Digging into some typewriter pricing history, I found a copy of the 1949 Sears Spring/Summer Catalog, which lists a version of my 1949 Royal Quiet De Luxe typewriter (Sears SKU: 3 NM 4584T with Pica Type) for $95.08 on page 285.
Converting 1949 dollars to 2024 using an inflation calculator indicates this is now worth $1,247.75. Considering that I got it for less than the original sale price in 2024 (including shipping) and that it works as well now as it did then, I feel like I got a pretty solid deal.
For comparison the competing portable models in the catalog included:
- Royal Arrow $84.48
- Smith-Corona Clipper $84.27
- Smith-Corona Sterling $89.57
- Remington Portable $84.27
- Remington Portable with Tabulator $89.57
- Underwood Leader $63.40
They also listed the Tower, a standard size desk typewriter, for $99.00 saying it was just a few dollars more than the portables.
For further comparison, the prior year, the 1948 Smith-Corona Clipper, a model of which I also own, was listed for $76.85. Adjusted for inflation this would be $995.96.
@chrisaldrich In other words, prices for laptops hasn’t changed much since the 40’s!
@odd It is pretty interesting how true that statement has been over the years. I wonder if the same holds for the cost of some of the old database technology from Gaylord Bros. or Steelcase? I’ll have to do some digging…