[GreenKeys] Determining the age of a Model 15-KSR

[George B.Hutchison]

GreenKeyers - - - 

 

My first Model 15 experiences were rummaging through Wally Buckley's Junque
Yard at 1890 Evans Avenue in San Francisco looking at all of the hammered
beauties which came from Western Electric in San Leandro. I started doing
this at age 15

 

They were under tarps and had been clobbered by the "Machine Disabling
Technician" at Western Electric, who performed his craft with some manner of
large hammer.

 

The serial numbers on the bulk of those early machines were in the
thousands, to perhaps 20 thousand.

 

The front/vane castings were cast iron and had been painted with a heavy
gloss enamel, and the numbers themselves applied with ornate decals
featuring gold numerals bordered by a red trim around each numeral. They
were very classy. Those I am certain is how the very early production 15's
can be characterized.

 

As I recall some keyboards had the same style of numbering. 

 

If anyone has a machine with that style of numbering, you have a rarie.

 

Last night I was inventorying 28 typing units and came across one with a
four-digit serial number, 3686, and there is a Navy tag describing it as an
MX-1115A/UG "Automatic Typer". The front plate has all very early style
parts, and the carriage rail has four elongated slots across it, which also
is characteristic of early 28s. This machine will go to a collector, and
I'll throw in a Mark I keyboard to go along with it.

 

There is some lint and dust across the top of it which I will blow off and I
will spray the machine with solvent and blow dry it. 

 

There is also a 28 typing unit with the low side plates indicating it is one
of the compact series. This one will be for someone specializing in that
equipment.

 

Contact me via e-mail if interested in either of the 28s.

 

Needless to say, I am now entering a mechanical phase of tinkering around
here which is intended to make some garage space and lower the teletype
tonnage, if you will. Stay tuned. 

 

Tom Tillson, Nick England, and Ron Otrin are at the head of the queue.

 

OH - the Western Electric "Technician" described earlier had for years been
receiving stipends from an unnamed source for his selective disabling
skills. The craft was so precise that if you carefully selected and
purchased three disabled ones it was possible to create two fully functional
units. It was WONDERFUL.

 

W7TTY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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