1959 Smith Corona Electra 12 #5LE143279
Status: My Collection
Hunter: James Grooms (jgrooms)
Created: 06-30-2024 at 05:40PM
Last Edit: 10-06-2024 at 11:08AM
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Description:
Part of a marathon 3-day bucknut sweep.
Fourty-four typewriters and I couldn't get one more in the truck or it would have been more.
This untouched gem has thumpy belts, but otherwise pristine. No case, but I think some of these 12s were sold without. There is zero evidence that this was ever in a case.
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7.6.24 Service and update.
Kitchen queens. Despite the reddit myths, it isn't WD-40 gumming up old typewriters. These things sat on kitchen tables for years doing their work. This while a greasy cook stove was going 2-3 times a day, seven days a week. Different times and lets just say the food prep was a bit different. Then throw in the chain smoking. So when you see this film inside a typewriter that is everywhere, it isn't WD-40.
S-C didn't initially planned on these machines being adopted by offices. However, they recognized quickly what was happening. And the 12 in carriage was quickly added to the lineup to push this way. This would launch a whole series of features added to what was at first a home use 'portable.' During the 60s S-C sales would skyrocket on the back of the revolutionary 5TE.
See also the Electric 12 gallery for the same model under a different name.
Typeface Specimen:
Links:
Photos:
Hunter: James Grooms (jgrooms)
James Grooms's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]
Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 7635
As with many, the bug is back there somewhere due to an Underwood No. 5. My grandfather was on a small town school board and used one for this. My parents had a yellow Royal Safari that I used to index card everything, including a beer can collection. Collection syndrome clue! The long dormant tic was activated when my neighbors left a Remington Quiet Riter on the curb when they moved in circa 2010, Yes a believe it or not story is next, when a Hermes 3000 comes home with the girlfriend from work for free. Yes, free! From there the addiction is full steam. And yes, I now have a No. 5. Typewriters are the perfect blend of using one's technical skills, history and functional purpose.
RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Smith Corona Electra 12 on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Smith Corona Serial Number page and the Smith Corona Electra 12 By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.
