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Home » Underwood » 5 » 1922 #1590029
1922 Underwood 5 Serial # 1590029 1922 Underwood 5 typewriter, Serial # 1590029 Brian Decker's 1922 Underwood 5 typewriter. 2025-11-16 From the Virtual Typewriter Collection of Brian Decker: 1922 Underwood 5 Serial # 1590029 On the surface, this looks like a typical Underwood Model 5. The S/N implies a manufacture date of August 1922. I purchased it at Treasures Antiques in Amherst, NH, on 3/29/2008. Apart from a new set of feet, it has not yet been restored, but I can type on it (see the attached typing sample). Many years after purchase, I finally typed on it and became aware that it has a unique feature: the "E" key, and only the "E" key, is in all-caps typeface. The rest of the keys look like ordinary Pica typeface to me (although the lower-case "d" also looks a little strange). I thought this was probably a one-off, where someone in the past wanted a unique look, or was hard up to replace their "E" key and all-caps was all they had available. However, just two days ago (11-14-25), I was talking to Matt Snyder of New England Typewriter LLC, and he told me that he had actually seen this before: an Underwood 5 with just the "E" key in all-caps typeface! We were both surprised. A female customer had come in with such a machine, asking if Matt could replace that oddball "E" key. I don't think he did it. Any information about this Underwood Model 5 keyboard configuration would be most appreciated. It seems that maybe this configuration was a "thing" at one time.

1922 Underwood 5 #1590029

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Brian Decker (bkdecker66)
Created: 11-16-2025 at 12:54PM
Last Edit: 11-16-2025 at 12:58PM

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Description:

On the surface, this looks like a typical Underwood Model 5. The S/N implies a manufacture date of August 1922. I purchased it at Treasures Antiques in Amherst, NH, on 3/29/2008. Apart from a new set of feet, it has not yet been restored, but I can type on it (see the attached typing sample). Many years after purchase, I finally typed on it and became aware that it has a unique feature: the "E" key, and only the "E" key, is in all-caps typeface. The rest of the keys look like ordinary Pica typeface to me (although the lower-case "d" also looks a little strange). I thought this was probably a one-off, where someone in the past wanted a unique look, or was hard up to replace their "E" key and all-caps was all they had available. However, just two days ago (11-14-25), I was talking to Matt Snyder of New England Typewriter LLC, and he told me that he had actually seen this before: an Underwood 5 with just the "E" key in all-caps typeface! We were both surprised. A female customer had come in with such a machine, asking if Matt could replace that oddball "E" key. I don't think he did it. Any information about this Underwood Model 5 keyboard configuration would be most appreciated. It seems that maybe this configuration was a "thing" at one time.

Typeface Specimen:

Photos:

Left side.
Left side.

Right side.
Right side.

Back side.
Back side.

Typing sample.
Typing sample.

Hunter: Brian Decker (bkdecker66)

Brian Decker's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]

Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 36

My interest in typewriters started in 1997, when I was in graduate school at the University of Georgia. I purchased and read Darryl Rehr's book, joined ETC, and started reaching out to known collectors. I had several email interchanges with Richard Polt dating from that period. I also bought some of my first machines from Bob Aubert, and visited him at his home twice. After marriage and relocation to New England, I continued visiting antique shops and eBay, until other priorities put my typewriter hobby on hiatus around 2008. I still have my collection of around 54 machines, and now I have a renewed interest in getting some of them in good working and cosmetic order.


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.

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