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About Ben
My interest in typewriters began on Saturday, April 2, 2020. With little to do on that day during the pandemic, I decided to clean up a typewriter that I had inherited from my grandmother years before. I turned to YouTube to find a video about cleaning and using a typewriter. To my surprise, I discovered a vibrant community of typewriter enthusiasts. Several years later, I am still fascinated by typewriters and the never-ending quest for the most interesting and elusive machines.
When I'm not tinkering with typewriters, I enjoy cheering for the Kentucky Wildcats and spending time with my wife, family, and friends. Professionally, I'm an attorney in Denver, Colorado. I'm originally from the Bluegrass State and a proud alum of the University of Kentucky.
About the Collection
My collection includes about 75 typewriters plus ephemera, books, tools, and accessories. Within my collection, I have subcollections based on 1) type styles, 2) early American-made folding typewriters, 3) other portable typewriters, and 4) field typewriters used during World War II.
Initially my focus was on building a collection of typewriters featuring an array of type styles (also known as typefaces). My collection includes type styles such as Vogue, Simplicitas, Art Gothic, Numode, Magnatype, Sight Saver, Congress, Double Gothic, Italic, Techno, Canterbury, Bodoni, Script, Medium Roman Script, Vertical Script, and more.
After tracking down many type styles, I began assembling a collection of early American-made folding typewriters. This is among the world's most complete collections of early Standard Folding, Corona, and Fox Portable typewriters. As of 2024, some highlights of this subcollection include:
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1908 Standard Folding No. 1 (#1453, Roman decal)
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1910 Standard Folding No. 2 (#8424)
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1914 Corona 3 (scratched serial, bearing bar)
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1915 Corona 3 (#52901, transitional decal)
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1919 Corona 3 (italic typeface)
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1920 Corona 3 (L-shaped folding arms)
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1922 Corona 3 (double gothic typeface)
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Accessories: Corona Tripod, Label Holder, Rest Keys (x3)
I've also assembled a collection of other early portables. My collection includes early Blickensderfers, a Postal, Chicagos (No. 1 and No. 3), a Munson No. 3, a Hammond, a Gourland, a Roberts Ninety, a Victor Portable, and early Underwoods and Remingtons. Toward the end of 2023, I completed the Corona flattop trifecta: a Corona Musician Model, a Gorham sterling silver Corona, and an "animal key" Corona.
I have also built a subcollection of about a dozen typewriters used by the armed forces during World War II. I have U.S. Navy and U.S. Army-branded typewriters from all four major American manufacturers, a British telegraph typewriter, and typewriters used by the Axis powers.
Beyond these subcollections, I also have a variety of other interesting typewriters, including a first-generation Hermes 3000 autographed by Tom Hanks.