Quirky QWERTY - My Non-QWERTY Hermes Baby Typewriter
Quirky QWERTY - My Non-QWERTY Hermes Baby Typewriter
Now I can’t recall what it is exactly that made me suddenly want to own one, but the idea came across my mind about a month ago. I knew it was the beginning of something beautiful. Three typewriters later, I am a happy bygone-era hunter and quite satisfied with my small and oh-so-ultraportable haul so far.
My favourite, by far, is my quirky non-QWERTY Hermes Baby typewriter. My version is from the mid-to-late 1950s. It boasts the beautiful sea-foam green keys and lovely mint-coloured crinkle paint. It comes with a cover that doubles as a carry-case with a handle. I had to fix the handle because the previous owner had patched up what looked like a broken handle but it was no longer resting straight once it was locked in place. Plus, the brown goo or whatever variant of glue used was not visually appealing at all. Something had to be done. It took a bit of time but I was able to re-break the handle but patch it up again with super glue. I did wipe off a bit of the colour so the area near the handles look a bit faded but not noticeable.
Initial inspection: The body was a bit dirty, probably from the hands smeared with ribbon ink and God-knows-what-else that handled this little baby over the years.
Initial inspection: Can you handle it? ‘Cause I don’t think it can.
Initial inspection: The keys are alright and will be easy to clean one-by-one.
This typewriter is also quite light and fairly easy to carry around - living up to its ultraportable name. I simply slide it into my backpack and it fits comfortably. Despite the dust, cobwebs, fluff and occasional hair I had to flush with air cleaner out of the interior from all the years of being tucked away in storage, the previous owner did a good job taking care of it over the years.
After: I think it cleaned up really nicely (and yes, they’re my sloth slippers, thank you).
My quirky typewriter has a Latvian alphabet, hence a QWERTZ keyboard. It’s an enjoyable difference to type with it. I have to be aware of where the letter ‘Z’ is positioned and that little warning flash alerts me to remind myself that ‘Z’ is where the ‘Y’ is at and that’s that. But you can't help it when you're on a roll and your fingers can’t keep up with your head. The ribbon doesn’t turn when the side latches holding the spools are locked down in place. It’s most likely blocked by the latch but I don't want to try fixing it in case I might exacerbate it. I think I'll leave it the way it is. Nothing wrong with giving that ribbon some breathing space. I like the short and sharp punchy thuck-thuck sound it makes when the typebar hits the paper. It’s short and sweet and reminds me to be concise with what I’m saying.
Oh, that beautiful sound.
Just imagine, the keyboard we use on our PC, laptop, tablet, and smartphone were all a culmination of the history of the typewriter. Thank you, Mr. Scholes and Glidden, for making the very first commercially successful typewriter. They are the founders of how written communication has evolved and changed the way we write, send, share and read information today. I would also like to thank Tom Hanks for introducing me to the Hermes typewriter brand. Thanks, Hanx!
