| The Ford typewriter was invented by Eugene
A. Ford and was manufactured by the
Ford Typewriter Company of New York in 1895. There was no
connection to the Ford Motor Company that was founded in
1903. The Ford's most distinguishing
characteristic is an ornate latticework shield, finished in
bronze, that served as a cover for it's type mechanism.
Incorporating thrust
action type and controlled by a three row, curved keyboard, the
Ford also
had the distinction of being one of the earliest typewriters
manufactured
in lightweight aluminum. Also in the offering, was a cast
iron version,
painted black. The cast iron Ford was advertised for sale at $75.
while the lighter weight aluminum Ford was $85. The Ford typewriter was also sold in Germany as the Knoch and in France as the Hurtu. Despite many advanced features and the promise it offered, the Ford typewriter was a marketplace failure and quickly disappeared from the 1890's typewriter scene. Few were manufactured and even fewer have survived. As for Eugene Ford, he went on to a distinguished career as an engineer for IBM Corp. |
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