Typewriters Iconic Machines from the Golden Age of Mechanical Writing (Writers Books, Gifts for Writers, Old-School Typewriters)

From the creation of the QWERTY keyboard to the world's first portable typing machine, this handsome collection is a visual homage to the golden age of the typewriter. From the world's first commercially successful typewriter—the Sholes & Glidden Type Writer of 1874—to the iconic electric models of the 1960s, eighty vintage devices are profiled in elegant photographs and fascinating text that highlights the design modifications, intricate details, and peculiar quirks that make each typewriter unique. From functional advances like noiseless machines to luxurious details such as mahogany covers and inlaid mother-of-pearl, a century of design innovation and experimentation is charted in these pages. Packed with visuals and rich with history, Typewriters is the essential story of a writing invention that changed the world.

Bruce Curtis is a photographer, visual historian, and author. He lives on Long Island, New York.

Anthony Casillo is a vintage typewriter expert and collector. He lives on Long Island, New York.

Tom Hanks is an actor, filmmaker, and typewriter collector. He lives in Los Angeles, California.