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Home » Underwood » 5 » 1921 #1464817
1921 Underwood 5 Serial # 1464817 1921 Underwood 5 typewriter, Serial # 1464817 Kyle Oelofse's 1921 Underwood 5 typewriter. 2018-10-11 From the Virtual Typewriter Collection of Kyle Oelofse: 1921 Underwood 5 Serial # 1464817 Acquired: 2016/12/02

I drove to a neighboring state to get this typewriter. At the time it was easily the prettiest machine in my collection and still ranks pretty high up there.

20181011: Improved cover photo.

1921 Underwood 5 #1464817

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Kyle Oelofse (SaladKing)
Created: 01-08-2018 at 09:31PM
Last Edit: 10-11-2018 at 11:52AM


Description:

Acquired: 2016/12/02

I drove to a neighboring state to get this typewriter. At the time it was easily the prettiest machine in my collection and still ranks pretty high up there.

20181011: Improved cover photo.

Typeface Specimen:

Photos:

The typewriter that defined typewriters.
The typewriter that defined typewriters.

Except for its front face, there are no side panels anywhere, providing easy access to nearly anything inside the machine. This also means there's zero noise dampening.
Except for its front face, there are no side panels anywhere, providing easy access to nearly anything inside the machine. This also means there's zero noise dampening.

From the black keytops and occasional crooked decal, I believe this machine might have been rebuilt at some point.
From the black keytops and occasional crooked decal, I believe this machine might have been rebuilt at some point.


It's got wings!
It's got wings!



Evidently this typewriter spent some time somewhere incredibly hot, as both of its platen knobs have melted. I had to take the other one off because it kept hitting the frame when the carriage moved.
Evidently this typewriter spent some time somewhere incredibly hot, as both of its platen knobs have melted. I had to take the other one off because it kept hitting the frame when the carriage moved.


Unlike most typewriters that have a little switch to swap between ribbon colors, the No. 5 has this big toggle lever. Later versions refined this substantially.
Unlike most typewriters that have a little switch to swap between ribbon colors, the No. 5 has this big toggle lever. Later versions refined this substantially.




Hunter: Kyle Oelofse (SaladKing)

Kyle Oelofse's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]

Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 381

I inherited two Royal KMMs as a kid. Over a decade later I started actively collecting and repairing in 2015 shortly after discovering the existence of "weird" typewriters like the Blickensderfer and Hammond, and finding a destroyed Super Sterling to experiment on.



RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Underwood 5 on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Underwood Serial Number page and the Underwood 5 By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.