#blickensderfer

[citizenscreen]

On April 12, 1892, the first US patent for a truly portable typewriter was issued. The patent, No. 472,692, was issued to George C. Blickensderfer of Stamford, CT for a “type writing machine.”

[make-friends-with-the-rats]

1899 typewriter appreciation post because I can

top to bottom: The Chicago, The Ideal Typewriter, Smith Premier No. 2, Franklin 7, Blickensderfer 7

All of these came out in 1899. They look a little different than the typewriter that most people are accustomed to, but they deserve just as much love.

[ultraheydudemestuff]

Walhonding Canal Lock No. 9

State Route 715 west

Warsaw, OH

The Walhonding Canal Lock No. 9 is located on State Route 715, in Jefferson Township, Coshocton County, west of Warsaw, Ohio.  The Walhonding Canal was a canal in Coshocton County that was used as a feeder canal for the Ohio and Erie Canal. A small canal, only 25 miles long, it was wholly contained within Coshocton County, following the Mohican River from Cavallo south to the confluence with the Kokosing River, which together with the Mohican forms the Walhonding River. The canal followed the Walhonding River southeast toward Coshocton where it met the Ohio and Erie Canal in Roscoe Village.   

     Building of the Walhonding Canal commenced in 1836 and finished in 1842. William H. Price, Charles J. Ward, John Waddle, Jacob Blickensderfer, Henry Fields and Sylvester Medbery were among the members of the engineering corps responsible for the Walhonding Canal. Several of these men also served as contractors on the Ohio and Erie Canal. In addition to these were John Frew, S. Moffit, Isaac Means, John Crowley, W. K. Johnson, and others. It cost $607,268.99, or an average of $24,290.76 per mile.  The first canal boat launched in the county was called the "Renfrew" in honor of James Renfrew, a merchant of Coshocton. It was built by Thomas Butler Lewis, an old Ohio keel-boatman.

     Traffic began to slow as other modes of transportation began to improve and need for the canal dwindled. In 1889, the Pennsylvania Company organized the Walhonding Valley Railroad that would follow the route of the canal from Coshocton to Loudonville. The Walhonding Valley Railroad was soon consolidated with the Northwestern Ohio Railroad, which formed the Toledo, Walhonding Valley and Ohio Railroad. The railroad was completed four years after the organization of the Walhonding Valley Railroad and it used some canal property on its right-of-way as it built the railroad, an action which led to a legal dispute.

     The state officially abandoned the Walhonding Canal in 1896 and the railroad that took its place continued to operate until 1936 when the Mohawk Dam was built for flood control, effectively cutting off the right-of-way.  The Walhonding Canal Lock No. 9 was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 24, 1986.

[petermorwood]

TL;DR - the 1897 novel "Dracula" by Bram Stoker wasn't just vampire horror, it was also a techno-thriller.

*****

Excuse me, did I just see diaries dismissed as too up-to-date and modern for the atmosphere of "Dracula"?

Samuel Pepys (1633-1703) kept a famous diary from 1660-69 and would like to have a word with someone about that.

*****

"Dracula" was first published in 1897, and Bram Stoker had been researching it since about 1890 (he had Other Things To Do) so for my own amusement I went looking for the sort of Excessive Modern Technology that "The Spectator" criticised.

*****

Mina Harker (née Murray) can write in shorthand, which at that time was usually done in pencil. Stenography fountain pens were also popular (Jonathan Harker uses one) but faded away, while steno pencils are still sold to this day.

I have been working very hard lately, because I want to keep up with Jonathan’s studies, and I have been practising shorthand very assiduously. When we are married I shall be able to be useful to Jonathan, and if I can stenograph well enough I can take down what he wants to say in this way and write it out for him on the typewriter, at which also I am practising very hard. He and I sometimes write letters in shorthand, and he is keeping a stenographic journal of his travels abroad.

She uses two typewriters in the course of the book. The one in England mentioned above and in subsequent chapters is probably a desktop model, perhaps an Underwood or Remington suitable for a solicitor's office...

However, as played by Winona Ryder in the film "Bram Stoker's Dracula", she uses a smaller Oliver...

...whose design, deliberately or by accident, seems to echo Gary Oldman's Dracula hair.

Mina specifically describes the other machine like this:

"I feel so grateful to the man who invented the “Traveller’s” typewriter, and to Mr. Morris for getting this one for me."

This suggests it's a much smaller and lighter portable, probably with a carrying-case; maybe a Blickensderfer like one of these...

...whose ads emphasised its travel utility.

*****

Jonathan Harker keeps his journal in shorthand, and says so:

"Here I am, sitting at a little oak table where in old times possibly some fair lady sat to pen, with much thought and many blushes, her ill-spelt love-letter, and writing in my diary in shorthand all that has happened since I closed it last."

And he's using a pen not a pencil, because he also says so:

"When I had written in my diary and had fortunately replaced the book and pen in my pocket I felt sleepy."

He can't have done that with a regular dip pen and inkwell, so he's carrying something with an internal ink supply and a cap against leaks - in other words, a fountain pen, only finalised in its modern form in 1884.

Whether Harker's had a proper steno nib for shorthand (or whether such nibs had even been invented yet) I don't know, but the pen itself would have been something like this Swan by Mabie Todd, which he'd have filled from a bottle using an eyedropper (modern Opus 88 pens use this filling system even now):

...or maybe a Wirt fountain pen (filled the same way) as praised by Mark Twain:

*****

Finally, Dr Seward's phonograph recorder was probably an Edison like this one...

...powered by a large lead-acid battery of the kind now found in cars. The one pictured has a small close-to-the-mouth "confidential" speaking horn and pneumatic (air-transmission) earphones, appropriate to a doctor using it for confidential patient information.

It made recordings on wax-covered cylinders which could be erased for re-use by shaving off the engraved wax.

"He (Dr Seward) stood up and opened a large drawer, in which were arranged in order a number of hollow cylinders of metal covered with dark wax... I (Mina) took the cover off my typewriter, and said to Dr. Seward: “Let me write this all out now...” He accordingly set the phonograph at a slow pace, and I began to typewrite from the beginning of the seventh cylinder..."

So "Dracula" is a novel whose plot development depends in several places on state-of-the-art contemporary tech.

That sounds like a "techno-thriller" to me... :->

The Spectator [19th century British magazine] thought that while Stoker made admirable use of “vampirology,” the story might have been better had it been set in an earlier period. “The up-to-dateness of the book—the phonograph, diaries, typewriters, and so on—hardly fits in with the mediaeval methods which ultimately secure the victory for Count Dracula’s foes.”

On the subject that contemporaries thought that Dracula was too up-to-date for a vampire story.

[xoxostephanie11]

“Overall, it was a good weekend. Our first objective was to make the race. We did that, and then got a little mixed up as a team on communication and had some errors to start the race and went a couple of laps down. Still super proud of our team. It was our first weekend together. Really proud of the communication between Drew (Blickensderfer, crew chief) and myself and spotter Andy Houston and the rest of the guys, just making good adjustments to make the race. There are a lot of positives. Our communication mishaps as a team going into the race with the modified schedule – we were misinformed on some stuff. Other than that, I’m proud of these guys and proud of the effort, thankful for the hard work and just grateful to be back out here. Our goal was to make the race and, although we want to win, we at least got to go out there and be a part of the show. Thanks to Rush Truck Centers and everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing. It was really fun driving the new Dark Horse Mustang. I can’t wait to get back out there. We’ll clean it up for Daytona. Thank goodness this wasn’t a points race.”

-Noah Gragson

[artallastudio-blog]

Thank you to all who participated in this wonderful event.

New York Studio School for hosting Emily McElwreath for brilliant moderating Dana Blickensderfer for seamless coordination And to my dear sister Stella Hayes, thank you!

Stay tuned as the talk will be available online very soon for you all to listen to.

Much love, xoxo.

[theantikeychop]

@typewritergazette Just hopped out of my time machine after raiding the Blick factory (sorry George) . . . . . #sorrynotsorry #timetravel #imadeafunny #ha #jokes #madeinconnecticut #typewritercollector #typwewriter #imlame #blickensderfer #blick #antique #oldschool #stamfordct

[dame-de-pique]

Clark Blickensderfer (1882-1962) - Old Faithful

[bidonestates]

We may have a few...or 54 to be exact...vintage typewriters in our next warehouse auction! All from one collector 🤩 Link in bio and auction ends 4/3! #vintage #typewriter #auction #onlineauction #blickensderfer #underwoodstandard #remingtontypewriter #pittsburgh #pgh #bidonestates https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvo4O5lgU0B/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=3hci7nwxresc

[undr]

Library of Congress. Snowy Day on a Denver Street. USA. 1899

[spider-xan]

I decided to do some research into what a portable traveller's typewriter like the one Quincey got for Mina might look like, and here is a photograph of a Blickensderfer No. 6 from 1896, which was constructed from lightweight aluminum; this would have been sold for $70 US back in the day, and according to this inflation calculator, that would be the equivalent of $2473.40 US in 2022 today; even the more affordable No. 5 that was released in 1893 - one of the most popular theoretical years for the novel's setting - as the first commercial model would have been $35 US back then, and $1154.25 US in today's money after inflation.

The Blickensderfer typewriter was the first portable, full-keyboard typewriter, invented and patented in 1891; the use of lightweight aluminum in manufacturing was also fairly new - so once again, Dracula is very much 'nineteenth century up-to-date with a vengeance', where what was cutting-edge modern technology at the time of the novel's publication is on full display in a contemporary Victorian novel and key to the success of the team, as well as playing into the themes of modernity versus tradition, technology versus superstition, etc.

[todayincthistory]

Subscribe For Daily Updates. TODAYINCTHISTORY.com

[andrearrrrr]

The Blickensderfer Typewriter was invented by George Canfield Blickensderfer (1850–1917) and patented on August 4, 1891

[papermoonloveslucy]

TYPEWRITER TESSIE!

Lucy and the Typewriter

On July 23, 1829, American William Austin Burt patented a machine called the "Typographer" which is listed as the first typewriter. The London Science Museum describes it as "the first writing mechanism whose invention was documented". Burt never found a buyer for the patent, so the invention was never commercially produced. 

By the mid-19th century, the increasing pace of business communication had created a need for mechanization of the writing process. From 1829 - 1870, many printing or typing machines were patented by inventors in Europe and America, but none went into commercial production. The first typewriter to be commercially successful was patented in 1868. It looked "like a cross between a piano and a kitchen table". Remington began production of its first typewriter on March 1, 1873. It had a QWERTY keyboard layout, which was slowly adopted by other typewriter manufacturers. 

An electric typewriter was first produced by the Blickensderfer Manufacturing Company in 1902. In 1928, Delco, a division of General Motors, purchased Northeast Electric, and the typewriter business was spun off as Electromatic Typewriters, Inc. In 1933, Electromatic was acquired by IBM, launching the IBM Electric Typewriter Model 01 in 1935. By 1958, IBM was deriving 8% of its revenue from the sale of electric typewriters. IBM and Remington Rand electric typewriters were the leading models until IBM introduced the IBM Selectric typewriter in 1961, which replaced the typebars with a spherical element (or typeball) slightly smaller than a golf ball, with reverse-image letters molded into its surface.

Lucille Ball and William Holden in ‘Miss Grant Takes Richmond’ (1949).

Towards the end of the commercial popularity of typewriters in the 1970s, a number of hybrid designs combining features of printers were introduced. These often incorporated keyboards from existing models of typewriters and dot-matrix printers.

The 1970s and early 1980s were a time of transition for typewriters and word processors. Due to falling sales, IBM sold its typewriter division in 1991 to the newly formed Lexmark, completely exiting from a market it once dominated.

The increasing dominance of personal computers, desktop publishing, the introduction of low-cost, high-quality laser and inkjet printers, and the pervasive use of web publishing, e-mail and other electronic communication techniques have largely replaced typewriters in the United States.

The Dark Corner (1946)

Lucy Ricardo used a typewriter when she wrote her operetta, her novel, and her play! 

Lucy Ricardo’s novel “Real Gone With the Wind” was typed by Lucy on a manual typewriter. 

When a last minute offer to buy her manuscript surfaces, Lucy is forced to retype her novel after it has been torn to shreds!

Lucy Carmichael takes a job as a legal secretary which requires her to type, answer the phone, and bring the boss a glass of water - all at the same time!  She is hopping around the office like a kangaroo! 

When Lucy Carmichael was a reporter for the Danfield Tribune, typing was part of the job. Upon closer examination, Lucille Ball is loading paper with writing already on it into the typewriter!  Probably her script!  

Lucy Carmichael typed a letter to her Congressman about the need for a Fire Department. The Congressman just happens to have the same name as Vivian Vance’s husband, John Dodds! 

Lucille Ball and Bob Hope in Critic’s Choice (1963). Typing opening night reviews was how critics did their job before computers! 

A heavily disguised Lucy Carmichael spies over the shoulder of a soap opera script writer who is deciding the outcome of her favorite show!  From the crumpled papers next to his typewriter, things aren’t going well. 

Lucy Carter typing up O.J. Simpson’s speech notes. On TV the brand name of the typewriter was sometimes covered with tape! 

Guyana issued a Lucy at the typewriter stamp! 400 Guyanese Dollars is equal to about two US Dollars! 

When “Here’s Lucy” needed an extra to play a secretarial candidate, Lucille Ball’s own private secretary, Wanda Clark, was given the job due to her amazing typing speed!  What Clark didn’t tell Ball was that she had been typing on an early electric typewriter for years - and the prop on the set was a standard model!  She was terrified! 

Typing was not just for girls anymore!  Craig Carter (Desi Arnaz Jr.) uses a typewriter on “Here’s Lucy” to do his homework.

Moving the Unique Employment Agency into Lucy’s home during her recuperation meant typing letters for Harry before the moving men had even left! 

When she is replaced by a computer, Lucy Carter goes to work in the typing pool of another company. 

A hilarious typewriter ballet was choreographed to “The Flight of the Bumble Bee”! 

Trying to do Lucy’s job - Mr. Mooney causes her electric typewriter to explode! 

When Lucy and Carol Burnett compete in the Secretary Beautiful Pageant, the first prize is a new electric typewriter - but what if the results are a tie?  The solution to the quandary is never mentioned! 

[mia-decorative]

"Blickensderfer 6" typewriter, George C. Blickensderfer, c. 1906, Minneapolis Institute of Art: Decorative Arts, Textiles and Sculpture

The Blickensderfer model 6 was the the portable typewriter 2.0--an improvement over the Model 5 that had debuted at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. The Model 6 was made of aluminum, rendering it lightweight, and like its predecessor, contained a fraction of the parts that made up its desktop contemporaries. Its rotating type wheel allowed for a speedy change in typefaces. Dubbed the "Five-Pound Private Secretary," the Model 6 was portable and durable; the company touted it in advertisements as being, "in every way, a high class machine." Like our own laptop computers and tablets today, it helped revolutionize work and communication while on the go. Size: 5 x 12 x 8 1/2in. (12.7 x 30.5 x 21.6cm) Medium: Aluminum, other metals

https://collections.artsmia.org/art/40983/

[theantikeychop]

Just found the only known Gold-Plated Blickensderfer No.5 typewriter. #mineallmine . . . . . . . #typewriter #gold #antique #blick #blickensderfer #old #blingbling #rare #madeinct #madeinconnecticut #yas #typewritercollector #mechanical