Antique Hammond Multiplex typewriter with a curved keyboard, manufactured around 1913 by the Hammond Typewriter Company, New York, USA.
Hammond typewriters were invented by James Bartlett Hammond in 1884. Hammond typewriters do not use typebars; instead, the type is mounted on a semicircular shuttle. When a key is pressed, the shuttle moves to the center of the carriage, and a hammer strikes it from behind, printing the type onto the paper. Therefore, Hammond typewriters were an innovation in their time in terms of printing technology. Several models are available on the market, including the No. 1, No. 1B, No. 2, No. 12, Multiplex, and Folding, with either straight or curved keyboards.
This particular one is a Hammond Multiplex with a curved keyboard, a rare machine since most typewriters have a straight keyboard. Its aesthetic is different, as is the system by which the type strikes the paper. It retains its wooden cover, but it doesn't fit. We believe the cover belonged to another machine. It is in good cosmetic condition, with normal signs of use and age. It is in good cosmetic condition and functions correctly.