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1895 Odell 2 Serial # 30600 1895 Odell 2 typewriter, Serial # 30600 Guillermo Fernandez Boan's 1895 Odell 2 typewriter. 2020-03-19 From the Virtual Typewriter Collection of Guillermo Fernandez Boan: 1895 Odell 2 Serial # 30600 Well well, this example of ODELL do have a serial number (the first one in the Typewriter Database with a serial number). This circumnstance move me to investigate a little bit more in my typewriter related books and collector's webpages.
And do you know: mine is not just the one and only Odell with a serial number, I've found other two Odell's with a proper serial number. And there is another surprise: the three numbered examples are Odell's # 2.
Perhaps just a little batch of Odell's # 2 were numbered that way. Because the other Odell # 2 typewriters listed on the Database (all of them belonging to well known collectors, like Mr. Richard Polt; Mr. Maxim Suravegin; Mr. Luis Galiano and Mr. Martin Howard) do not have a serial number at all.
Let's go step by step: Branford House Antiques (Vermont, USA) sold an Odell # 2 with serial number 34407 (http://andyswebtools.com/cgi-bin/p/awtp-product.cgi?d=branford-house-antiques&item=10436) and Mr. Darryl Rehr, in his book Antique Typewriters and Office Collectibles , page # 169, shows an Odell # 2 with serial number 30415.
Hence, I am tempted to think that several # 2 Odell's do have a serial number when they leave the works, even if I am clueless about the reason why other Odell's models do not have serial numbers at all.
Michael H.Adler's "The Writing Machine, a history of the typewriter, states that "an Odell advertisement dated 1895 claimed 50.000 of that make in use". Despite Mr. Adler recognize that figure "may be high" (and, at first sight, I am tempted to agree with him), then the above serial numbers 30.415, 30.600, and 34407 look credible ones.
It would be interesting to expand further on this research, but -believe me- I see this investigation looks more for a Peter Weil's investigation in an ETCetera article than for the presentation of a new typewriter in the Typewriter Database.
Furthermore, there is the question about the lack of a bell in this example: I've taken a careful look at this Odell, and even turn it upside down, and you know what?: It looks like # 30600 Odell # 2 NEVER, ever, has had a bell.
Why?: Because it is not just that the bell is not present: all the bell attachment (even the bell clapper's mechanism) is not there, and there are no signals of a bell at all in the metal frame. I have included a picture of my Odell's # 3 bell and its corresponding clapper attachment, and what looks obvious to me is that THIS particular # 2 do never has had a bell!
We already know Odell's # 1 do not have bells at all. Well, perhaps the first examples of # 2 were not fitted with this particular element, who knows?
Despite the overall good condition of my Odell (even the original golden paint is present), with discerning eye it is not a complete one: First of all, the wooden box is not present at all. And it lacks the ink roller mechanism (a common fault in other found Odell's).
And well, that's all. Enjoy the pictures, folks!.

1895 Odell 2 #30600

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Guillermo Fernandez Boan (ORTBRAKER)
Created: 03-19-2020 at 02:06PM
Last Edit: 03-19-2020 at 07:31PM

Description Hunter 11 Photos 0 Likes  Find on Ebay #AD  Find on Etsy #AD

Description:

Well well, this example of ODELL do have a serial number (the first one in the Typewriter Database with a serial number). This circumnstance move me to investigate a little bit more in my typewriter related books and collector's webpages.
And do you know: mine is not just the one and only Odell with a serial number, I've found other two Odell's with a proper serial number. And there is another surprise: the three numbered examples are Odell's # 2.
Perhaps just a little batch of Odell's # 2 were numbered that way. Because the other Odell # 2 typewriters listed on the Database (all of them belonging to well known collectors, like Mr. Richard Polt; Mr. Maxim Suravegin; Mr. Luis Galiano and Mr. Martin Howard) do not have a serial number at all.
Let's go step by step: Branford House Antiques (Vermont, USA) sold an Odell # 2 with serial number 34407 (http://andyswebtools.com/cgi-bin/p/awtp-product.cgi?d=branford-house-antiques&item=10436) and Mr. Darryl Rehr, in his book Antique Typewriters and Office Collectibles , page # 169, shows an Odell # 2 with serial number 30415.
Hence, I am tempted to think that several # 2 Odell's do have a serial number when they leave the works, even if I am clueless about the reason why other Odell's models do not have serial numbers at all.
Michael H.Adler's "The Writing Machine, a history of the typewriter, states that "an Odell advertisement dated 1895 claimed 50.000 of that make in use". Despite Mr. Adler recognize that figure "may be high" (and, at first sight, I am tempted to agree with him), then the above serial numbers 30.415, 30.600, and 34407 look credible ones.
It would be interesting to expand further on this research, but -believe me- I see this investigation looks more for a Peter Weil's investigation in an ETCetera article than for the presentation of a new typewriter in the Typewriter Database.
Furthermore, there is the question about the lack of a bell in this example: I've taken a careful look at this Odell, and even turn it upside down, and you know what?: It looks like # 30600 Odell # 2 NEVER, ever, has had a bell.
Why?: Because it is not just that the bell is not present: all the bell attachment (even the bell clapper's mechanism) is not there, and there are no signals of a bell at all in the metal frame. I have included a picture of my Odell's # 3 bell and its corresponding clapper attachment, and what looks obvious to me is that THIS particular # 2 do never has had a bell!
We already know Odell's # 1 do not have bells at all. Well, perhaps the first examples of # 2 were not fitted with this particular element, who knows?
Despite the overall good condition of my Odell (even the original golden paint is present), with discerning eye it is not a complete one: First of all, the wooden box is not present at all. And it lacks the ink roller mechanism (a common fault in other found Odell's).
And well, that's all. Enjoy the pictures, folks!.

Typeface Specimen:

Photos:





the three base rubber pads are present
the three base rubber pads are present



Full bell and clapper attachment in my Odell # 3. None of this elements are present in the Odell # 2.
Full bell and clapper attachment in my Odell # 3. None of this elements are present in the Odell # 2.

My full Odell family with their close cousin (the New American 5) sharing their same shelf
My full Odell family with their close cousin (the New American 5) sharing their same shelf

the ink roller attachment base, showing there's no ink roller here
the ink roller attachment base, showing there's no ink roller here

The ink roller complete attachment on my Odell # 3
The ink roller complete attachment on my Odell # 3

Hunter: Guillermo Fernandez Boan (ORTBRAKER)

Guillermo Fernandez Boan's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]

Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 9679

Argentinian lawyer resident in Buenos Aires city.
For half a century, enthusiast typist. Now enthusiast typewriter hunter.


RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Odell 2 on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Odell Serial Number page and the Odell 2 By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.

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