Franklin Typewriter Serial Numbers

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Serial Number Table Last Edited: 12/11/24 04:16
NOTE: dates shown are JAN 1 unless noted, so the serial number shown is the *first* serial number produced the given year. Exceptions are serial numbers preceded by "up to"(where you can assume that the numbers reported in that subsection are DECEMBER 31, END OF YEAR NUMBERS) or rows where a month is given in the month column. If the serial number is shown as a range (xxxx-xxxx) it indicates that we know the entire range of serial numbers for the given year.

History	1889-1891	Patents: US464504 Filed Aug 13, 1889 • Issued Dec 8, 1891 **US574970 Filed Apr 17, 1893 • Issued Jan 12, 1897		Patented by Wellington Parker Kidder of Jamaica Plain, Massachussetts, USA in 1891 and assigned to the Tilton Manufacturing Co., Boston, MA, USA. **This patent filed by Joseph. A. White in 1893 looks an awful lot like the Franklin to me. It should be noted that J.A. White is usually credited as the co-patentee of the Victor Index and did work with Tilton Mfg at the time. Could his contribution to typewriter history be misplaced? Kidder had earlier developed the Wellington typewriter and Tilton had previously manufactured the Victor index typewriter. The Franklin was marketed by the Franklin Typewriter Co.. of Boston, MA, USA until 1907, when Franklin reorganized as the Victor Typewriter Co. of New York.	16,61
Platen Diameter				unknown
Models and s/n	Y	M	D	Remarks	Ref.
The Franklin No. 1/2 "Type I" 1-100	1891			Three row curved keyboard. Downstroke typebar arrangement. Keylever design geared similar to Remington portables of the 1930s. Identified by "The Franklin" in Roman capitals on a scroll, and nickel plated paper table. Simple bar scale to hold down paper. Stencilled patent pending notice on bottom front below keyboard. Ribbon spools above carriage. No. 1: 40 keys with two shifts writing 80 characters. No. 2: 42 keys with two shifts writing 84 characters. Only one known in collector hands: #49. Approx. 100 built.	16,61,89
The Franklin No. 3/4 "Type II" 101-900	1892			Identified by "The Franklin" in Old English, and nickel plated paper table. Patent plate below keyboard, otherwise, like Type I. Type II Franklin appears in late 1891, quickly displacing the Type I. No. 3: 40 keys with two shifts writing 80 characters. No. 4: 42 keys with two shifts writing 84 characters. Known Serial number range for Type II: #121-4960. Approx. 5000 built.	16,61,89,97
901-2000	1893			Jan 18, 1893: A fire breaks out at the Franklin factory, stopping production for at least a month. It is possible that an undocumented design change happened after production began again in mid 1893, as Franklin had an opportunity to retool and tweak the design. This theory could be supported by a patent (US574970) filed Apr 17, 1893 by Joseph. A. White for what looks rather a lot like a slightly redesigned Franklin. Type II labeling unchanged.	89,97
2001-3300	1894				89
3301-5000	1895				89
New Franklin No. 5/6 "Type III" 5001-6800	1896			Identified by "New Franklin" in Roman upper and lowercase and two types of paper table. Earlier machines (Type IIIa) have a black enameled paper table with gold border stripe, while later machines (Type IIIb) have a paper table bearing a shield and a motto: "Perfection the Aim of Invention". Paper holder frame of kickeled or blued metal, or black paint. Stencilled patent date rectangle below keyboard. Ribbon spools above carriage. No. 5: 40 keys with two shifts writing 80 characters. No. 6: 42 keys with two shifts writing 84 characters. Known Serial number range for Type IIIa: #5472-8145. Known Serial number range for Type IIIb: #8394-8976. Approx. 5000 built.	16,61,89
6801-8200	1897				89
8201-10000	1898				89
Franklin No. 7/8 "Type IV" 10001-11400	1899			Identified by "Franklin" in script lettering. Early machines (Type IVa) have a paper table bearing a shield and a motto: "Perfection the Aim of Invention", later machines (Type IVb) bearing a portrait of Benjamin Franklin. Paper holder and ribbon spools as in Type III. Model label (No.7/8) to either side of patent data. No. 7: 40 keys with two shifts writing 80 characters. No. 8: 42 keys with two shifts writing 84 characters. Known Serial number range for Type IVa: #10007-11412. Known Serial number range for Type IVb: #11555-15708. Approx. 6000 built.	16,61,89
11401-12900	1900				89
12901-14300	1901				89
14301-15900	1902				89
15901-16900	1903				89
The Franklin No. 9/10 "Type V" 16901-18200	1904			Identified by "The Franklin" in script lettering. Paper table bearing a portrait of Benjamin Franklin. Paper holder with two fingers. Ribbon spools concealed inside chassis of machine. Model label (No.9/10) to either side of patent data. No. 9: 40 keys with two shifts writing 80 characters. No. 10: 42 keys with two shifts writing 84 characters. Known Serial number range for Type V: #16739-19168. Approx. 4000 built.	16,61,89
18201-20000	1905			In 1905, the Franklin Typewriter Company began work on a $100 four bank frontstroke standard design intended to replace the then-new but already outdated No.10 Franklin. The new "Victor", which took its name from the predecessor to the Franklin, was manufactured and marketed by a newly formed company, Victor Typewriter Company, which was incorporated to absorb the interests of the Franklin corporation.	87,88

Franklin Typewriter: Links to History

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