1939 Imperial Good Companion #CH 097

Status: Sightings
Hunter: Brian Decker (bkdecker66)
Created: 09-12-2026 at 05:14AM
Last Edit: 09-12-2026 at 05:25AM

Description Hunter 14 Photos 0 Likes  Find on Ebay #AD  Find on Etsy #AD

Description:

2026-SEP-12, Gallery Creation.

This typewriter is from the Mike Meakin collection. Mike was the owner of Abacus Office Machines in Spokane, WA, which he started in 1961. Mike retired in 1992, leaving the operation of the business to his children. In addition to running a successful office machine business, Mike was an avid typewriter and adding machine collector, whose collection grew to over 450 machines over time. Mike passed away in 2025, and his children are now gradually selling off his collection. His daughter, Trudy, has graciously allowed me to create TWDB galleries for Mike's machines, to add to our knowledge base.

A nice Imperial Good Companion, first model, which types, but with some alignment issues. Listed on eBay on 9/11/2026, and available as of this gallery creation on 9/12/2026. The serial number, "CH 097" indicates a manufacture year of 1939.

Typeface Specimen:

Links:

• Previous Meakin gallery, Royal "P" portable #153505 (1929)

Photos:

Front main view, in case.

Paper table decal, carriage & type basket.

Front decal "Imperial, The Good Companion".

Type basket and carriage, machine in front of case.

Keyboard.

Front edge decal.

Serial number (under right shift key, right of the space bar).

Right broadside.

Aft.

Aft closer view, showing decal.

Left broadside.

Case front.

Case top, underside.

eBay main listing page, showing available status as of 9/12/2026.

Hunter: Brian Decker (bkdecker66)

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

Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 6288

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.

In late 2024, I started up again, working on my machines and having some of them serviced professionally by New England Typewriter (NET) LLC (Merrimack, NH), until they closed their doors in December of 2025. Since mid-2025, I have been adding to my collection again, first with a Hermes 3000 purchase from NET, then with various auctions and purchases on eBay, when I find something that catches my eye.