictures as preview. My new pet project now it to  restore the writing function to a good level. The machine in the state it arrived did print, some letters better than others, but ok in general. Upon closer inspection of the manual and the actual ink-pad, I concluded that it is seriously worn out. As I haven't found original new old stocks of Lambert ink-pads, I am currently carefully experimenting with replacement material, and ink. To be continued...

 

Not so small

I was curious. Having read the entry on the "Gundka" typewriter in the Virtual Typewriter Museum (http://www.typewritermuseum.org/collection/index.php3?machine=indexgundka&cat=il), which mentions that "Die kleine Gundka" ("Little Gundka") is "a smaller version" of the Gundka, I wondered just how the models differ.

I was lucky to score one "Die kleine Gundka" on ebay. Apparently this variant is rather rare to find. Once arrived safely at my house (and I must say, German sellers always pack typewriters very very safely), I could juxtapose my new acquisition and a Gundka 5 which I had acquired some time back.

Here is what I found:

Slightly bigger case for the Gundka

The machines inside: mechanical differences, but roughly the same size.

idem

This view reveals the more solid construction of the Gundka 5.

So, on first view, my conclusion was that both models are mechanically different - the Gundka 5 being more elaborate, especially on the ribbon mechanism -, but have roughly the same size.

T. Fürtig's list of German mechanical typewriters (exclusive for members of IFHB.org) shed a different light on my question: Thomas lists Gundka models 1, 3a, 3b, 5, and 7. My "Die kleine Gundka" corresponds to the model 1 specifications: 78 signs, 18cm platen, 2 thin metal platen knobs. My Gundka 5 fits the model 5 description: 84 signs, 22cm platen (list specifies 23), 1 solid plastic platen knob, rimmed keys, bell, scale in one piece (not divided).

From this I conclude that "Die kleine Gundka" is not really smaller in dimension, but corresponds to the first Gundka model produced. An additional question would be whether there exist "Die kleine Gundka" labeled machines corresponding to Gundka models 3, 5 or 7. For the typosphere to search...

update 25.1.2015: There is one "Die kleine Gundka" corresponding to model 3a in the list mentioned, cf. http://www.prehistoriadelainformatica.com/maquinas-de-escribir-typewriters/.

1950s Zurich typewriter repair shop

Have a view inside the Baggenstos typewriter repair shop, Zurich, ca. 1953. August Baggenstos and his HERMAG distribution company was the general representative of Hermes typewriters for the German speaking part of Switzerland.

You see the mechanics at work at the Hermes models of the time. Can you identify them all?

All photos courtesy and copyright of K.R., Zurich.