1957 Smith Corona Sterling #5A 634584
Status: My Collection
Hunter: Brian Decker (bkdecker66)
Created: 01-01-2026 at 12:08PM
Last Edit: 01-01-2026 at 12:16PM
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Description:
This machine was given to me by a work colleague who knew I was into typewriters, around August of 2002. His wife had been fixing to throw it in the garbage. For me, it triggered an interest in the 5-Series Smith-Corona portables, and I read online about how the Silent Super was their premium line and a very good machine. So, several months later, I acquired an Alpine Blue Silent Super on eBay; the only 5-Series machine I ever purchased through eBay (see linked gallery). Years later, in early 2007, I found another Silent Super, in Desert Sand, for $15 at an antique mall (see linked gallery). This constitutes all of my 5-series S-C portables.
This Sterling I was planning to make a parts machine, due to the dubious condition of its cosmetic appearance. Also, my Alpine Blue Silent Super has a cracked linkage bearing mount. I was thinking to replace it with the one from this Sterling, and I went as far as to disconnect all the linkages and remove the bearing mount. However, after applying JB Weld to the Alpine Blue Silent Super's bearing mount, I decided this Sterling was worth reconstituting into working condition. What a job it was to replace the bearing mount and reinstall all the linkages! That accomplished late yesterday, I was able to produce a typing sample and create this gallery.
Along the way, I discovered that this 1957 Sterling does NOT have the convenient platen release lever mechanism; instead, it has a rather unfriendly arrangement involving a pressure plate mounted to the same threaded rod as the spring that holds the paper release lever. This may be common knowledge, but I wasn't aware that the convenient platen release was reserved for the higher lines in the 5-series.
This machine did come with a holiday case, which I still have; I just forgot to photograph it, and it looks basically like every other tan holiday case for these machines.
Typeface Specimen:
Links:
Photos:
Hunter: Brian Decker (bkdecker66)
Brian Decker's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]
Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 2072
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.
RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Smith Corona Sterling on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Smith Corona Serial Number page and the Smith Corona Sterling By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.
