Friday, August 13, 2010

Hermes 2000 Army Green Portable Manual Typewriter (1950s)


When I first saw this color of Hermes 2000 on Alan's site, I was immediately envious. "I've never seen anything like that here!", I thought. Well, never mind. I like this color for the Hermes 2000 instead of the regular old "minty green" because - for me, at least - it evokes a rather macho aesthetic: army jeeps, men in camouflage and combat boots, desert sand and covert operations. With its gruff square lines and brisk, efficient action, this looks like it has a hefty dose of testosterone. Contrast that with the delicately written logo, particularly the "2000", with its dainty loops at the tops of the zeroes:


This is as pristine a machine as we've ever found, and needed little cleaning to get it photo-perfect.


The painted decals on the back have been perfectly preserved, and on the whole this gleams as though it had just come from the shop of Herr Baggenstos.


The case is a tad scruffy, but functions perfectly and is very well-suited to the look of the typewriter. It is square, a sober brown tweed color, wooden with a leatherette cover, and has brown bakelite handles. Very dignified.


By virtue of its very readable pica font, this has now become my new office typewriter. I don't really need a typewriter at work, of course, but I do what I can to add it in to my daily tasks. It is a great conversation piece and draws a smile every time!

2 comments:

  1. I just bought this same typewriter @ an estate sale. What is the approx worth?
    kemnadm@wowway.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. I own a Hermes 2000 Portable Typewriter with Case. Can someone tell me what it is worth? I am downsizing and need to find new homes for some of my treasures.

    ReplyDelete

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