Item: Early Sholes Visible Typewriter
Sold For: $5,900.00
Bids: 30
Date: Mar 05, 20120
Auction: Ebay
Seller: ttsbp
Feedback: 100% (226)
Description and Image By: ttsbp
Christopher Latham Sholes, was credited as the ‘inventor’ of the first commercially successful typewriter. After his first typewriter had created a small market for itself back in the 1870s, he continued experimenting with improving its design. He was concerned that, after a prolonged period of use, the type alignment would fail and begin to look poor. He worked on developing a visible typewriter with excellent alignment, because the type entered the printing point from the center, a novel idea at that time, a first! The typewriter, the Sholes Visible, which appeared to be the peak-of-perfection in typewriter design, was placed on the market almost a quarter of a century after his original Sholes and Glidden typewriter was introduced. Christopher Latham Sholes did not live to see his invention reach the marketplace. The Sholes Visible was his final attempt at designing the perfect typewriter. The Sholes Visible was patented in 1891 and was sold by Sholes’ son Louis Sholes. The C. Latham Sholes Typewriter Company was set-up for this purpose. The venture failed. Later, in 1901, it reappeared on the market, produced by the A.D. Meiselbach Company of Wisconsin. Its success was limited and few of these have survived.
About this particular specimen: This typewriter is in extra nice condition. The machine was delicately restored about ten years ago and looks great. Yes, it functions in that the keyboard depresses, the typebars move up to the platen, the carriage moves and its operation can be easily demonstrated (I cannot guarantee all its operations as it is an antique mechanical object and should be purchased as such). It is ready to be put on display. Please view all the photos offered and feel free to contact me with any questions.