I traded in a 1962 Olympia SM5 for this Smith-Corona at a local junk shop--this was one of best decisions I have ever made. This typewriter has an adjustable touch, and basket shift. It is also much easier to operate. Like the Olympia, it has Elite type. Mechanically, it is nearly identical to my 1957 Smith-Corona Silent-Super. Like the Silent-Super, it has Smith-Corona's small Elite typeface.
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| Edward Lasus' dealer label (Nick Bodemer collection) |
It was either sold or serviced by Edward Lasus, 70 West First Street, Mount Vernon, New York.. The city and state were torn off--the tops of the letters can be seen. This dealer label is more like tape than a label. After a quick Google search, I discovered that Edward Lasus' shop was in Mount Vernon, New York. Mount Vernon has a population of 67,292, and borders the Bronx. According to Google, it is a four hour drive from Smith-Corona's factory in Groton, New York to Edward Lasus's shop in Mount Vernon, New York. In a nutshell, that means that my Smith-Corona could have spent its life 232 miles from where it was made. Instead, it traveled 2,863 miles from Mount Vernon, New York, and 3,095 miles from where it was manufactured.( "A" is Mount Vernon, New York, and "B" is Seattle.)
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| The journey of my Smith-Corona from Mount Vernon, NY to Seattle. (Google Maps) |
According to the Social Security Death Index, Edward Lasus was born on October 9, 1909. He passed away on October 29, 1999. He was one of the first Olivetti dealers in the United States, but mainly sold Royal typewriters. His former shop is now home to Hi Tech Business Systems. It is located in an older brick building, very similar to those in downtown Tacoma.
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| Page Eight of the Yonkers (New York) Herald, February 29, 1954. (Image courtesy of FultonHistory.com) |
That's interesting, I have a 1936 Corona Standard from a shop in Mount Vernon, NY also. I'll have to dig it out but I think it had a different name.
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