1946 IBM Model 04 Executive #131299

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Mark Rice (TypewriterNoob)
Created: 04-07-2022 at 02:05PM
Last Edit: 04-08-2022 at 01:51PM

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Description:

I purchased this typewriter in December 2021 from a company near Stoughton Wisconsin that used to make steam powered tractors. They were selling off all of the large custom made shop equipment. This machine was also for sale for $50. However, when we plugged it in to test it, white smoke came pouring out. So I offered only $10 which was accepted. In addition, it came with two full boxes of carbon ribbons (6 ribbons/box).

The IBM Electric Executive Model 04 is the first typewriter with proportional letter spacing (introduced in 1944). The side-mounted carbon ribbon and complex proportional spacing escapements located on the back of the machine produce print that looks like it was typeset. A skilled typist could also calculate the line spacing to produced right justified lines. Characters occupy between two and five units per grid cell, depending on the width of the letter. A page of text produced with an Executive is indistinguishable from a page of typeset text. President Roosevelt was presented with the first Executive Model 04 off the production line. Prime Minister Churchill allegedly responded to Roosevelt that "although he realized their correspondence was very important, there was absolutely no need to have it printed."

This machine needed little cleaning both cosmetically and mechanically. However, the motor was frozen which was probably causing it to overheat and burn off some old oil. I serviced the motor myself and got it running. Now it runs great and is quite the beast - both loud and heavy. Although the platen is slightly hardened, the print is still spectacular! This could easily become my favorite machine for typing letters. Unfortunately, carbon ribbon replacements are no longer produced, so expensive new old stock is all that is available. Therefore, my typing will be kept to a minimum to preserve the ribbons.

Typeface Specimen:

Photos:

Hunter: Mark Rice (TypewriterNoob)

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Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 730

I'm over 60 now, but bought my first typewriter (a 1920's Underwood) when I was a teenager for $5.00. Unfortunately, I sold it 15 years later for $5.00 because I thought it was a useless, outdated boat anchor. Fast forward 35 years and I bought a Smith Corona Tabulator at a garage sale for $5.00 to show my grandchildren what a manual typewriter is and how it works. A couple years later, I bought an Oliver No. 9 at an antique store for $54 because of its interesting design. Within a month, I had spent over $1,000 and bought 16 more typewriters from a 1905 Remington No. 6 upstrike to an electric Olivetti Praxis 48.

I'm pretty handy, so my plan is to clean and repair them. I'll keep some for my private collection and sell others to support my new typewriter addiction.