Sighting 1:
CLOTHING STORE, MEN'S SHIRTS SECTION
CLOTHING STORE, MEN'S SHIRTS SECTION
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Who would've thought I'd find a Royal HH in the clothing store H&M in downtown Chicago. I quickly snapped a pic with my extinct cellphone before the salesperson politely informed me that photography was prohibited as they were protecting the typewriter model. Huh? Did I miss something? Why the hell should a Swedish clothing store protect a Royal typewriter model? From what/whom? From typospherians who might steal the design concept, reproduce the typewriter, and sell it to their rival store Gap? Bottomline, I got my shot. Shhhh. I realized that the Royal HH looks quite handsome in person. Photos don't do it justice.
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Sighting 2:
CHICAGO LIT FEST, PRINTERS' ROW
CHICAGO LIT FEST, PRINTERS' ROW
I saw this on my way to meeting Maya Stein. Got me really excited for a second; I thought it was going to be my Adwoa moment. But it turned out to be a stall selling woodcut typeface (the function of which I am not 100% clear). I was amazed that it was a crowd-drawer, co-nerds were going gaga over them.
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Aha, Maya's Remington Ten Forty was not the only typewriter in
the area after all! On the same stall was this display machine- a classic Royal 10 (am I correct?). Fairly good condition, I'd say, and functional too. I wanted to write a typecast with it but the seller had a typed message on the paper. |
Sighting 3:
PRINT AD, UNIVERSITY PAPER
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| Finally, I spotted this Remington Monarch in a hip steampunk "Shift Beer" full-page print ad on Chicago Weekly, the indie paper of the University of Chicago. Coolness. |
* For new visitors, here's a perfect sampling of Geneva-style typewriter sightings by typospherian Adwoa Bagalini- Market Sightings: Pity Purchases and Other Stories.
* Grrr, typos: reastaurant, surprising
* Typecast via Murakami
16 comments:
Oh, you unscrupulous perpetrator of industrial espionage! What evil lurks in the mind of someone who would dare to take a picture of a Royal HH? :)
"No pictures! You may steal this amazing idea of displaying a typewriter!"
The 'typewriter model'? My god. Did you laugh in their face?
I occasionally spot typewriters in the wild. Not ever so often, but depending on where I am I can see a few in a weekend. Generally overpriced, common, and beat to death. But hey, they're typewriters. Occasionally I find something I cannot pass up. That, however, is few and far between and rather disappointing.
It's Extravaganza weekend up in Adamstown, so I am hoping to score something. I actually have an ebay purchase to pick up there, so I will come home with at least one typer. If you were not aware, Adamstown is the self proclaimed 'Antiques Capitol USA', with a smattering of a dozen or so antique malls and flea markets in a few mile stretch. I go there often, but Extrav weekends are nuts.
You have sold me on the Litfest. That would be worth a special trip to Chicago! I love rummaging around in print supplies. The wood blocks can actually be used for printmaking.
@Dana, pleeeaase, don't turn me in. Lol!
@Ken, LMAO! it was so ridiculous, I had an out-of-body experience. No, I didn't know Adamstown, PA is the antique capital, thanks for the info. Will look forward to your post about Extravaganza Weekend.
@Dwayne, you'll enjoy Lit Fest.
My sympathies on living in a typewriter-poor area. That's how Utah is. You get a few, but most of them aren't worth the time or are so expensive that they stick around for years.
But still, looks like you've got some fun stuff there... Like the steampunk ad.
@Art, thanks, nice of you to leave a comment. Welcome here. I've never had a thrift store or flea market find, at least, not here in Chicago. It's mostly an ebay affair for me. You too, I suppose?
Love the post title! Tacoma is definitely up there with Geneva in terms of sightings. As for those letter blocks, I have seen them being offered in our markets for $10 apiece, but like you I'm not exactly sure how they are used.
@Adwoa, glad you liked my modest "hommage." Thanks to your amazing market finds, I still think that Geneva is the typewriter capital of the typosphere. The only viable solution to my conundrum is to go there!
Ton, none for me either. I've never done the ebay route--mine came from my grandpa's apartment, Christmas, and an antique show... And sadly, none are in perfect working condition... all three have... quirks. It's why I haven't done the eBay route--I don't really have the room for more projects, at least until I get my new place.
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I know of only two flea markets in or near my city, one of them is considerably traditional and the other is still trying to catch up. In both places I've heard you can find sculptures, paintings, assorted objects... and maybe a typewriter or two. I should pay a visit to those places one of these weekends, might find another project to keep company with "Dali".
This is very entertaining. I'll have to start a file of local sightings, too!
@Art, there are decent finds on ebay, you'll be surprised. Hope you snag a good one when you've moved to a new place.
@Miguel, I have a feeling you'll find another one soon.
@Richard, great! I'm almost sure Cincy would yield more than Chicago.
Loved the pic of the Royal! My Mom had one of those, and that's what I learned to type on, and even wrote some middle school reports on it.
Thanks for the memories.
@Rob, nice of you to visit my blog, thanks. Happy to hear that the Royal resonated with you.
good, i love that you were able to take that shot, so funny how stores want to 'protect' what's theirs.....
b.c., you said it!
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