Completely Refreshed Cole-Steel

 (Nick Bodemer Collection)

 (Nick Bodemer Collection)

 (Nick Bodemer Collection)

1967 Royal Custom II after waxing

This is the end result of waxing my Royal with Turtle Wax. The best wax to use is the liquid, as it is easier to apply and remove. Read the instructions on the bottle carefully, and buff in small, slow circles with a cloth. Also, if you photograph it, use a flash--it will appear dull without a flash, but will be bright in natural light, and with a flash. (Images from the Author's Collection)

Refreshed 1955 Royal Revealed

 Only the center panel and ribbon cover were repainted. It is very close to a perfect match!  (Nick Bodemer Collection)

 Look at how white the keys are! (and the knobs too). They were beige when I bought it.  (Nick Bodemer Collection)

 (Nick Bodemer Collection)

 The original paint was very good, except for the ribbon cover and front panel. The rest of the typewriter was just cleaned and waxed.  (Nick Bodemer Collection)

The carrying case that was supplied to me by Richard Polt. (Thanks!). The original case was wearing out, structurally.

1961 Tower Constellation after a thourough Cleaning

Inside this freshly polished case...

 Is a freshly polished typewriter:

 I removed the plastic keytops (except for the "function keys"--Margin Release, Tab, Backspace, Shift and Lock keys.) and soaked them in a mix of Orange-scented Palmolive Antibacterial dish soap and water. Palmolive cuts through every yellowing agent, from nicotine stains, to general grease. I then took off the body panels, and soaked them in the same mixture. I dried them off, and glued felt inside them (while the top-of-the-line Smith-Coronas of the period had sound-dampening material, the top-of-the-line Sears portable, the Constellation, did not have any.

Notice the yellow key on the far right of the keyboard. This is the "before" picture of all of the other keys.

Remington Travel-Riter, 1959

 This case is covered, inside and out, in vinyl. It is very easy to clean. The latches were made in England.

 This typewriter was designed by Carl Sundberg, and made in the Netherlands. It's boxier than it looks!

Remington called this color scheme "Pearl and Charcoal." It was the only color scheme available on the Travel-Riter in 1959. Other names for this typewriter include "Tower Centurion," "Remington Monarch," "Torpedo 700," "Singer Graduate"

Here are some advertisements for the Travel-Riter:

Cleveland Plain Dealer, August 17, 1959  (Image from America's Genealogy Bank) 

Seattle Times, October 14, 1959 (Image from America's Genealogy Bank) 

The Seattle Times, September 13, 1960  (Image from America's Genealogy Bank) 

1967-1969 Smith-Corona Galaxie Deluxe with Twelve-inch Carriage

 (Nick Bodemer Collection)

 (Nick Bodemer Collection)

 (Nick Bodemer Collection)

 (Nick Bodemer Collection)

 (Nick Bodemer Collection)

This typewriter was made between 1967 and 1970. According to vintage Smith-Corona advertisements, the Galaxie Deluxe was introduced around 1967. In 1968 it was offered in gold, but was not available in gold in 1970. The Galaxie Deluxe continued until the 1970s. This is a rare variation of the Smith-Corona Galaxie Deluxe; it has a twelve-inch carriage. This typewriter predates the introduction of the Galaxie Twelve by three years. It is also my first Galaxie-based Smith-Corona to have Elite type, and my first Smith-Corona that was already as clean as when it was made. Here is a 1969 ad for the Smith-Corona Galaxie 12, from The Oregonian:

1968 Smith-Corona Catalog Page

My Galaxie Deluxe was sold by Blackburn Office Equipment, located at 1223 Commercial Street, in Bellingham, Washington. They are still around: http://www.blkbrn.com/blackburn/Blackburn_Office_Equipment.html

From their website:

"n 1945, Chet and Hubert Blackburn began a small family-owned office machine dealership.  Founded on the principal that “We service what we sell.”  Today, Blackburn Office Equipment has become a premier supplier of office product solutions in Northwest Washington.

In 1962 Marvin Grunhurd purchased Blackburn Office Equipment and ran the business until 1992.  It was then bought by James Olson and Randy Grunhurd and they ran the business together until Jim passed on in 2010. Today Blackburn Office Equipment it owned soley by Randy Grunhurd.

Blackburn Office Equipment moved to its current location at 203 W Chestnut Street in 1977.  The red brick building that overlooks Bellingham Bay was formerly the Bellingham American Legion building."

Blackburn Office Machines, late 1960s (Whatcom County Assessor photo)

I was hoping for a pink Sears typewriter...but I found something better!

...but I found something much better (and rarer):

 (Nick Bodemer Collection)

 (Nick Bodemer Collection)

This typewriter is basically a rebadged Brother typewriter. According to the serial number (on the plate on the back of the machine), it was made in November, 1964. It had no case, because the original case was a cheap, zippered product. Other than that, it is perfect. (and "mauve-lous")  Unlike most typewriters, it has a push-button ribbon color selector! It has a light, snappy touch, similar to a better version of the Royal Safari, if it were crossed with an Olympia SM-9.

Its original retail price was $89.50. This typewriter was sold alongside the Signature 513 (with a 13" wide carriage), and the compact Signature 100. 

It should be noted that Sears was one of the catalysts for Olivetti entering the US market; this was also true with Ward's being one of the main reasons that Brother typewriters were first imported into the United States.

I should point out that in natural light, this typewriter is pink!
This typewriter is very similar to the Signature 510:

This is one of Brother's rarer designs, not because of lack of quality, but because of its original price, which was the same as known brands of the time, such as Royal, Smith-Corona, and Remington. It should be noted that this is designed to look very similar to Akio Kondo's common compact Brother portable. Personally, I think that this typewriter is the best Brother portable ever made!