General Information

Serial #

R159289

Part Number

1

Total Parts

3

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

metal, synthetic, resin, and fibre components.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

53.6 cm

Width

39.5 cm

Height

18.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Computing Technology

Category

Digital peripheral devices

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

IBM

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

Presumably used c. 1961+. Purchased as used machine by donor c. late 1980s.

Canada

This typewriter sold (as used machine) by Dominion Typewriter Co. Ltd., Toronto, where it was purchased by donor.

Function

To mechanically print letters, numbers and selected symbols on a single sheet of paper, rapidly & uniformly.

Technical

IBM Selectric introduced in 1961, and was revolutionary in that the type element moves, rather than the platen. This single type element is the print ball, having 88 characters arranged in 4 rows: ink is carried on a cloth ribbon in a plastic cartridge. (ref. 1) The ability to change fonts by changing print balls, combined with the neat regular appearance of the typed page, was exceptional and marked the beginning of desktop publishing. Later models with selective pitch and built-in correcting tape carried the trend even further. Any typist could produce a polished manuscript. By 1966, a full typesetting version with justification and proportional spacing was released. Due to their speed (14.8 characters/second), immunity to clashing typebars, and reliability, Selectric models with an RS-232 connector were also widely used as terminals for computers, replacing Teletypes. The machine had a key lockout feature- "Stroke Storage" which smoothed out typists' irregular finger strokes. Two keys could be pressed almost simultaneously, yet both characters would print in rapid succession. Trying to press 3 or more keys together resulted in all the keys being prevented from printing. The Spacebar and the Dash(or Minus)/Underline key would repeat at full mechanism speed if held down firmly/without interruption. (Ref. 2)

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

"IBM/ SELECTRIC" printed on decals applied to top and back of casing. Silver decal applied to lower front of casing reads "DOMINION TYPEWRITER/ CO. LTD./ 100 ADELAIDE ST. EAST 364-2978/ SINCE 1902 TORONTO". Silver decal on underside of base is damaged; reads in part "IBM TRADE[illegible]/ Model 72/ Patent[e]d i[n] Can[ada]/ 1955, 1[9]57, 1960/ INTERNATIO[nal Business Machines]/ IBM Cana[da]". "R159289" printed in white on black dymo-tape label applied to underside of base. "[logo]/ 15A/ [logo]/ 125V/ [logo]" stamped into outside sides of plug prongs.

Missing

Appears complete.

Finish

"Garnet rose" pink-red finely pebble-textured enamel finish on metal housing; metal, synthetic, resin & fabric fittings. Grey synthetic keys and other components. Green-brown synthetic platen knobs. Black (rubber ?) platen, tape ribbon cartridge, and other components. Silver metal fittings. Black synthetic covering on electrical cord; black synthetic plug head.

Decoration

N/A