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1885 Hammond 1 Serial # 416 1885 Hammond 1 typewriter, Serial # 416 Oh Tomas's 1885 Hammond 1 typewriter. 2026-05-10 From the Virtual Typewriter Collection of Oh Tomas: 1885 Hammond 1 Serial # 416 Mahogany finish. With case. Ideal keyboard (natch)
This typer is in very good condition. Restoration to working condition is just starting.
One problem: there is only one type sector; missing the second type sector.
Does anyone out there have a model 1 type sector that I can purchase or trade for?
More pics and typeface sample will follow in due course
NB: case sn is 614

Regarding the MYSTERY of the two Hammond #1’s known to have mismatched case vs frame serial numbers (no’s 039 and 416):
I think I have figured this out. My hypothesis is that a craftsman stamped the metal frame parts with each typer’s serianl number (sn) as they were assembled. The finished typers then went to the woodshop, where they were given a case. A woodshop worker was given the task of branding each case with the typer’s sn. Let us imagine that the “brander” has a type tray with one slug for each numeral 0 through 9. The brander places the slugs in a holder and then heats the them over a flame and brands the case. Simple right? Well… its a typesetting problem. The numerals, as the brander sees them looking down on the holder, are both backward and upside down (mirror image). The brander cant mess this up, because the maker of the slugs and slug holder has tapered the slugs so that they can only go in one way- the right way. So far so good. So the brander puts in the slugs so they spell “039” when read from left to right. This makes sense to the brander, because that’s how one reads, right? Duh. But… when the brander turns the brand over, the numbers will now appear backwards, as “930”. The brander did not work out that he also needed to put the numbers into the holder in reverse order! That is, he would have to put the slugs in as “930” for the mirror image branded into the case to show as “039”.
What is remarkable is that neither the brander nor the shop foreman seems to checked on whether the frame sn matched the case sn for some time. The mistake apparently started at least at 039 and continued at least until 416. I dont know how many typers were produced per day or month, but this would seem to encompass some stretch of time during the first year of production.
My guess is that the very first typer made, sn 001, had a case branded “100”.
It will be interesting to see if any more #1’s with mismatched cases surface so that we can test this idea further.
No doubt there will come a point in the serial numbering of the cases where they suddenly match the frames. This might be the day that the brander was demoted to sweeping the floors…

1885 Hammond 1 #416

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Oh Tomas (Tomas)
Created: 05-05-2026 at 06:34PM
Last Edit: 05-10-2026 at 12:49PM

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Description:

Mahogany finish. With case. Ideal keyboard (natch)
This typer is in very good condition. Restoration to working condition is just starting.
One problem: there is only one type sector; missing the second type sector.
Does anyone out there have a model 1 type sector that I can purchase or trade for?
More pics and typeface sample will follow in due course
NB: case sn is 614

Regarding the MYSTERY of the two Hammond #1’s known to have mismatched case vs frame serial numbers (no’s 039 and 416):
I think I have figured this out. My hypothesis is that a craftsman stamped the metal frame parts with each typer’s serianl number (sn) as they were assembled. The finished typers then went to the woodshop, where they were given a case. A woodshop worker was given the task of branding each case with the typer’s sn. Let us imagine that the “brander” has a type tray with one slug for each numeral 0 through 9. The brander places the slugs in a holder and then heats the them over a flame and brands the case. Simple right? Well… its a typesetting problem. The numerals, as the brander sees them looking down on the holder, are both backward and upside down (mirror image). The brander cant mess this up, because the maker of the slugs and slug holder has tapered the slugs so that they can only go in one way- the right way. So far so good. So the brander puts in the slugs so they spell “039” when read from left to right. This makes sense to the brander, because that’s how one reads, right? Duh. But… when the brander turns the brand over, the numbers will now appear backwards, as “930”. The brander did not work out that he also needed to put the numbers into the holder in reverse order! That is, he would have to put the slugs in as “930” for the mirror image branded into the case to show as “039”.
What is remarkable is that neither the brander nor the shop foreman seems to checked on whether the frame sn matched the case sn for some time. The mistake apparently started at least at 039 and continued at least until 416. I dont know how many typers were produced per day or month, but this would seem to encompass some stretch of time during the first year of production.
My guess is that the very first typer made, sn 001, had a case branded “100”.
It will be interesting to see if any more #1’s with mismatched cases surface so that we can test this idea further.
No doubt there will come a point in the serial numbering of the cases where they suddenly match the frames. This might be the day that the brander was demoted to sweeping the floors…

Typeface Specimen:

Hunter: Oh Tomas (Tomas)

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