The Royal brand was, however, lagging far behind its competitors with respect to typewriter portability. This early vintage typewriter was distinguishable by the 2 bevelled glass panes on either side. Between 19 Royal stuck with this design, but in 1914 Royal forsook the flatbed design and produced its first ‘upright’ model, the Royal 10. Six years after the Royal 1 was born the Royal 5, with a 4-row frontstrike keyboard made its appearance boasting a handsome portable leather case. ![]() Although its 10kg weight allowed the Royal 1 only semi-portable status, the machine’s sturdiness, light keystrokes and acceleration rate did not disappoint and the logo, ‘Royal Typewriter Company New York USA’, which was emblazoned below the keyboard became synonymous with quality. This flatbed model, which resulted from numerous improvements to Hess’ earlier efforts, had been built with durability and reliability in mind. It would be a further 2 years before the first product bearing this brand became available to the public, appropriately named the Royal 1. Getting to be RoyalĪlthough EB Hess had previously designed and made typewriters for his personal use, it was in 1904 that he started the Royal Typewriter Company. For a large part of his career Hemmingway relied on the keys of a Royal mechanical typewriter to commit his enviably vivid imagination to paper. Movies depicting the life of Hemmingway himself relied on the rate at which typewriter keys were struck to denote either a lapse in, or a sudden burst of inspiration. For those old enough to appreciate being allowed a glimpse into the world, albeit fictional, of thrilling investigative journalism in movies like Citizen Kane (1941), All the President’s Men (1976) or Killing Fields (1984), the clacking of a mechanical typewriter was essential to creating the atmosphere of that fictional, but highly functional newsroom where journalistic heroes could thrive. Naturally, elaborate designs soon followed and clocks could be found made by artisans and luxury houses like Cartier.įind antique and vintage desk accessories today on 1stDibs.One wonders what celebrated writers like Ernest Hemingway would make of the modern computer age. The clamor for desk clocks arose as the Industrial Revolution transitioned labor from outdoors to indoors, and allowed for the mass-production of clock parts in factories. You may be surprised to discover the mood-boosting powers an antique - and purposefully empty - inkwell can provide. Though the inkwell’s extinction was ushered in by the advent of the ballpoint pen (itself quasi-obsolete at this point), there is still significant charm to be had from placing one of these bauble-like objets in a central spot on one’s desk. ![]() As a luxury item, bookend designs have run the gamut from incorporating ultra-luxurious materials (think marble and Murano glass) to being whimsical desk accompaniments (animal figurines were highly popular choices). Paper knives, which gave way to the modern letter opener, were helpful for cutting paper down to an appropriate size.īooks - those bound volumes of paper, you may recall - used to be common occurrences on desks of yore and where there were books there needed to be bookends. ![]() Louis and Clichy.Īs paper was exceedingly expensive in the early to mid-19th-century, every effort was made to utilize a full sheet of it. Decorative glass paperweight designs were all the rage, and during the mid-19th-century some of the most popular makers included the French companies of Baccarat, St. The Industrial Revolution offered the novel concept of leisure-time to Europeans, giving them more time to take part in the then crucial activity of letter writing. Thank the Victorians for the initial popularity of the paperweight. ![]() However, the contents that lay upon the desk? Well, the evolution has been drastic to say the least. Their basic premise has remained the same for quite literally centuries: a flat surface, oftentimes a drawer, and potentially a shelf or two. Whether you’ve carved out a space for a nifty home office or you prefer the morning commute, why not dress up your desk with antique and vintage desk accessories? To best tiptoe the line between desk efficiency and desk enjoyment, we suggest adding a touch of the past to your modern-day space.ĭesks are a funny thing.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |