Antique Typewriters: The Ford

This exquisite machine is the latest addition to Martin Howard's collection of antique typewriters.

'The Ford' is a striking model with a beautiful ornate grill and gracefully integrated keyboard. At the time of its production it broke new ground in being the first typewriter to use the new metal 'aluminium' in its construction.

It was invented by Eugene A Ford (1866 - 1948). Ford worked with Herman Hollerith, director of the United States Census, and founder of the Tabulating Machine Company. Hollerith created the first mechanical, punched card data processing equipment that would revolutionize the collecting and disseminating of information for the US Census. It was first used to full effect during the 1890s census and saved two years off the time required to count the data manually! It was during this time that Ford worked on his typewriter, receiving a patent in 1892 and putting the typewriter on the market in 1895. Ford would work with IBM for the rest of his career, becoming chief development engineer in IBM’s New York laboratories in 1911. He would continue to develop and patent many improvements to punched card accounting machines, sorters, and counter devices.

Read Obsessionistas' interview with Martin and here or visit his website www.antiquetypewriters.com for more insights into his collection.

Image © Martin Howard and used with kind permission.