Lot #31: Vintage 1930s Underwood Standard Four-Bank Portable Typewriter with Original Case

beautifully preserved Underwood Standard Four-Bank Portable Typewriter dating from the golden era of manual typography (circa late 1920s to 1930s). Finished in a classic glossy black enamel with stunning nickel-rimmed glass keys, this iconic machine represents a monumental leap in typewriter design history. It comes paired with its original hard-sided, fabric-wrapped carrying case. Brand History & Significance Established in 1895 by John T. Underwood, the Underwood Typewriter Company came to define the industry, famously manufacturing the legendary Underwood No. 5—the machine that set the standard for all modern typewriters. Underwood machines were the choice tools of legendary figures, including Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Jack Kerouac. The "Standard Four-Bank Portable" model was a technological triumph for the company. Prior portable typewriters relied on a limiting 3-bank layout that forced users to awkwardly double-shift for numbers and punctuation. The 4-bank system brought the full efficiency of a heavy-duty office desktop typewriter into a compact, portable frame, making it an overnight success among journalists, writers, and travelers of the roaring twenties. Key Selling Points for Buyers: • Four-Bank QWERTY Keyboard: Offers a completely standard typing layout featuring intact, elegant circular glass-topped keys. • Exceptional Aesthetic Appeal: The striking high-gloss black finish accompanied by crisp gold decals makes it a perfect industrial centerpiece for home decor, studios, or office displays. • Original Carrying Travel Case: Features its original hardshell storage box with latch hardware, a rare survivor that protects the machine's mechanics. • Mechanical Features: Built out with vintage manual controls including dual ribbon spools, margin release, and color selectors. Untested The hand-written serial number on the label reads 545960. According to The Typewriter Database, Underwood 4-Bank Portables with serial numbers between 536,035 and 582,608 were manufactured precisely in 1931. **Rare Original Ephemera Included:** A remarkable feature of this listing is the original paper "Warranty Certificate" label safely intact on the inside of the case lid. It clearly displays the matching factory serial number: 545960. Finding these fragile paper labels preserved in this condition is highly uncommon and adds immense historical and collectible value to the set. Pop culture and tv prop usefulness: • Orson Welles: The brilliant filmmaker, actor, and director famously used an exact Underwood 4-Bank Portable typewriter during the 1930s and 1940s. Welles typed on his while crafting the iconic Mercury Theatre radio scripts (potentially including the infamous 1938 War of the Worlds broadcast) and working on his cinematic masterpiece, Citizen Kane. His personal unit is currently preserved at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. • F. Scott Fitzgerald: The quintessential author of the Jazz Age relied heavily on the Underwood Portable throughout the 1920s. He notoriously typed out drafts of The Great Gatsby on an early Underwood portable model. • Ernest Hemingway: While Hemingway owned several typewriters throughout his lifetime (including Corona and Royal models), he was an avid user and prominent fan of the Underwood Portable. He utilized his portable for writing and taking notes while traveling across Europe and Cuba. • Lady Gaga: In contemporary pop culture, Lady Gaga is a well-known collector of antique writing tools and keeps an Underwood portable prominently in her creative workspace. Pickup category timeslot {A}