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| My slate workbench is currently occupied by a high school Honors Biology insect project. The floor will have to make do. |
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| Correction: I double checked as noted below and determined this machine dates from 1938. |
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| I swoon over chromed paper table logos. |
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| The enamel and brass on this badge show this machine's 74-years of service and storage more than other portions. |
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| The texture on the top section is a giveaway that this portion is plastic. However, as you look at the other photos, you'll notice how well this color matches the painted metal lower section. |
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| The chrome is thick and beautiful and the edges on the controls are nicely smoothed and polished. |
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| Could any of the German speaking readers comment on the shop key tag? Notice the Spanish tilde key - kind of funny in line with the German shift lock and margin release. |
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| Correction: I had been going off memory on the date of production. According to the Typewriter Serial Number Database, this machine was made in 1938, a year after the Hindenburg explosion. The Graf Zeppelin II was still out and about, but the era of the zeppelin was essentially over as the U.S. would not supply Germany with helium. |
Thanks for reading this typecast! This typewriter is a joy to write on, but takes a little practice and a subtle hand given the hard platen. It is snappy and light to the touch on par with a well tuned Torpedo 18.
UPDATE: To read more about the history of Triumph typewriters and similar models, visit:
http://www.machinesoflovinggrace.com/others.htm
http://sommeregger.blogspot.com/2009/03/triumph-durabel-typewriter.html
It is interesting to note that the Triumph Durabel on Shordzi's blog resembles my NORM-6 more than the NORM-6 shown on Machines of Loving Grace. Much gets lost in the history of relatively obscure machines. It does not deserve obscurity as it is a wonderful machine.
If you are curious about the cards I typed on, visit the first entry on the topic at http://vintagetechobsessions.blogspot.com/2011/11/analog-record-keeping-and-kansas-city.html
It's a handsome machine. I love the glossy burgundy body contrasted by white glass keys. Sound like it's a good performer as well. Perhaps this can be your candidate for a JJ Short platen re-surfacing? It's going to type like a dream.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm dreaming of what some new rubber might sound and feel like. I'm such a nerd.
DeleteGorgeous machine! And it's a QWERTY, I see, so it's practical for us Americans.
ReplyDeleteI never would have guessed about the bakelite top. Glad my tip worked.
This one definitely deserves a new Short platen.
Right you are! This would be high on my list for a fresh platen along with Erikas of the same era. I probably would not have bought it with anything besides a QUERTY keyboard.
DeleteOther than the ribbon surrounds, the top is shaped much like the Erika 5 with its metal top. Why plastic? Who knows. I'm just impressed that the colors still match after all these years.
red shift button: "Office machines and repairs - Arno Baumann - (telephone number)". feststeller = shift lock.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the help! Do you know if the telephone exchange might give any hint as to the city or region?
DeleteA beautiful typewriter!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteI too love chromed branding on the paper table.The way it catches the light, just fantastic!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely and fascinating machine! It would be neat to learn the history ofthe shop of origin.
I certainly didn't spot the plastic. Beautiful machine!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have spotted it from photos before I bought it. The plastic was pretty hard to clean. My guess is that it leached out some partially reacted monomers over time.
DeleteBeautiful typewriter. Those logos are fantastic. I never knew any manufacturer back then made anything on a typewriter but the knobs from bakelite.
ReplyDeleteThanks all for the comments! I will check in again. For the benefit of A.R.M.S., I added links to a blog and a website with more information on Triumph typewriters. I had forgotten that information on this model is relatively scarce.
ReplyDeleteFor Bill: There are several machines with bakelite parts and bodies. There are a few that use old school epoxy as well. The Groma N has a partial bakelite top. The most extreme version I have seen is the Schmitt Express. One of these interesting machines recently sold on ebay. Check out Oz Typewriter for more:
http://oztypewriter.blogspot.com/2011/11/stunningly-beautiful-schmitt-express.html
http://oztypewriter.blogspot.com/2012/05/johannes-kruger-how-his-typewriters.html
Absolutely beautiful! I love the mix of metal and Bakelite, and the typeface is stunning. I love a good, small typeface. I will now have to search one of these out. So great.
ReplyDeleteThe typeface is growing on me now that it has a logical purpose. But I wonder what it could have been used for when new. It is tiny! I don't see many of these Trimuphs, but a black one popped up on ebay recently. This color body is most likely scarcer than the black machines.
DeleteIt's already all been said about the beauty of this typewriter -- but I must comment that the typeface is wonderful. You should write a bunch of postcards with it!
ReplyDeletelove this machine. i wonder if the triumphs i bought recently are norm 6s also. i have no idea but they share a lot of the same look. i like your qwerty keyboard bc you can use it without any reservations.
ReplyDeletegreat work getting it to shine!