I remember chuckling when I saw Tom Hanks’ tags on his typewriters. Now that I’m over 15 of my own which are constantly out and about the house, I realize the benefit of matching tags on machines and their cases. I don’t have an issue with identification and matching (yet), but if nothing else, less interested family members can properly store them out of the way if they need to without causing issues. Interested visitors can also get a quick précis of machines they run across.
Thank goodness I’ve got a card catalog big enough to log and cross-file a couple hundred models. I’m thinking of categorizing by manufacturer, by decade, and including typeface samples, which I’ve already been doing as I add them to the typewriter database.
@chrisaldrich
A tag on the cases and machines is a great idea.
One thing I often see missing from the Typewriter Database is photos of items like cases, covers and manuals. Alas, they're often lost by previous owners.
How do you keep track of your typewriter collection? Do you keep a simple typewritten list? Do you use a spreadsheet? The Typewriter Database? A…
I just have a note on my phone with this for each one.
Brand Model:
– Color:
– Serial:
– Made:
– Typeface:
– CPI:
Could be better but easy to edit and modify, and in a central place I can access anywhere.
But seeing those tags makes me kinda want them for no good reason lol. Though an “Acquired” date might be a nice touch.
easy I only have one
Honestly? I don’t… 🙂
I’m not tripping over them, but they are spilling out of my typewiter-bookcase and all over the floor… I still have less than 100 machines (not by much) and I do remeembe. what they are and how and where I bought them. But I will say looking at some of my cases it will take a minute before I know what’s actually in them… I was looking for my Erika 8 the other day and those Erika cases all look pretty much the same. Often the answer comes to me by process of elimination.
Do I need to do something?? Yes.
Is i a priority? No. 😀
We have tags for the cases with some basic info.
We keep the Typewriter Databasethe Typewriter Database current.
And we have a spreadsheet that tracks details:
Link to TWDB
Ultra/Standard/Electric Portable/Manual Portable
Good or Needs Work
Similar to another model or Unique
Brand + Model + Nickname
Decade + Year made + SN + Country Made In
Body Color + Body detail
Key Color + Key detail + Key Layout
CPI + Typeface + Ribbon/Spool notes
Case + User Guide
Cost + Shipping + Purchased from details (where, who)
Repair dates and cost
2 potential Values – low and high
Given/Sold to + Date + Cost
We had the spreadsheet and the tags early in our collecting, we just tracked more info as the numbers got higher. The TWDB project we did in stages, getting the machine data in first then uploading basic pics, going back to update typeface samples, more pics then links and updated descriptions. I still have galleries that need updating…
Very few can I tell from their case what’s inside.
I love looking at the galleries in TWDB and reading descriptions about original owners and how machines were found etc.
I keep Index cards with make, model, serial number, year, type size, and weight.
https://preview.redd.it/pjt9n69amnaf1.jpeg?width=5712&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=80f38c9a25a90665082358535d650a01c998cfa2
On the back I put type samples!
Trust me, once you reach 10 or so, you better have a spread sheet or index cards. You want to know the Make, model, SN, year and TF. Where you got it, how much, issues, what you did to it. Any glitches when you are done? Tag the case on protables.
Had a spreadsheet once.
It’s severely out of date.
Ooh, I need to type tags for mine