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Home » Corona » Four Improved » 1935 #1F 5081
1935 Corona Four Improved Serial # 1F 5081 1935 Corona Four Improved typewriter, Serial # 1F 5081 Alan Seaver's 1935 Corona Four Improved typewriter. 2018-07-18 From the Virtual Typewriter Collection of Alan Seaver: 1935 Corona Four Improved Serial # 1F 5081 In late 1934, Smith & Corona "moderned up" the Four with a redesign that brought it in line with the "flattop" style that was becoming the company's hallmark. The machine was basically the same as the old Four, save for the shell and improvements in the keylever mechanisms underneath. Though the front is labeled only "Four", company serial number lists call this model the Four Improved.

At the same time, the company introduced the Junior, a stripped-down economy model that shared the same housing as the Four Improved. Unity of appearance was probably one reason that the Four and Junior utilized a common shell; economy was probably another.

For unknown reasons, the Four Improved lasted only a short time, perhaps not even a year. Sometime in 1935, the original Four reappeared and the Improved's serial number sequence was assigned to the Junior. Altogether, only about 10,000 of these "flattop" Fours were made, making it one of the most collectible Smith-Coronas.

1935 Corona Four Improved #1F 5081

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Alan Seaver (Olivander)
Created: 07-12-2014 at 11:05AM
Last Edit: 07-18-2018 at 11:23AM

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Description:

In late 1934, Smith & Corona "moderned up" the Four with a redesign that brought it in line with the "flattop" style that was becoming the company's hallmark. The machine was basically the same as the old Four, save for the shell and improvements in the keylever mechanisms underneath. Though the front is labeled only "Four", company serial number lists call this model the Four Improved.

At the same time, the company introduced the Junior, a stripped-down economy model that shared the same housing as the Four Improved. Unity of appearance was probably one reason that the Four and Junior utilized a common shell; economy was probably another.

For unknown reasons, the Four Improved lasted only a short time, perhaps not even a year. Sometime in 1935, the original Four reappeared and the Improved's serial number sequence was assigned to the Junior. Altogether, only about 10,000 of these "flattop" Fours were made, making it one of the most collectible Smith-Coronas.

Typeface Specimen:

Photos:

Detail from a Dec, 1934 ad showing the Four Improved and Junior.
Detail from a Dec, 1934 ad showing the Four Improved and Junior.

Hunter: Alan Seaver (Olivander)

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

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