When people say the typewriter changed the world, the starting point is Remington. In 1873 the arms maker E. Remington & Sons partnered with inventors Christopher Latham Sholes and Carlos Glidden to build the first commercially sold typewriter at their Ilion, NY factory. It was not the first typewriter ever made, but it was the first to bring typing into the office.
History
Sholes and Glidden had been improving their printing machine since 1867; the letter arrangement they settled on to stop jamming became the QWERTY keyboard. In 1874 the Remington No.1 went on sale at $125, but since it printed only capitals, sales were slow. The No.2 of 1878 added a Shift key for upper and lower case, and the machine finally took off.
Remington's blind-writer design was eventually eclipsed by Underwood's visible one, but the brand thrived with portables and office models. It launched the Remington Portable in 1925, merged into Remington Rand, and finally sold its typewriter business to Litton Industries in 1955.
What makes it special
- Genesis of the typewriter — The first commercial typewriter and the QWERTY layout both come from Remington.
- Sholes & Glidden value — Original S&G machines are extremely rare — museum pieces for top collectors.
- Portable classics — The Remington Portable line was among the most popular portables of the 1920s–30s.
Classic models
| Model | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Remington No.1 (Sholes & Glidden) | 1874 | First commercial typewriter, capitals only |
| Remington No.2 | 1878 | Added Shift for upper/lower case |
| Remington Portable | 1925 | Best-selling portable of the 1920s |
| Remington Rand Noiseless | 1930s | Noiseless office model |
| Remington 17 / Quiet-Riter | 1940s–50s | Later standard & portable models |
Serial number dating (estimate)
Serial numbers give a rough production era. Precise dating needs the brand's official serial handbook.
| Period | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1874 – 1900 | No.1/No.2 through the turn of the century |
| 1901 – 1924 | Standard machine era |
| 1925 – 1940 | Portable era |
| 1941 – 1955 | Late models before Litton |
Try it out
Want to try typing on a vintage machine or estimate a serial number? Both are free, in your browser.
More brands: Olivetti, Remington, Royal, Smith-Corona, Hermès, Olympia, IBM Selectric.