WHAT ARE THEY WORTH?
Are old typewriters valuable? Expensive? Yes and no. They're valuable
to those who collect them, even if the value isn't always in monetary
terms.
Try and get me to part with a single one of my 100+ typewriters.
But in monetary terms, how much are collectible typewriters worth?
Nobody
really knows. The old typewriter at the right is a Sholes &
Glidden,
the first American typewriter, dating from 1874. It can be worth
$20,000
or more, depending on condition. Two nice examples recently sold at
auction,
both in the $33,000 range. An Edison Mimeograph Typewriter (which has
nothing
to do with either Thomas Edison or mimeographs) recently sold for
$34,000
at auction in Europe. There are others near that price range.
Thankfully, for those of us without stacks of money, most are worth
much
less.
There are few standard, catalog prices for old typewriters the way
there
are for dolls, Coke signs, porcelain figurines or those silly plastic
pellet-stuffed
toys. Not enough are bought and sold regularly to create a marketplace,
although that's changing. One book that's frequently cited is 'Antique
Typewriters & Office Collectibles' by Darryl Rehr.
Other books I recommend are
'Antique Typewriters: From Creed to QWERTY' by Michael
Alder
and 'Century of the
Typewriter' by Wilfred A. Beeching.
Regardless what book you refer to or what expert you cite, when it
comes
to buying an old machine, the final price usually comes down to what
the
buyer is willing to pay and the seller is willing to accept.
One
quick note to all you with Royals: Unless your Royal is a No.
1
Flatbed, a No. 5 Flatbed or a No. 10 with 2 beveled glass windows in
each
side, it isn't worth much. VERY FEW Royals, unfortunately, are
collectible.
I'd like it known that I am NOT in the appraisal business. If you ask
nicely, I might give my opinion. But that's all it would be. My
opinion. My opinion and $2.25 will get you a double cappucino at
about any Starbucks. Ya gets what ya pays for.
For a bit more discussion of typewriter values, check out my FAQ page.
Updated 02.07.04
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