Saturday, December 28, 2013

Bay Area Type-In: Photos and Type Samples

In roughly chronological order:

Type Samples from California Typewriter Type-In Dev 27, 2013

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

Sadie's information card which I typed up in advance. I don't know exactly what the etiquette is for identifying one's own machines. I thought I should be prepared, though, in case anyone asked what age my machine was (they didn't.) You can see Sadie in the foreground, the typecast page about to be used with my ramblings. Richard's Twolympia in the middle, and Carolee aka "Good Mail Day" pecking away on a Smith-Corona that she adopted from yours truly.

I brought a box of these little paper squares for samples and for sharing. I'm glad I did, since it let me compile something of a group of "trading cards" for all the machines I tried out. It also gave me a chance to forget to change the margin on more than one machine, as you'll see.

* * *

Type Samples from California Typewriter Type-In Dev 27, 2013

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

I am not afraid of the paint can when used to trick out a typewriter. I figure they shouldn't have to go through their retirement with the same office-drab paint they came into. But I don't have the chops (yet?) to completely remove all the panels and have the whole thing done. This machine... audacious. And perfect, for the size of the typeface. I love it.

* * *

This next one was clearly in the look-but-don't-touch category:

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

I wish the lighting and my own camera skills could have been more compatible. These simply do not do the machine or the rings justice.

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013
Never used, these rings. Still in the original box.

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

How do you top a museum piece like that? MORE TYPING.

* * *

Type Samples from California Typewriter Type-In Dev 27, 2013

Hubris = typos. Remember that. It's actually not a German keyboard. Richard and the shop folks were taking and making guesses. Attention Bob Messenger: you are needed on the West Coast!

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

* * *

Lots of flitting around at this event: the Cole-Steel was on the same table as the Continental, near the camera here:

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

The Olympia was more toward the back. I know that I tend to comment on noise of these machines. There was a heady din through most of the day. A wonderful, metal-on-paper din.

Type Samples from California Typewriter Type-In Dev 27, 2013

Type Samples from California Typewriter Type-In Dev 27, 2013

Some of the Royal 10, which had been rebuilt at some point in its past. The glass panels had been removed and replaced with plastic (?) with the textured finish. I love the service label in the shift key. Here it is, getting a workout from Tony M.

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

And some attempts at unusual angles:

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

* * *

I tended to move at random from machine to machine. My attempt at typing "The quick brown fox" (positionally) on a Cyrillic (?) Good Companion was not filled with promise.

Type Samples from California Typewriter Type-In Dev 27, 2013

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

* * *

An Adler travel machine was set up in the back, and was one of my first brushes with the documentary crew. Props to them for managing two guys with cameras and a boom mic in a space made smaller by all the tables and typists.

Type Samples from California Typewriter Type-In Dev 27, 2013

The Hermes was by the front door, next to the sign-in Underwood standard. Adwoa would surely have passed it by without a second glance, but it stood out here, battered and dusty though it was.

* * *

I got a chance to take Richard's Twolympia for a spin. A risky move (for him) given my proclivities for these machines. He had some handy excuse about the carriage not stopping all the time, but I think this was just a self-preservation move on his part. NEXT TIME, POLT. NEXT TIME.

Type Samples from California Typewriter Type-In Dev 27, 2013

* * *

Type Samples from California Typewriter Type-In Dev 27, 2013

Olivetti vs. Olivetti vs. Facit! The winner? I may have to go with the script Olivetti, to be totally honest, though the Facit was something else.

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

* * *

Around the middle of the event, we heard some kind words from the owners of the shop, who were pleasantly pleased that they had to dig out their old tools once again, and were amused at the variety of machines that are now walking in the door. I think there were at least two customers not part of the type-in that came in to the shop. Not bad for a Friday afternoon with a sketchy-looking crowd hanging around the place.

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013
Our hosts and some shots around the shop...

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013
Around the room for introductions.

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013
No table space? Play it where they lie.

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013
Right in the front window, like a beacon of awesome. So. Shiny.

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013
Oh Ames, how we miss you.

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013
Old and new, working together.

* * *

And at Richard's comment ("Hey, did you see their workbench?") I naturally stuck my nose behind the magic screen...

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013

* * *

Finally -- and sadly! -- it was time to get a little last typing in and head home. A final comparison type sample, and a few parting thoughts.

Type Samples from California Typewriter Type-In Dev 27, 2013


Type-In at California Typewriter in Berkeley CA Dec 27 2013
Get turned on to typing at California Typewriter!

13 comments:

Richard P said...

Great photos, and it was an excellent idea to gather typing samples. Well done!

Ted said...

added a link to this report at http://type-in.org/ :D

Anonymous said...

Obviously, you used my pink typer before the shop guys fixed the line spacing problem. :)

notagain said...

Jealous much! Looks like a great time.

Anonymous said...

Just an awesome report choc full of interesting typewriters, typefaces, and people! Plus, a highlight for me were the elephants on the space bar of that animal Corona!

TonysVision said...

Delightfully stringing those words together as always, giving a fun picture of a fun event.

Strikethru said...

MPC it was an honor to meet you in person! I hope to see you at another typecast. Great recap.

Piotr Trumpiel said...

Excellent photos and samples. WIWT!

Ton S. said...

Thanks for this detailed report, you made me wish I was there!

Duffy Moon said...

Fantastic write-up, Clemens. Wish I'd been there. Well done.

Elizabeth H. said...

Great report!

Cappuccinoandartjournal.blogspot.com said...

WOW! Great post -- and I wonder why I wasn't at the type-in?? I am more than a little jealous of that Cyrillic typewriter. i just saw one at a flea market when I was in Russian and I have been pining for one ever since. And I could use it for my Russian inspired postal collages...sigh...Is that Carolee I spy? Great post. All those typewriters look terrific.

Chris said...

That sans-serif is indeed lovelz.