1065 Brands 3386 Models 24659 Galleries 15574 Typefaces 6273 Patents
Home » Bijou » 5 » 1938 #720287/5
1938 Bijou 5 Serial # 720287/5 1938 Bijou 5 typewriter, Serial # 720287/5 Eugene Scie's 1938 Bijou 5 typewriter. 2026-04-19 From the Virtual Typewriter Collection of Eugene Scie: 1938 Bijou 5 Serial # 720287/5 Erika Model 5, made in Germany, rebranded as Bijou for export. Thrifted for a song in New Zealand in 2026. Iris Murdoch used a Bijou, so it's good enough for me.
Has a British QWERTY keyboard with the pound sign, but the luggage label on the case suggests that it came to New Zealand on a passenger liner originating in San Francisco. (I believe British colonists did sometimes go to New Zealand via a trans-Atlantic sea voyage, followed by a cross-continental train through the US, followed by a Pacific Ocean liner bound for the South Seas. Are we there yet? said this Bijou.) Also, the manufacture date suggests that it's got some serious war stories to tell: a German birth, then a British adolescence, then an escape to the other end of the world.
Drawband broken, not yet replaced. Otherwise the condition is great, as far as my noob eyes can see.

1938 Bijou 5 #720287/5

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Eugene Scie (eugenescie)
Created: 04-18-2026 at 11:31PM
Last Edit: 04-19-2026 at 01:18AM

Description Hunter 1 Photos 0 Likes  Find on Ebay #AD  Find on Etsy #AD

Description:

Erika Model 5, made in Germany, rebranded as Bijou for export. Thrifted for a song in New Zealand in 2026. Iris Murdoch used a Bijou, so it's good enough for me.
Has a British QWERTY keyboard with the pound sign, but the luggage label on the case suggests that it came to New Zealand on a passenger liner originating in San Francisco. (I believe British colonists did sometimes go to New Zealand via a trans-Atlantic sea voyage, followed by a cross-continental train through the US, followed by a Pacific Ocean liner bound for the South Seas. Are we there yet? said this Bijou.) Also, the manufacture date suggests that it's got some serious war stories to tell: a German birth, then a British adolescence, then an escape to the other end of the world.
Drawband broken, not yet replaced. Otherwise the condition is great, as far as my noob eyes can see.

Typeface Specimen:

Links:

Photos:


Hunter: Eugene Scie (eugenescie)

Eugene Scie's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]

Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 40

On a shoestring budget in a typewriter desert. I'm a writer and I swear that I really do need these tools of the trade, all seven of them and counting. (Obviously still a beginner.)
Two hot takes: (1) Script typefaces, yuck. (2) The 1970s is an underrated decade for typewriters.


RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Bijou 5 on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Bijou Serial Number page and the Bijou 5 By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.

Typewriter Hunter Merch!