This post by Robert Messenger piqued my interest over the Mercedes serial numbers in the Typewriter Database. They had not yet been updated with the newest information from Source #24, and so with Mr. Messenger’s post in mind regarding the K-45 “Superba/Selekta” issue, I delved into it.
This is what Dirk Schumann had compiled from Sources #7, #10 and #13, and it’s what I started with in my update. I don’t actually have access to *any* of the three sources Schumann used in compiling his data, but I *do* have Source #24, Schramm ’62, which is an updated edition of #13. This is what I checked against to verify Schumann’s data.
Let’s look at the Source #24. This is a composite image of the relevant section, and it shows quite clearly that the K45 is called “Superba” and the K50 is the “Selekta”. This seems to confirm that Schumann didn’t just copy it down wrong, and it suggests that Schramm didn’t feel the need to correct the names in the 1962 Updated edition from the 1955 edition even though quite a bit of new updated information *was* included in the 1962 edition:
So there it is. Mr. Messenger’s source is Leonard Dingwerth’s “Die Geschichte der Deutschen Schreibmaschinen-Fabriken” and Ernst Martin’s “Die Schreibmaschinen und ihre-Entwicklungsgeschichte” (Source #4), neither of which I have access to to confirm, so the debate will continue as we try to work out which model names belong to which model numbers. :D
Man, you move fast when there’s news in the typosphere.
That would make a good flag for the Typewriter Insurgency Renegade Pirates, by the way.
Corsairs. I like: Typewriter Insurgency Renegade Corsairs.
I’m considering making it the logo of the Typewriter Database. What’choo think?
Oh, I have a high-resolution version, just in case T-Shirts are contemplated… (:
Do you have a proper page/blog post which I should use to contact you about the Typewriter Database? Either way, I have another question. I want to add my Speedwriter, which is Consul but it doesn’t say so anywhere on the typewriter itself, or its manual. Should I just put it under Consul? Or do you want to make a ‘Speedwriter (Consul)’ page? You could ask Richard Polt to put his Speedwriter up on that so mine wouldn’t be lonely, haha.
Hej! Har læst I er meget interesseret i Mercedes rejseskrivemasiner. Jeg har et meget flot eksemplar en K45, som ser ud som ny med kuffert.Serienummeret er: 241614/1 solgt af Heinrich Roepstorff. Hvad kunne den være værd og er nogen interesseret?
Vh Erik tlf.38102153
Hello my uncle gave me an mercedes typewriter it says base 1at the back, where can i found the serial nr? Because there are 3 numbers on it! At the bottom it says S 684 2! In what year is it made?
I live in south africa
Would like to hear from you, thank you