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No electricity was needed to operate this Simplex typewriter. Just the power in your hands and fingers was needed to write letters and business correspondence. Staff photo Brian Larsen
Arvis Thompson brought this old “typewriter” into the newspaper and asked to see what could be found about it. Turns out this machine and the many prototypes that came before and then followed, have had quite a legacy.
Typewriters have made many advancements over the years, and today laptops have pretty much taken over for typewriters. But more than 130 years ago, the Simplex Typewriter Company of New York City managed to produce and sell a very simple index typewriter.
And because it sold at $2.50 compared to a Remington typewriter that went for $100, early on at least, the product was a success.
Learning to “type” on a Simplex was easy. You didn’t have to know the keyboard, just select one letter at a time and mechanically revolve the wheel until the correct letter appeared and then press down. After pressing down the rubber key, a simple device moved the typehead carriage one space forward. It might take all day, but you would have 200 to 300 very neatly typed words when you were finished.
“This machine is not to be placed in the category with other so-called typewriters, selling for $1.00 and thereabouts, which are utterly useless for any purpose except for that of a toy. The Simplex is the experienced typewriter manufacturers and is a Practical Typewriter in every sense of the word, and as such, we guarantee it. The price is marvelously low for a practical writing machine,” claimed an ad.
It was also noted that the Simplex was “specially adapted for use in private correspondence.”
Early Simplex typewriters had nickeled parts, solid wooden bases and often included upper- and lower case letters. However, the first Simplex produced in 1892 was a caps-only typewriter.
One ad exclaimed, “Progressive people write neat letters on this machine.”
Sales agents were sought to peddle these devices to the masses. “We require Gentlemen of ability to place our new premium goods with retail merchants to draw cash trade. Handsome pay is awaiting good men.” As such, maybe women weren’t allowed or recruited to sell these typewriters. But who knows?
During the late 1890s, the Simplex—like most index typewriters—weren’t used for typing. Still, the Simplex stayed in production through 1934 and was marketed as a children’s toy meant for education and entertainment. And at some point, it was renamed “Star” and sold under that name for kids.
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