The Boston Typewriter

The Boston Type Writer,
Patented May 18, 1886

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The Boston typewriter was patented by Daniel E. Kempster in 1886 and was marketed for a brief period in 1888. Its most prominent features include a large curved index for character selection and the name "BOSTON" cast into a pediment reminiscent of classical Greek architecture. Operating a Boston involved placing a sheet of paper on a flat bed, which moved left to right across the center portion of the typewriter, and selecting a character to be printed with the index arm . The index arm would in turn rotate a large character wheel in the center of the typewriter to the corresponding letter on the index. Depressing it caused the desired character to push downward and be printed, the paper carrier would then move one space allowing for the next character to be printed. Inking was accomplished with a ribbon. Sound complicated? It certainly was. For an index typewriter, which was typically designed to be simple and inexpensive, the Boston was quite a complex writing machine. The Boston was short lived and very few have survived.

The images displayed here are of the Boston typewriter, Serial #54, from my personal collection & can also be viewed at: www.typewritercollector.com