1924 Underwood 5 #1831650-5
Status: My Collection
Hunter: Suzanne LaPierre (BookMouser)
Created: 05-29-2026 at 11:37AM
Last Edit: 05-29-2026 at 11:55AM
Description:
Ah, the classic Underwood 5, the typewriter I learned to type on! We had two of these when I was growing up, carefully maintained by my parents. One lived on a typing table in my father's study, and we could go in there to type important school papers or fill out forms. Eventually we inherited a second one. I declined to take them in the 90's when my parents downsized, and I have regretted it since. Well, today a neighbor gifted me this one, which was given to her by her grandfather when she wanted to learn to type in the 60s. Her grandfather, a police officer, was the original owner and used it to type his reports. His name was Raymond Moust. This machine was made in May of 2026, exactly 102 years before I received it. It still types but needs some cleaning as it's gunked up from sitting for a long time. I'll be working on cleaning it and seeing if it needs other attention.
Typeface Specimen:
Photos:
Hunter: Suzanne LaPierre (BookMouser)
Suzanne LaPierre's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]
Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 515
I am a librarian, artist, writer, and co-author of the book Desegregation in Northern Virginia Libraries (The History Press, 2023). If I'm working on a book or article for publication, I'm on a computer. However, I use my typewriters to create poems, type-doodles, and to write snail mail letters. The tactile nature of typing on a manual machine works some kind of detox magic in this digital age. Each vintage typewriter has a soul and a story. Currently my collection is centered around midcentury models.
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.






























