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Thursday, 24 May 2012

Torpedo Blue Bird

Research so far suggests it is a West German made Torpedo Blue Bird. Possibly the marque's last incarnation, from around 1964 (tw-db).



Footnote #1: I wouldn't really expect a maths typewriter to have an exclamation mark, but it seems strange that it has neither 1 nor zero - both figure prominently in maths I'm familiar with.

Footnote #2: Given the genealogy this machine might share with the Imperial Good Companion 5, I'm planning a "compare and contrast" photo-feature soon. First impression? They are totally different machines.
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9 comments:

  1. Richard P24 May 2012 at 13:03

    Wow, delta and pi and greater/lesser signs! That is a special keyboard.

    Although I don't have one of these, I would guess it's essentially the Torpedo 18 (like the one I've been pimping) in early '60s clothing. When I compared my Torpedo 18 to my Good Companion 5 I saw family resemblances but no close similarities -- I think they're both descendants of a much earlier, circa 1930 basket-shifted Torpedo.

    This is all just guesswork. Anyway, enjoy your nice new typewriter!

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  2. Duffy Moon24 May 2012 at 14:28

    I have that exact machine (well, two of them - one script and one pica), except that mine doesn't have Bluebird on it. It has the same plastic cover. Wonderful machine.
    Mine's in the process of getting a makeover - which now will seem rather pathetic next to Richard's Purple Prose Producer.

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    Replies
    1. Rob Bowker24 May 2012 at 19:40

      I THINK the Blue Bird brand was a UK thing. Though it says Made in West Germany on the reverse, it also has Blue Bird Typewriters, London on the back.

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  3. Cameron24 May 2012 at 16:28

    Interesting typewriter -- I've never seen one like this, although others in the Typosphere have them.

    The keys with the gray underside and the white tops look exactly like the ones on my Remington Quiet-Riter Eleven, that probably dates from the early '60s.

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    Replies
    1. Rob Bowker24 May 2012 at 18:55

      Hi Cameron, Robert Messenger makes the same observation back in February this year. Hi great research continually pays off!

      Click to view

      Delete
  4. maschinengeschrieben24 May 2012 at 19:26

    Nice find - these mathematic signs are very nice. Richard might be right, the frame has quite a resemblance to the Torpedo 18.

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  5. Bill M25 May 2012 at 01:05

    Interesting typewriter. This is the first one I have ever seen. Unique too. You can now say you have a typewriter and pi too.

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  6. shordzi30 May 2012 at 19:30

    My first guess would be Remington-like, and the Dutch connection, but this is just a wild guess.

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  7. Unknown3 April 2013 at 12:38

    I have one of these up for grabs, philipleach@btinternet.com for more info

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