When I study old photos depicting the obsolete tools of the trade, I am filled with curiosity. My first thought: this typewriter was once considered "state of the art." The above model is a Smith Premiere upstrike typewriter. It was considered a blind-writer because it typed on the underside of the paper and the typist was unable to see the text.
Many of us are so conditioned to computers that we forget that typewriters are still being manufactured. However, imagine back to the late 1800's when a typist sat down to a brand new Remington No. 2, their fingers engaging the pristine keys; each strike resonating against the room's hard surfaces. The flickers of an oil lamp bouncing off of the typewriter's polished steel and brass. It was tactile, sensory, and productive. If it was anything akin to using my PowerBook G4 for the first time, I'm sure it had to be thrilling!