Typewriters of the 1940s
Typewriter production changed dramatically during the 1940s. During the war years, factories, labor and raw materials were directed toward military needs, which limited the production of civilian machines. Existing typewriters remained in service through repair and careful reuse.
After 1945, manufacturers resumed civilian production. Typewriters from the second half of the decade combined dependable prewar engineering with practical portable cases and designs suited to offices, homes and writers.
From the My Cup of Retro Archive
My Cup of Retro previously restored and sold vintage typewriters to customers around the world. This digital museum preserves the photographs and information recorded from the 1940s machines that passed through the former shop.
The archive includes American machines from Royal and Smith-Corona alongside European postwar models from Olympia. Together, they show how portable typewriters returned to everyday life during the second half of the decade.
Explore the 1940s Collection
Olympia SM1 Typewriter, 1949
An early postwar Olympia portable with a black crinkle finish, QWERTZ keyboard and original carrying case.
Serial number 15698 places this machine among the early Olympia portables produced during the transition from the Orbis name to the developing SM1 family.
Smith-Corona Clipper Typewriter, 1946
An early postwar American portable with a black crinkle finish, round keys and Smith-Corona’s Floating Shift mechanism.
This 4C-series Clipper was manufactured in Syracuse, New York, and retained its original carrying case.
Erika Model S Typewriter, 1940
A glossy black German portable manufactured by Seidel & Naumann in Dresden.
The simplified Model S combined a compact four-row keyboard with a lower, lighter body. This example retained its original hatbox-style carrying case.
Hermes Baby Typewriter, 1948
A compact Swiss portable with a grey crinkle finish, black keys and distinctive gull-wing ribbon covers.
Designed to travel in its slim carrying case, this postwar Hermes Baby combined a practical four-row keyboard with an unusually low and lightweight body.
