Remington Rand Model 11 Typewriter Serial Numbers
1934 Remington Rand Remie Scout Serial S73XXX. Yes, I know it says quite plainly that this typewriter is a Monarch, and that threw me for a long time trying to.
Appendix I Typewriter Manufacture Dates and Serial Numbers SPECIFICATIONS AND DATES OF MANUFACTURE Upstrike Standards.
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Model names
General information
The Remington portable typewriters of the twenties and thirties are
a familiar sight in antique shops and flea markets across the U.S.
not to mention eBay. Many of them are charming and attractive,
and there are few collectors who don t have at least one. However,
it is difficult to find information about these machines. They were
produced in bewildering variety, with a wide range of names and
minor variations. Remington s strategy for surviving the Depression
seems to have been to flood the market with every conceivable
variant of its two basic portable designs.
What follows is an attempt to systematize what I know about
portable typewriters made by Remington before World War II. This
is research in progress: I invite everyone to e-mail me with further
information about any of these typewriters, especially the less
common ones, and I ll add it to this page. I would also love to
get pictures of models I haven t pictured here, or of beautifully
colored specimens.
Some Remington portables do not carry the Remington name. In the
early 1900s, Remington gained control of the Smith Premier
typewriter company and also introduced the Monarch frontstroke
typewriter. These names were perpetuated through the 1930s, so
that there are Smith Premier and Monarch versions of many
Remington models. The Monarchs are labeled as made by the American
Writing Machine Co. Other Remington models were labeled for sale
by department stores such as Sears Roebuck the Porto-Rite, Butler Brothers, or Macy s
the Macy s machines usually have a red star on a corner and the
Macy s name on a decal in the back. Finally, Remington
manufactured noiseless portables for Underwood.
Many models had versions that were manufactured or assembled
abroad. In the listings for American models below, I mention known
foreign name variants, and discuss the foreign versions in a
separate section on foreign
variants at the bottom of this page.
Apart from personal observations, my main sources for the
information below are serial number data compiled by the Remington
patent division in the 1950s later made available to collectors
by Remington executive David P. Sheridan ; Thomas Russo s Mechanical Typewriters; Paul Lippman s American Typewriters; Touch
Method Instructor for Remington Typewriters, a pamphlet put out
by Remington in the mid-thirties; and a Remington Touch Method
Typing Instruction Book of 1940. These sources sometimes conflict
with each other. I ve taken the serial number data as most
authoritative, but I know from comparing them to my own
typewriters that they are not foolproof. Take everything below
with a grain of salt.
The typewriters are listed in the chronological order of their
introduction which is not always the same as the order of the
model numbers.. Portions of the name given in brackets do not
appear on the typewriter itself. The starting and ending dates of
the production are listed, along with serial number data and
production numbers. In May 1942, all production of Remington
typewriters ceased for the duration of the war, as factories were
converted to military purposes.
For a more month-by-month breakdown of serial numbers compiled by
Ted Munk, based primarily on the Sheridan serial number data,
visit the Remington page on The Typewriter
Database.
About serial numbers
Look for the serial number by moving the carriage to the left and
right and looking in the rear corners. Failing that, look in the
upper right corner of the slotted comb from which the keyboard
emerges.
I am too busy to look up serial numbers, so I cannot give you an
exact date for your typewriter based on the serial number.
However, for each model on this page I provide the serial number
range and the dates of manufacture, which will give you a general
idea.
You can use the serial number to determine the precise month of
manufacture only if you have a semi-portable Remington Junior
1914-1921, 1 portable,
2 portable, or a Rem-Blick. These models,
like all Remington typewriters made from August 1914 through
August 1928, use a 2-letter, 5-numeral code. The first letter
represents the model of the typewriter J for the Junior, N for
the 1 and 2, or K for the Rem-Blick. The second letter
represents the month of manufacture, according to the following
code:
P January
M February
L March
K April
X May
S June
V July
E August
D September
C October
Z November
A December
The first numeral is the last numeral of the year in which the
typewriter was made for example, 3 means 1923. The remaining
four numerals probably indicate the typewriter s sequence in the
machines manufactured that month. For example: KX80608 is the six
hundred and eighth Rem-Blick made in the month of May, 1928.
Mechanisms
Two basic mechanisms are used in Remington portables.
Geared typebar mechanism: this design relies on a simple
linkage between type lever and typebar, which mesh together like
gears. These are oblique-frontstroke typewriters: the typebars
hit the platen at a spot between the front and the top of the
platen.
Noiseless mechanism: in noiseless portables, the typebar is
prevented from slamming against the platen at full force; the
momentum of a small weight brings it the last few millimeters to
the front of the platen. It s not truly noiseless, but it is
quieter than a conventional typebar typewriter.
Although Remington promotional literature boasts that both of these
mechanisms were engineered, developed, pioneered by Remington, the
geared linkage was actually introduced by Wellington P. Kidder in
1891 on his Franklin
typewriter, and the noiseless technology was first used by the
Noiseless Typewriter Company, which came out with the Noiseless Portable
in 1921 and was bought in 1924 by Remington. The Noiseless Portable
was invented by George G. Going, who went on to work for Remington.
Locking and unlocking the carriage
When you find a Remington portable, the carriage may appear to be
frozen. It has been locked in place for carrying. Try to release the
carriage by holding the carriage with your left hand and pulling out
on the right platen knob with your right hand. If that doesn t work,
there should be a small upright lever on the left end of the platen
that will release the carriage if you pull it slightly to the left
and then to the back. In order to relock the carriage, find a lever
on the left end of the carriage which, when pulled forward, lets the
carriage slide freely into the middle of the typewriter and click
there; you may then need to push the right platen knob into the
platen in order to lock the carriage. This may be necessary in order
to fit the typewriter into its case.
Remington Junior Apr. 1914-1921
Serial numbers: 2-letter,
5-numeral code beginning with J
Number made: 10,000. my rough guess
Not a true portable but a luggable typewriter, this simplified
writing machine had three banks of keys and shift keys only on the
left. It is smaller, it is lighter, it is designed for the
simpler uses, says a 1915 ad. It was manufactured in the Smith
Premier factory in Syracuse, N.Y. It is similar to the Century 10
typewriter, marketed around 1919-1921 by the American Writing
Machine Company, which was controlled by Remington. Not to be
confused with the later
Remington Junior portable. This model was not a market
success.
Remington Portable 1 Oct. 1920-Jan. 1925
5-numeral code beginning with N
Number made: 300,000.
These
little machines were marketed aggressively and were a great
success. They were the first truly portable typewriters with
four-bank keyboards, and in this category they had no competition
until Royal and Underwood introduced four-bank portables in 1926.
The folding-typebar mechanism raises the typebars to a 45-degree
angle, the printing position, by means of a lever on the right
side of the typewriter. The typebars must be lowered again when
the typewriter is returned to its case. The carrying case is
sometimes wood or metal covered in leather or imitation leather;
usually as on all subsequent Remington portables, it is wood
covered in black cloth. In 1924 the price of the Remington
Portable was 60. It was sold in France as the Smith Premier
Portative.
According to vol. I, no. 1 August 2, 1926 of The Remport,
a newsletter for sellers of Remington portables, The Remington
Portable was first exhibited at the New York Business Show in
October, 1920. Its manufacture began shortly thereafter but for
many months only a limited number of machines were available for
delivery. the first dealership contracts of record were
entered during September, 1921. Thanks to Ed Neuert for
providing this publication.
For almost a year, then, production was limited and
experimental. This is why you should keep your eyes open for a very
early 1, such as the one pictured above on the left. It
appears at first glance to be just like the later 1 on the right,
but notice that it has no right shift key. In fact, the early 1 has
many features which the company soon changed. The new features were
phased in beginning around June or July 1921, and then became
standard on all Remington portables. Today it is quite difficult to
find a specimen that has all the early features. Early machines were
also often rebuilt with new parts, making it difficult to be know
whether they were originally present. What follows is my best guess
about the order in which the early features were changed. I thank
Mark Adams for sharing his research on this model.
The base of the very early carrying case has studs that pass
through holes in the body of the typewriter, and the machine is
attached to the base with cotter pins that pass through holes in
the studs; flat springs, one in the back of the base and two on
the sides, help to hold the typewriter in place. There is also a
lip that runs around the edges of the base. Later machines
starting January 1921 or earlier are simply screwed to the
base, and the base is flat.
The early type guide is a rectangular piece of metal with one
rectangular opening. This was changed to a more A-shaped piece
of metal with two openings. Still later, the piece was widened
slightly and the teeth that guide the type were made slightly
smaller.
The early shift lock is separate from the shift key, and has
to be depressed after shifting; shift lock is connected to shift
key on later machines.
The paper table on earlier machines is curved; on later ones,
flat and shaped differently see pictures above.
There is no right-hand carriage release lever on early
machines.
Early machines have only two screws visible at the very top of
each side panel. Two more screws are visible on later machines,
below the top screws and slightly towards the front of the
machine. Still later, two more screws are visible. Mark Adams
reports that all screws are present in the original model,
though hidden by the external frame. These screws attach to the
internal frame, which holds the typewriter s workings. This
dual-frame assembly ensured that the external frame would not be
damaged during production. Once completed, workers attached the
external frame. Subsequent openings are likely pass-thrus for
manufacturing purposes.
Later machines include rabbit ears behind the paper table
which can be extended for further support of the paper; early
ones do not.
The early machine has no automatic ribbon reverse. When the
ribbon reverser was added, the construction of the ribbon guide
was improved; it originally was held together with a cotter pin.
To inspect this detail, view the machine from the back and look
at the devices that guide the ribbon on its way into or out of
the spools.
On the early machines, the paper release lever is pulled
forward to release the paper; later, it is pushed backward.
According to Remington serial number records, a longer
carriage was introduced with NC10474 October 1921.
Early machines have a left shift key only. This is the most
obvious sign of an early Remington Portable. Mine has no slot
for a right shift key. However, I have also seen a Remington
Portable from 1921 with a slot for a right shift key, but no key
there. According to Remington serial number records, the right
shift key was introduced in March, 1922 NL20211. Note:
machines exported to Europe often had a shift key only on the
left, even into the 1930s.
The printing point on early machines is directly on top of the
platen; the later design moves the printing point slightly
toward the front of the platen. Accordingly, the early shift
mechanism moves the carriage backwards horizontally; later
mechanisms raise it up slightly as well as moving it backwards.
The early ribbon vibrator is nickeled and roughly n-shaped on
each side; the later ribbon vibrator is black and roughly
U-shaped on each side.
The variable line spacer a lever on the left side that
allows the platen to be turned to any position, instead of
forcing it to move in fixed increments is longer on later
machines.
The manual ribbon reverser/spool turner on both machines is a
shaft that protrudes from the sides. This shaft originally ended
in a flat, disc-shaped knob; the later knob is bigger, an
elongated cylinder rather than a disc.
The line gauge or aligning scale -- a triangular piece of
metal that indicates the bottom of the current line -- is
directly above the printing point on early machines, and was
later moved to the right. On early machines, the shape of the
aligning scale can vary: the opening can be either a plain
triangle, or a sort of upside-down, fat T.
The platen knob is thinner on early machines.
On early machines, the paper is advanced with a pinch-lever
mechanism; later machines have a vertical lever which both
returns the carriage and advances the paper. This is a big
improvement. One machine from August 1924 has been found which
still has a pinch lever, but I think by this time most had a
vertical lever.
Early ribbon spools are locked into place with a catch
attached to the axle; later machines have no such catch, but the
spool is held onto the axle by a tab attached to the ribbon
guide.
The paper release lever on the right side of the carriage is
flat on early machines; it is a bent rod later -- an odd
development, because the later design looks more primitive.
The early line spacing selector is a bent piece of sheet
metal; later it is a knob.
The early space bar is a little narrower.
An unusual color variant of the 1 is black on top and gold on
the sides. Before colored enamel paints were available, this was
as radical a departure from basic black as you could get. Decals
may or may not be present. Pictured: NM11229, made Feb. 1921.
A further variation reported by Mark Adams is grayish-green, with
green keytops. Pictured:
Another machine to look out for is the Remington Portable 1
DeLuxe. It has an ivory-tone finish and comes in a brown
leather case. Available in very limited numbers around 1924, it
sold for 75. Pictured: NZ30670, made Nov. 1923, courtesy of Jim
Dax.
NZ14279Z, with a German keyboard, has an unexplained Z at the end
of the serial number.
Remington Portable 2 Feb. 1925-Dec. 1928
Serial numbers: 2-letter, 5-numeral code
beginning with N Feb. 1925-August 1928 ; V100000-V131518
September-December 1928
Number made: 400,000.
I have also had reports of 2 portables numbered V139673, V150477,
V158799, V171120, and V188693. All are in Europe; I suspect
the official Remington serial records cited above cover only the
US-sold machines.
The model number is not marked on these machines; typewriters marked
Remington 2 or Rem 2 are probably name variants of the Compact.
The differences between a 1 and a 2 are not difficult to find when
you know what to look for:
The panel that raises and supports the typebars is thinner on
the 1, and you can easily see under it; the 2 panel is wider,
and you cannot easily see under it. This makes the machine
sturdier and protects the works from dust.
The 2 has typebar guards -- hooked pieces of metal that curve
around the leftmost and rightmost typebars.
The carriage on the 1 is just wide enough to accept an 8-1/2
inch sheet of paper; the 2 carriage is wide enough to accept a
9-1/2 inch business envelope.
The 1 is normally black, with a red circular decal on the
left top showing an understroke Remington 2 and the traditional
Remington slogan, To Save Time is to Lengthen Life ; 2 comes
in various colors and color combinations collect em all. and
usually simply reads Remington on its paper table. However,
early 2 s may have the same decal as the 1.
No. 2 portables were produced both in basic black and in a
number of appealing color combinations; the copywriters had a
field day inventing names for them thanks to Steve Maloney for
the ad. British name variant:
Smith Premier. French name variant: Contin. Contin was a French
typewriter manufacturer that apparently purchased some Remingtons
to sell under the Contin name.
Download a user s manual for this machine
here.
Rem-Blick Dec. 1927-Sept.. 1928
5-numeral code beginning with K
Number made: 6000.
This typewriter was a clone of the Blickensderfer 5, which came on the market
around 1895. Remington bought the Blickensderfer tools and dies
from the Roberts Typewriter Company in 1926. Roberts had bought
Blick out in 1919 but only made the Blick 90, a typebar machine
designed by Lyman Roberts and licensed to Blickensderfer for
manufacture. Most Rem-Blicks had a QWERTY keyboard, but a few
specimens resurrected Blickensderfer s favored Scientific
keyboard with DHIATENSOR on the bottom row. A less-common name
variant, apparently used in
Britain, is Baby Rem. An even rarer name variant is
S.P.-Blick S.P. for Smith Premier. The Rem-Blick was
advertised by Sears in 1929 under its own name, for 22.50, and in
1930 under the name The Blick, for 19.75. The earliest specimen
known to me dates from February 1928, but Remington records state
that the machine was first manufactured in December 1927. The
latest known specimen dates from September 1928. June 1928 was
apparently the peak of production; it is the only month in which I
know that over 1000 machines were made.
Remington Portable 3 Dec. 1928-June 1938
Serial numbers: V131519-V431105; VPPA-VPPDDHH all-letters code used
only in January 1929
Number made: approximately 300,000. Most were made before 1932.
When the company figured out that its portables could type
without raising the typebars to a 45-degree angle, the 3 was
introduced. This is much like the 2
except that there is no rising panel or side lever. The typebars
rest at an angle of only 15 degrees or so, and are surrounded by a
metal lip marked Remington or, rarely, Remington 3. This
typewriter introduced the paragraph key -- a key that
automatically advances the carriage five spaces labeled Self
Starter on some models and specimens. The machine comes in
various attractive colors and color combinations, such as this
blue/turquoise specimen. Its original price was 60. British name variants:
Remington Home Portable, Smith Premier Home Portable, Smith
Premier Chum Portable. I have had a report of one 3 which types
in capitals only V341853, November 1930. The December, 1933 American
Boy-Youth Companion advertises a Remington Special
Portable for 19.95 that also looks like a caps-only 3. See the
information above about the 2
for details on some 2 portables that have serial numbers within
the supposed 3 range.
Remington Compact Portable July 1930-Feb.
1938
Serial numbers: C20426-C65873
Number made: 45,448
The Compact Portable is essentially a 2. The serial numbers of these
machines begin with a C. The typewriter often has a nickeled strip
running above the keyboard, and the panel that raises the typebars
is textured. Many of these typewriters were sold through
department stores such as Sears. They may or may not be marked
Compact. Name variant: Monarch. British name variant: Smith
Premier Compact Portable may not have nickeled strip.
Remington Noiseless Portable
Aug. 1931-Oct. 1941
Serial numbers: N10000.-N127879.
Number made: probably 117,880. Most were made before 1938. Only
one, the very last, was made in all of 1941.
This was one of the most successful models, commercially and
aesthetically. Its distinctive design feature is the rounded panel
above the keyboard, accented with a horizontal ridge that makes a
tasteful V at its very front. N13500-N127879 are the serial
numbers in Remington s official records, but the earliest machine
reported to me is N10085; it seems plausible that serials started
at N10000. Earlier specimens are marked Remington Noiseless
Portable below the spacebar, whereas later ones are marked this
way on the paper table and say Remington below the spacebar.
Earlier ones also have black plastic keys, like the model 7, whereas later ones have
glass-topped keys. Late RNPs may have full-sized carriage return
levers and touch regulators to the right of the keyboard. Usually
the RNP is black, but with a good deal of luck it can be found in
two-tone green, maroon, or two-tone blue. These fancy colored
machines may come in deluxe, leather-covered cases with
compartments for stationery and supplies. One sometimes sees RNPs
on which the back spacer and margin release keys protrude through
the plate behind the keyboard; this allows for two more character
keys to be added to the keyboard. Such machines, in my experience,
turn up in Europe. Probably Remington made them for export, so
that they could handle accents and other characters for European
languages. The original price of the RNP was 92.50, but during
the first few months of production the price went down to 69.50.
In 1935 it cost 67.50. Name variants: Monarch, Smith Premier
Noiseless. Thanks to Charles Gu and mytypewriter.com
for the pictures.
Remington Noiseless Model Seven Nov. 1931-March
1941
Serial numbers: H10000-H63756
Number made: 53,757
The Model Seven, the big brother of the Noiseless Portable,
has a full-sized paper table, a tabulator, black plastic keytops,
and a carriage return lever that is long and horizontal rather
than short and vertical. My first typewriter was one of these, and
I still enjoy using it. Its original price was 105, reduced to
72 by 1935. The price in 1940 was 70.75 cash or 75.75 in
installments. Triple line spacing was introduced with H25728 July
1933. Some earlier specimens have bigger feet than later ones, so
they stand about 1 cm taller. Early machines also differ from
later ones in some other small ways: for instance, the early
machines have smaller, more rounded spacebars, and a simpler
scale/cardholder in front of the platen. They may also come in
cases that include a leather strap to hold the typewriter in
place. There are at least two decal schemes: the one shown above,
with Remington 7 Noiseless on the paper table, and another
scheme with Remington Noiseless on the paper table and Model
Seven on the front of the machine. A rare color variant is
two-tone green. I once saw a 7 covered in alligator skin. Almost
surely an aftermarket refinement. It was found in Las Vegas -- of
course. Name variants: Monarch, Monarch 71, Smith Premier 71.
The Seven was revived after the war 1945-49, with wrinkle paint
and other small stylistic changes; the postwar serial numbers,
H64000-H193575 according to Remington records, are not included in
the total made as listed above. Some postwar Model Sevens were
also assembled in France from US-made parts; their serial numbers
go even higher than those listed in the Remington records. The
latest machine known to me is H198804 tan paint, UK keyboard.
Remington Portable 4 Nov. 1931-Jan. 1934
Serial numbers: V500000-V502881
Number made: 2,882. Almost all were made from Nov. 1931 to Jan.
1932.
This is like the 3, but has a
true tabulator instead of a paragraph five-space key. It cost
65, 5 more than the 3. Pictured: V502012, courtesy of Chris and
Gary Josey.
Porto-Rite 1931.-April 1934
Serial numbers: SR5000.-SR16405. Remington records start with
SR14972, but the lowest serial number I have seen is SR5145.
Number made: 11,500.
These Remingtons were marketed by Sears Roebuck; their serial
numbers begin with SR. Most Porto-Rites are identical to the 2, but some are identical to the
3. They come both in black and
in colors. Normally they are marked Porto-Rite, but I know of
one specimen marked Remington, looking exactly like a two-tone
green 2, despite its SR
serial number. The catalogue of the Dietz typewriter collection
at the Milwaukee Public Museum shows a Porto-Rite that may not be
a Remington product at all. Sears may have sold several different
makes under the name.
Underwood Noiseless 77 Feb. 1932-March 1940 and Underwood Noiseless Portable
1937.-March 1942
Serial numbers: 543150-969800., 2969801.-2969934, 1040000.-1040296
Noiseless 77, P1000000.-P1410028 Portable. Serial numbers of the
77 include a Q at the beginning starting with Q968395.
Number made: 427,081. Noiseless 77, 410,029. Portable
Although they re called Underwoods, these machines are identical
twins of the Remington Noiseless
Model Seven and Remington Noiseless
Portable, respectively. A former Underwood employee has
reported that they were made in the Remington factory by
arrangement with Underwood. Serial number records are confusing
and incomplete. I won t bore you with the details; the numbers
above are the best sense I can make of the available records, but
they seem surprisingly high to me these machines are common, but
not that common. Some Underwood Noiseless 77 machines
were outfitted with at least two variants of the Dvorak keyboard
in 1933, presumably as part of Dr. August Dvorak s efficiency
experiments. Rare color variants of the 77 are maroon and two-tone
green. The 77 was revived in 1946-48 serials 1502099-163900 ;
these machines are not included in my production totals above.
Later 77 s are finished in wrinkle paint.
Butler Brothers Feb. 1932.-Nov. 1933
Serial numbers: BB1000.-BB4103
Number made: 3104. see below
This model was sold by the Butler Bros. department store, much as
the Porto-Rite was
sold by Sears. It seems to have been nearly identical to the 2 portable except for its BB
serial number and a tabulator. Collector Jim Dax reports that
BB2084 is just like a two-tone green 2; I have also seen BB3292,
which is also like a two-tone green 2, with a black paper table
and a tab key. Phil Garr s BB2203 looks like a black 2 with a tab
key see picture above, as does BB2301. None of these serial
numbers are included in the range given by Remington
BB3500-BB4103. It it is a plausible guess that serial numbers
would begin with BB1000. A Butler Brothers catalogue advertisement
kindly provided for me by Thomas A. Russo pictures a Remington
that looks like a 1 and says
that it is available in black, blue, red, red and white, and green
and white; a druggists model is also available, with characters
used in writing prescriptions.
Remie Scout Model April 1932-Nov.
1934
Serial numbers: S10006-S26600 both single and double case ;
S26661-S34731 single case ; S60000-S75588 double case
Number made: roughly 16,000 single-case, 24,000 double-case. It is
not clear how the double-case serial numbers are divided between
versions a and b as described below.
It s a confusing task to sort out the varieties of this portable
with the cute and perky name. In essence it is much like the portable 2, but it lacks some
major conveniences of the 2, such as adjustable margins. It comes
in four versions:
a An upper- and lower-case typewriter, including the front
portion of the frame. Ernst Martin seems to refer to this model
as the Scout Senior. Its price was 34.75. Lowercase letters
are sometimes used on the keys of this model, even though it
types in both upper and lower case. Often this model has a shift
key only on the left side, but it may also have shift keys on
both left and right.
b An upper- and lower-case typewriter with shift key only on
the left, lacking the front portion of the frame. On these
machines, such as the red machine above, the keys are labeled
rather charmingly with lowercase letters. They are finished in a
variety of colors. Both this version and the first may use a
distinctive sans-serif typeface.
c A caps-only typewriter lacking the front portion of the
frame. This version cost 19.75 and was advertised as the
child s typewriter. Was it the Scout Junior. It comes in
various colors. Two specimens labeled Higbee Portable are
known.
d A caps-only typewriter including the front portion of the
frame. The only two specimens I have seen are labeled Remington
Scout and made in Canada; one is red on top, black on the
sides; the other is all light blue.
Name variants: Monarch, Monarch Pioneer, Pioneer, Remington Pioneer
not to be confused with other
types of Pioneer., Higbee Portable type c above. Canadian name variants:
Canadian Pioneer, Canadian Scout, Remington Scout. Some caps-only
Scouts were sold by Macy s: one type b made in September 1933 is
labeled on the back Made for R.H.Macy Co. Inc. New York by
Remington Rand ; another, made in February, 1934, is labeled Macy s
Portable and has a red star on the top, to the left of the
typebars.
For more research on the Remie Scouts, visit
this
page by Alan Seaver.
Remington Portable Model 5T Aug. 1932-Apr. 1939
Serial numbers: V525000-V552237
Number made: 27,238
The model 5T has a true tabulator instead of the
five-space or paragraph key found on its near-twin, the model 5. It cost no more than
the regular model 5: 65. Name variant: Monarch. The specimen
pictured above was made in Canada.
Remington Portable Model 5 boxy Oct.
1932-Aug. 1939
Serial numbers: V10030-V10151, V600000-V607103, V625000-V759529
Number made: 141,755. Most were made before 1938.
This typewriter is similar to the 3,
but looks more solid and has a broader, boxier shape. Remington
literature describes the 5 as the world s best seller, and it
was certainly an enduring member of the Remington line. Its
original price was 65. Name variants: Remington Monarch, Monarch
5, Smith Premier Portable Model 35. Sold in France as the Rem
35. This typewriter is occasionally found with a rounded paper
table marked Remington 5, as on the streamlined 5. In
another unusual variant, the top plate of the body between the
keyboard and the keys is painted blue. V10030-V10151 were made
without side guides and paragraph key, to retail the same as the
regular Model 5, but sold to Dealers at 1.25 less. Of these 122
machines, two were made in August 1935, 119 in September, and one
in October. A strange little experiment.
Remington Noiseless 8 Oct. 1932-May 1941
Serial numbers: E11100-E38598
Number made: 27,499. Most were made before 1939.
This curious typewriter is virtually identical to the noiseless 7, mechanically. The
design looks like a 7 with angular, faceted surfaces. The 8 is
much beefier than the 7 and has an extra-wide carriage, accepting
paper 11.25 wide. Remington called it the desk model, and said
it was for the typewriter user for whom a portable is too small
and a large machine too expensive. But it is still light enough
to be carried, and comes in a case with handle. For this reason,
and because it is essentially a portable mechanism in an
office-sized body, I include it on this page. Its price was
originally 105, reduced to 79.50 by 1935. In 1940 the cash price
was still 79.50; installment price was 84.50. According to
Remington records, triple line spacing was introduced with E17631
Feb. 1933, but E12835 Oct. 1932 in a collector s hands already
has this feature. A touch regulator was introduced with E37745
Apr. 1938. Name variants: Monarch Noiseless 8, Smith Premier No.
8, Smith Premier Noiseless 81. Usually this typewriter has an
embossed Remington name on its paper table, but the paper table
may also have a Remington Noiseless decal. For more information
about this machine, follow
this link.
Remington Junior Jan. 1933-March 1940
Serial numbers: S150300-S283163. SD machines, in the same series,
include a backspacer.
Number made: 132,863
This machine not to be confused with the Remington Junior of 1914
is almost identical to the 3.
In fact, some Juniors simply read Remington, and look almost
exactly like the 3. However, the Junior is a simpler machine.
Remington advertising literature tells us: Stripped of some of
the conveniences of higher priced models, it retains all that are
essential to first-class typing. Especially suitable for the use
of children and students, for social correspondence and home
work. The conveniences that the Junior lacks but the 3 has
include a two-color ribbon and a right-hand carriage release
lever. Its price was 37.50 in some ads, 39.50 in others.
According to Remington records, the SD version of the Junior,
with a backspacer, was introduced in January 1938. However, a
backspacer is present on at least some S not SD machines,
such as S212927 German keyboard. Some Juniors are found with
larger, rounded paper tables reading Remington in Art Deco
lettering. Ernst Martin claims that a version of the Junior wrote
in capital letters only, but I have not seen any evidence for
this. Name variants: Monarch, Smith Premier Junior pictured:
S161376, with lowercase letters on the keys, courtesy of Flip
Woltering. Monarch S153594 has a sans-serif typeface more
commonly found on the Remie
Scout.
Remington Rand Model 1 Feb. 1933-March
Serial numbers: P60000-P68715 no tabulator; last
made Aug. 1934, P10000-P59999, P100000-P145549 with tabulator
Number made: 8,716 no tabulator, 95,550 with tabulator
This is much like the 7 and 8 noiseless machines, but its
shape is somewhere in between the curviness of the 7 and the
angularity of the 8. Remington documents call it the noisy
noiseless. Even though it looks very much like a noiseless machine,
it doesn t have the small weights that press the noiseless typebars
against the platen, and the typebars are allowed to hit the platen
with enough force that they make a clackety-clack. This may actually
have been an advantage in the market, as some consumers were
disturbed by the quietness of the noiseless machines, and would
pound the keys harder and harder, trying to get the familiar pecking
noise. A 1932
patent
by James H. Rand of Remington Rand explains: In the operation
of noiseless typewriting machines, there is a pronounced
psychological effect on some operators, especially those who have
previously operated noisy machines. This is due to the fact that in
operating a noiseless machine the operator hears no noise, and the
touch on such machines is usually much lighter than in noisy
machines. Therefore, the operator has the mental attitude that she
is not writing or obtaining any result from the operation of the
keys, or that she is not attaining her usual speed, due almost
wholly to the entire absence of the usual clatter to which she is
accustomed. It is difficult in some instances to overcome this
purely mental attitude, or to convince the operator that she is in
fact writing at possibly an even greater speed than she ordinarily
attains on a noisy machine, and with the expenditure of less
effort.
A 1937 Remington pamphlet describes this typewriter as an all new
writing machine featuring the Remington Speed Mechanism -- but
never explains what this mechanism is. Presumably it is simply the
standard noiseless mechanism, which makes jamming unlikely and thus
allows one to type fast.
With tabulator, this typewriter originally sold for 65; without,
for 60 in some ads or 62.50 in others. Specimens from
1938-1942 may include a touch regulator. Name variants: Monarch,
Smith Premier Model 11. The Remington Rand Model 1 is referred to as
the Speed Portable in Remington literature, but I have not seen
machines with this name on them. The specimen above that is marked
with a star is labeled R.H. Macy Co. on the back, and was
sold at Macy s. Ron Babb has found an early Remington Rand Model 1
with a Dvorak keyboard. Some very early examples of this model I ve
seen a photo of P60115 have a decal in front that reads Model
One instead of Model 1.
Remington 9 Feb. 1933-Feb. 1941
Serial numbers: F10000-F16838 and beyond. see below
Number made: 6,839 or more; see below. Most were made before 1938.
Described in Remington literature as twin to the Model 8 but not noiseless -- a
general all-purpose typewriter. In other words, this is
mechanically like the noisy noiseless Remington Rand 1, but it
has the large size and angular design of the Noiseless 8. The Remington on
its paper table is a decal, rather than embossed as on the 8. It
sold for 92 originally, reduced to 72 by 1935. A touch regulator
was introduced on F16713 May 1938. A Swedish collector tells me
he owns number F17489, which is 651 machines higher than recorded
by Remington and would bring production to at least 7,490
machines. Nevertheless, this remains a difficult machine to find.
Remington Noiseless Junior September
1933
Serial numbers: B10000-B11400
Number made: 1,401
This model is similar to the Remington Noiseless
Portable, but has its own distinctive styling: a smooth arc
crossing the entire front of the typewriter, with no decorations.
It has no backspacer, tabulator, left platen knob, or ribbon color
selector. Its price was 57.50 -- significantly below the 69.50
of the Remington Noiseless Portable. Just a few were made before
the model was mysteriously aborted. Remington records say: Stock
shipped to field Sept. 1933 ahead of time. Prices released
12/2/33. Nov. 15, 1935 instructed all offices to ship remaining
machines to Who. Port. Wholesale Portable. Dept., N.Y.C. thus
clearing field of all machines. Some Noiseless Juniors were
labeled Underwood, although these machines do not appear in the
official Remington records. The specimens known to me have serial
numbers 622656, 622789, 622802, and 630099. Finally, one mystery
machine has been found with a Noiseless 7 mechanism and serial
number, but a Noiseless Junior shell.
Remington 3B July 1935-Dec. 1935
Serial numbers: C100000-C105075
Number made: 5,076
A strange and lovely little beast with 45-degree typebars, a
three-and-a-half-row keyboard, and minimal parts no backspace
key, no shift lock, no margin release key, no tabulator or
paragraph key, no two-color ribbon. Its cost was 31.25. Even
within this small number of machines, there are variations.
Earlier ones come with a paperboard lid, black with silver stripes
on the top and sides, marked Remington in red across the front
see picture, courtesy of John Schag ; there is no latch on the
base, which is cloth-covered wood. Later ones such as the machine
pictured on the left come in a standard case all cloth-covered
wood with latch. Very early specimens may be marked Remington 3
Bank, showing the origin of the model designation even though
technically, it is a 3.5-bank keyboard ; pictured is C100072,
courtesy of Gigi Clark. For more information, visit this page.
Remington 5 streamlined Dec.
1935-Dec. 1940
Serial numbers: V825000-V980468
Number made: 155,469. Most were made before 1939.
This typewriter is mechanically the same as the boxy Model 5, but its body
looks quite different: it is an example of the streamlined
industrial design of the later Art Deco, or Art Moderne, period.
In general, typewriter manufacturers didn t go very far in this
trend that was taking other office and kitchen appliances by
storm. But the 5 is a tasteful, striking example of typewriter
streamlining. The shape was probably created by noted designer
Oscar Bruno Bach to judge from references in a 1940 Time magazine
on Bach and his 1957 New York Times obituary, provided to me by Ed
Neuert. A company pamphlet says, The modern attractive lines of
this new Remington brings sic 20th Century style and grace to
the world s most famous portable typewriter make it a
desirable addition to any home surrounding. Note the big, massive
sturdiness of this new Remington Self-starter portable, its
graceful lines and glistening finish. The scale is red on most
specimens, but black on some. An unusual variation has tan or
black paint and a color-coded keyboard for teaching touch typing;
another unusual paint treatment is dark and light maroon. It sold
for 49.50 when introduced. Early specimens have the traditional
Remington decal instead of the Deco lettering shown here. This
machine is essentially the same as the later version with a
touch regulator and the still later Remington Standard Model 5
and Deluxe Model 5.
The Streamliner of
1941 is also quite similar to the streamlined 5. Name variants:
Monarch 5, Remington Portable Super Model, Smith Premier Portable
Model 35. British name
variant: Remington Victor S Portable.
Remington 5 T-SS March 1936-Aug. 1938
Serial numbers: V800051-V806711
Number made: 6,661
This is like the streamlined
5 but includes a tabulator and a couple of other
refinements, such as both upper and lower ruled tab bars on the
rear of the machine. It is marked Remington Portable Model 5T.
Essentially, this machine is the 5T
in a streamlined style this may explain the designation 5T-SS.
The specimen on the left has a German keyboard courtesy of Phil
Garr. On the right is a European name variant, the Smith Premier
Portable Model 35T serial number V800428, courtesy of Flip
Woltering. The Remington Victor T portable see foreign variants is the
same machine with a different serial number range. Remington
records include this statement on the T-SS serial number page:
BT prefix means foreign model sold to some extent in domestic
field December, 1940.
Pioneer / Monarch Pioneer 3.5 row
keyboard Oct. 1937-Jan. 1938
Serial numbers: C106000-C123499
Number made: 17,500
The Pioneer name was apparently reserved for embarrassingly basic
typewriters. The first type has a sheet-metal body painted in
wrinkle paint, and a three-and-a-half-row keyboard that it shares
with the Remington 3B, with
shift key only on the left. These machines lack even a carriage
return lever -- you have to turn the platen knob and pull the
platen by the knob. Their price was 19.95, 21.45 with case.
Monarch 101 Dec. 1937-Apr. 1942
Serial numbers: A10000-A11077
Number made: 1,078
This rare model is a bulbous office-sized machine that uses the
noiseless portable mechanism. Remington records say it was also
referred to as Model 5 1/2.
Pioneer / Monarch Pioneer 4A Apr.
1938-Dec. 1938
Serial numbers: CA131000-CA133999
Number made: 3,000. see note below
This Pioneer has no shift key and types only in sans-serif
capital letters. It is referred to as the 4A model in Remington
records. Its price was 15.95. Like the Bantam and the Cadet, it was sold by the
General Shaver Corporation, a division of Remington Rand.
Remington records call the Bantam the model 4, this version of
the Pioneer the 4A, and the Cadet the 4B. They all had the
same sheet-metal body.
Note on serial numbers for the Bantam, Cadet and Pioneer 4A:
according to Remington records, these three machines were in same
series but each had a different letter prefix. This creates
some uncertainty about the number produced. The serial number data
are as follows:
Pioneer 4A: CA131000-CA133999 April 1938-Dec. 1938
Cadet: CB125000-CB185999 April 1938-February 1939 ;
CB256000-CB262188 latter part of 1940, including December.
Between October and November 1938, serial numbers leap from
CB129005 to CB161493. I have also gotten reports of Cadets
numbered CB186059 and CB186206 the latter made in Canada.
Bantam: C130039-C158998 May 1938-Dec. 1938. Between July and
August 1938, serial numbers leap from C130176 to C140214.
It seems reasonable to assume that even though these models were in
same series, Remington avoided overlapping their numbers, and thus
skipped some numbers for the Cadet and the Bantam in order to leave
those numbers open for other models. It also seems fair to assume
that when Remington skipped some numbers, they would skip up to some
nice, round number. I have had a report of a Bantam numbered
C130014, indicating that some machines were made before the first
number listed in Remington records, C130039. C130000 seems like a
reasonable starting point. These assumptions yield the following guesses,
listed in order of serial numbers:
CB125000-CB129005: Cadet
C130000-C130176: Bantam
CA131000-CA133999: Pioneer 4A
C140000-C158998: Bantam
CB160000-CB185999: Cadet
CB256000-CB262188: Cadet
I am not sure this is right; I do not know what to make of those
serial number sequences ending suspiciously with 998 and 999.
But if my guesses are right, they yield production numbers of 36,194
or more for the Cadet, 19,176 for the Bantam, and 3,000 for the
Pioneer 4A.
Pioneer no front frame
See Remie Scout.
Cadet 4B April 1938-Dec. 1940
Serial numbers: CB125000-CB185999 April 1938-February 1939 ;
CB256000-CB262188 latter part of 1940, including December. I
have also gotten a report of a Cadet numbered CB186059, and another
made in Canada numbered CB186206.
Number made: 36,194 or more. see
note
A nearly minimal typewriter, with shift key only on the left. It has
double-case letters, but only single-case number keys. It cost
19.75. Remington records refer to it as the model 4B. Like the Bantam and the 4A version of
the Pioneer, it was sold
by the General Shaver Corporation, a division of Remington Rand.
Bantam May 1938-Dec. 1938
Serial numbers: C130039-C158998 according to Remington records; but
I have had a report of a machine numbered C130014
Number made: 19,176. see note
The keys of this child s typewriter are color-coded to teach touch
typing. It types in sans-serif capital letters only, plus period,
comma, and question mark. It is marked A Rem-Rand Product. This
was the cheapest of all Remington portables, selling for 10.95
12.45 with carrying case. Like other inexpensive Remington
portables of this time, its has a sheet-metal body and it is painted
in wrinkle paint. Like the Cadet
and the 4A version of the
Pioneer, the Bantam was sold by the General Shaver
Corporation, a division of Remington Rand.
Remington Premier May 1938-June 1940
Serial numbers: P150000-P182548
Number made: 32,549 Remington Model 1 and Premier combined
This typewriter is essentially a Remington Rand Model 1
without a tabulator. It has the shape of the Remington Rand Model
1, but is finished in wrinkle paint instead of black enamel. It
cost 57.50. Because the serial numbers are shared with the Remington Model 1, it is
impossible to determine how many of each model were made.
Remington Model 1 June 1938-Nov. 1940
Serial numbers: PD150000-PD182548
Number made: 32,549 this model and Premier combined
Confusingly enough, this Remington 1 is not at all the same as
the true first Remington portable;
and it is subtly different from the Remington Rand Model 1.
While the Remington Rand Model 1 has a slightly faceted front, the
Remington Model 1 has a smoothly curved front. It includes a touch
regulator. Its keys may be either solid black plastic or black
with metal rings. Its price in 1940 was 59.50 cash or 64.50 in
installments. Because the serial numbers are shared with the Premier, it is impossible
to determine how many of each model were made.
Remette / Rem-ette July 1938-Apr. 1942
Serial numbers: CR130000-CR322223
Number made: 192,224
This homely writing machine uses the same geared typebar
mechanism as the portable 3
and 5. Its body is sheet
metal painted with gray or black wrinkle paint. It originally cost
29.75, and Remington records say it was introduced to meet
Corona Zephyr, another cheap machine. Some more cryptic comments
from the Remington records: Serial with CQ means quintuple
keyboard; CR210125 first machine with ratchet release lever.
CQ254462 includes 3 dead keys for accents. European name
variant: Smith Premier Primette. Two special versions of the
Remette were made for the 1939 World s Fair: 1 World s Fair
blue paint with an orange stripe and the fair s logo in a corner;
2 black paint, no stripe, with the logo.
Remington 5 streamlined with touch
regulator July 1938-Feb. 1942
Serial numbers: B25000-B99951
Number made: 74,952
This variant of the streamlined
Model
5 includes a touch regulator on a semicircular dial directly
above the keyboard which varies the force with which the typebars
strike the platen. Its price in 1940 was 49.50 cash, or 54.50 in
installments. It is normally finished in wrinkle paint, but the
unusual specimen at right is marked U.S. Navy and painted in
glossy light gray paint. Paul Thekan writes, These typewriters
were used for copying Morse code from radio as well as voice
traffic. The type is upper case only, no lower case, and the
zero key has a slash through the zero to denote it is a zero and
not the letter O. The Army also used such typewriters. This
machine is closely related to the Remington Standard Model 5
British name variant:
Smith Premier 5.
Remington DeLuxe Junior July
1938-July 1941.
Serial numbers: SD268298-SD292828 July 1938-August 1941, sequence
shared with Envoy type 1
Number made: 24,531 including Envoy type 1
Yet another variation on the basic geared-typebar design. It is
based on the Remington Junior
of 1933, but has a large, rounded paper table. It sometimes
also a horizontal carriage return lever as on the machine at left.
This machine may also be called the Junior DeLuxe.
Envoy type 1 July 1938-August 1941
Serial numbers: SD268298-SD292828 sequence shared with DeLuxe Junior
Number made: 24,531 including DeLuxe Junior
The Envoy name appeared on typewriters with two different body
styles. The first type looks much like a DeLuxe Junior. Keys may
be plastic as shown or have nickeled rings. Specimens known to me
come from Brazil, France, New Zealand, and the UK. Probably this
type of Envoy was sold abroad more than in the US. One specimen
SD290772 is marked
Remington
on the paper table and
Victory
above the keyboard; it has both and characters.
See below for the second type of
Envoy.
Smith Premier Portable Junior and
Senior Sept. 1939-June 1942
Serial numbers: VJ280032-VJ287987 Junior, VS759466-VS762334
Senior
Number made: 7,956 Junior 5,300 old style, 2,656 new style ; 2,869
Senior
These machines are difficult to find; I suspect they were all or
mostly exported, as was typical for typewriters labeled Smith
Premier.
There are two kinds of Smith Premier Junior. Remington records
note: New style Junior starts VJ285,332 December 1941. Above
left is the old style Junior, which looks much like the boxy 5 but lacks a left
platen knob, ribbon color selector, and other details VJ283348,
from Brazil, courtesy of Huberto Closs. Above center is the new
style Junior, which looks very similar to the Remette and Deluxe Remette,
although it has an adjustable paper guide VJ285638, with British
keyboard, courtesy of Angela Prats.
Above right is machine VS760237, courtesy of Carl Raphael. This
is in the Smith Premier Senior range, but is labeled simply
Remington Portable. The design uses a mixture of streamlined and
boxy body panels, a horizontal carriage return lever, and a touch
regulator. The keyboard on this specimen includes both the
dollar sign and the pound sterling sign. There is a distinctive
decal on the left top of the machine, but it is very worn down;
Carl Raphael writes, The size is identical to the old Remington
To save time is to lengthen life decal found on the old 1s and
2s, 1 in diameter. The red outlines appear to be the
identical spikes found on those. However, the white circle
offset to the right inside indicate something different.
Remington Deluxe Noiseless May
1938-April 1941
Serial numbers: ND150000-ND188365
Number made: 38,366. Most were made before 1940.
This is essentially the noiseless
Seven, but with a smaller paper table and a touch regulator to
the right of the keyboard. The tip of the carriage return lever
folds down. Usually this typewriter is finished in wrinkle paint,
but as you can see, you just might find one in eye-popping red. Name
variants: Monarch Deluxe Noiseless, Rmeington Noiseless Portable,
Smith Premier Noiseless Portable. Also sold with the Underwood name.
In 1940, this typewriter sold for 67.50 cash or 72.50 in
installments.
DeLuxe Remette April. 1940-Aug.
Serial numbers: C1117940-C1137176 serials may also start with CQ ;
Remington records do not indicate why
Number made: 19,237
The main features that set the DeLuxe Remette apart from the Remette are platen knobs on
both left and right, a larger carriage return lever, and a larger
paper table. Its price was 39.50.
Remington Standard Model 5 June.
1940-May 1941
Serial numbers: V1116940-V1136948
Number made: 20,009
This model still has the bulbous shape of the original streamlined model 5,
but is painted in wrinkle paint and has a full-sized, horizontal
carriage return lever rather than a small, upright one. It
retailed for 33.50. Remington literature refers to it as the 1941
model, but almost all were made in 1940. Photo courtesy of Phil
Garr.
DeLuxe Model 5 Aug. 1940-July 1942,
Sept. 1945-March 1949
Serial numbers: B1119266-B1224923 1940-42 but see below ;
B1226299-B1698621, B1750100-B1755222 1945-49
Number made: 105,658 before war; 477,446 after war
This fancier version of the Remington Standard Model 5
includes a touch regulator, so it is much like the model 5 with touch
regulator introduced in 1938. A tabulator was added in May
1942. This typewriter may be marked only Remington, or
Remington DeLuxe, or De Luxe. Its price was 54.50. A
correspondent has a prewar DeLuxe Model 5 with serial number
B1112460, before the official starting point in the official
Remington records see above. Machines starting with serial
number B1580000 1948 have a two-tone gray body as shown on the
right.
Deluxe Noiseless Portable
1941 Line July 1940-May 1942
Serial numbers: N1113894-N1212399
Number made: 98,506. see below
This model is almost identical to the earlier DeLuxe
Noiseless; one difference is the one-piece carriage return
lever, as opposed to a folding tip on the older carriage return
lever. It retailed for 69.50. It is sometimes labeled DeLuxe
Noiseless on the front frame, sometimes labeled Remington
Noiseless Portable on the paper table, with no apparent
difference in the mechanism. Pictures courtesy of Cuyler Brooks.
Name variant: Monarch Noiseless Portable. There is a surprising
jump between the start of April 1942 and the start of May 1942
from N1188863 to N1211664. Were 22,801 machines really produced in
one month. Up until then, only about 4000 typewriters per month
were being produced. Possibly a group of serial numbers was
skipped for some reason. But I do have a report of a machine
numbered N1198225, suggesting that at least 9362 typewriters were
produced in April 1942 -- significantly more than average. It is
possible that production was ramped up that month in order to meet
a backlog of orders or for some other reason.
Quiet Model 1 July. 1940-March 1942
Serial numbers: P1114940-P1182248
Number made: 67,309
Another member of Remington s 1941 line, this wrinkle-painted
noiseless machine closely resembles the Remington Model 1, updated
with a forties look. Its price was 59.50.
Streamliner Feb. 1941-March 1942
Serial numbers: B100000-B121199
Number made: 21,200
Very similar to the early specimens of the streamlined 5, except
that the scale is black rather than red, and the carriage return
lever is full-sized and horizontal. Its price was 49.50. The
name, of course, draws attention to the Deco styling. The word
STREAMLINER leans forward, and even has horizontal speed lines
flowing across it on some versions of the decal. One aerodynamic
typewriter. The name Streamliner was also used on postwar
machines which weren t nearly as streamlined.
Envoy type 2 September 1941-April 1942
Serial numbers: S1,162,749-S1,224,731 September 1941-April 1942,
sequence shared with other standard portables
Number made: impossible to determine
The second kind of Envoy is essentially a Remette with some extra
features horizontal carriage return lever, two platen knobs, color
selector, etc.. It may be finished either in wrinkle paint or in
glossy black paint. Specimens starting with SD276153 have a ribbon
color selector. Thanks to Jim Dax for the picture. See above for the first type of
Postwar portables
These Remingtons are not covered on this site -- but you can learn
about them on this page created by Will Davis.
Foreign variants
Many American Remington models had counterparts that were made
or assembled in other countries, with separate serial numbering
systems.
Australia
Occasionally Remingtons are found with Australian Built
decals. I have seen a 2 portable,
a boxy 5 pictured
above, and others. These were assembled in Australia from
US-manufactured parts.
Canada
Remingtons were made in Canada by Remington Typewriter
Company of Canada, Ltd. or later by Remington Rand Limited. A
Canadian version of the 2
portable is prominently marked Made at Toronto, Canada.
Canadian Remingtons may be marked prominently with a Union Jack
decal and the phrase British Empire Product.
Czechoslovakia
A version of the 3
labeled Remington Z was manufactured by the Czechoslovak Arms
Manufacturing Works in Brno in the early 1930s. Serial numbers
begin with VZ; I have seen VZ10312.
France
Some portables, including the 2,
3, and boxy 5, were sold in
France labeled Contin. Contin was a French manufacturer with
which Remington evidently had some close relations.
I am aware of a tan Remington
Noiseless no. 7, apparently a postwar machine, with
British keyboard, marked Assembled in France on the back. Its
serial number is H200321.
Germany
Remington bought the German typewriter company Torpedo in the
early 30s, and marketed Torpedos under names such as Deutsche
Remington and Remtor. This is not a true Remington design.
Spain
A few typewriters labeled Mondragon and resembling the Remie Scout type a have been found
in Spain. According
to
this web page, there were projects to manufacture
Remingtons and Underwoods in the Basque industrial center
Mondragón in 1932-1936.
United Kingdom
The British versions of several Remington portables were, as
stated prominently on some machines, assembled by British
labour at the Remington typewriter factory, London, from parts
made in U.S.A. Other British variants may read simply
Assembled in Great Britain from parts made in U.S.A. Note that
the British 2 at upper right above has a shift key only on the
left, like the early American 1
portable, even though it is painted in wrinkle paint and
seems to be a product of the mid to late thirties; similar
designs are seen on other European Remingtons of the 1930s.
After the war, Remington established a full-fledged factory in
Glasgow, which operated from 1949 to 1963 see Robert
Messenger s
blog for further information.
Serial number information on these machines is much less reliable
and complete than information for American machines, but I have the
following data from a 1973 British typewriter age guide and other
sources:
A
portable no. 2 with
serial number NE600371 and British keyboard was sold in the UK
in late 1926. American Remingtons of the time have 5 numerals
instead of 6. It is possible that some machines were assembled
in the UK and used a 6-numeral code.
Compact model, with collapsible typebars 2 : prefix CV or EV 1929, EC
or C 1930-1938 ; five figures in serial number, first figure
indicates year of issue. The age guide says six figures, but I
have had several reports of these machines with five figures. To
make things more confusing, a UK version of the 2 has been reported to me
with serial number NM900033, and dated February 1929 on a label
on the case; this system matches the U.S. serial number
system, except that there are six digits instead of five.
Another machine found in Ireland, C51523, bears the decals
Remington 2 and Made in U.S.A.
Home model 3
or Junior : prefix ES,
1933-1939
T model 3.,
with non-collapsible bars: prefix EV, V, TV, 1929-1934
No. 5 Par Model: prefix V or EV, 1933-1939
Remington Portable S and T Models Prefix VV :
1936-38 These include the Victor S Streamlined 5 and
Victor T 5 T-SS Download
a
1936 user s manual for these machines
Canadian Model: 1939-1940
Canadian streamlined model 5: prefix CB, 1939-1940
Remette UK version. : 1939.
The Sholes and Glidden typewriter also known as the Remington No. 1 was the first commercially successful typewriter. Principally designed by the American inventor.
Remington Rand Typewriter Serial Numbers. Brand: Remington Also known as Rembrandt Remington Torpedo Remington Monarch Remington Rand.
Royal Typewriter Serial Numbers. Also known as Royal Triumph-Adler Sears Royal Singer. Serial Number Table Last Edited: 11/27/15.
Foreign variants. Many American Remington models had counterparts that were made or assembled in other countries, with separate serial numbering systems.
Early Remington models
Although I have few of these to display, it would do well to serve up a quick overview of the early Remington models, to help put the ones that follow in context. Much has been written on the history of the Remington; I will not attempt to repeat that, but will instead attempt to briefly summarize the differences in the various models.
Remington No.1, 1875
The first typewriter to bear the Remington name differed little from the Shoes Gliddon from which it descended. For the most part, it was the Perfected Sholes Gliddon sold under the Remington brand. It typed in all capitals, and had lids that covered the keyboard and carriage when not in use.
Remington No.1.5, c1877
The first Remingtons prior to the No.2 did not have a model number designation. They were marketed simply as Remington or Type Writer. For lack of a better identifier, I m calling this intermediate model the 1.5 so as not to confuse it with the Remington-labeled Sholes Glidden. As you can see, the sides have been opened, yet the keylevers are covered. Though the carriage and keyboard are the same as its predecessor, the frame has been lowered and elongated.
Remington No.2, 1878
This model was a dratmatic departure from the No.1. In shape and size, it more closely resembled what we think of as a modern typewriter. It had 39 keys It is historically important as being the first typewriter to be able to type in both upper- and lower-case letters from the same key. It could type a 6 1/2 line.
Remington No.3, 1886
The original No.3 was an experimental model which was never placed on the market. The No.3 later put on the market was essentially the same as the No.5 with a wider carriage that could accomodate paper 14 wide and type a 12 line. Its mechanism is different from other Remington standards in that the rack and escapement positions are reversed, with the rack teeth pointing upward and rocking back and forth while the escapement dogs point down and travel along with the carriage. The advantage of this is that the carriage is incredibly easy to remove, requiring the removal of only two screws. Forty-two keys.
Remington No.4, 1883
An economy model that closely resembled the No.2 but wrote in uppercase only. In appearance, it differs from the No.2 only by the lack of a Shift key.
Remington No.5, 1887
Loosely similar in design to the No.2 and virtually identical to the No.3 save for a shorter carriage. Designed to meet the needs of the European market, it typed 84 characters on a line 7 1/2 long and accepted paper up to 9 1/2 wide. See below for illustration.
Remington No.6, 1894 - See below
Remington No.7, 1896 - See below
Remington No.8, 1897
Wide-carriage version of the No.7 with an exchangeable carriage.
Remington No.9, 1902 - Wide-carriage model available in five different platen lengths.
