Some of you might know that I've got a weakness for black and white cards that are somehow related to the subject of books or writing. Naturally I could not resist this little beauty!
(Of course as cute as this photo is, personally I'd go postal if I caught any little kids playing with my precious Underwood...)
Right now I'm reading and enjoying The Iron Whim: A Fragmented History of Typewriting by Darren Wershler-Henry. It's not a typical history of the typewriter – more of a social and psychological study of this still very fascinating and beautiful machine. Here's a link to a little article about the author, in This Magazine, and a link to the author's web site.
And why call it The Iron Whim? Well, the author discovered that Marshall McLuhan in his In Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, called his chapter on the typewriter "Into the Age of the Iron Whim." Apparently whim doesn't just mean "a fanciful or fantastic creation; a whimsical object; a capricious notion of fancy"; it also means "a machine...consisting of a vertical shaft containing a large drum with one or more radiating arms or beams." I think that the word whim is very fitting for an old typewriter, don't you? An old typewriter is strong, sturdy and mechanical, as well as being rather silly-looking clunker, don't ya think? All the more reason to start a new category about the subject of typewriters (which is beginning to become a bit of an obsession with me) called The Iron Whim.
And speaking of said Iron Whim, did you know that there's a fabulous little display going on right now at the Royal Ontario Museum of early typewriters? We're not talking about the run-of-the-mill clunky Underwoods (which I think are divine, by the way) we're talking about heavy, clunky, very whim-sical machines that look nothing like what we would imagine a typewriter to be. The display is on until June 29th, so do pop in if you're even remotely intrigued. And even if you don't go, do check out this video podcast of Martin Howard, the collector of said bizarre typewriters.
And guess what? I even took a few piccies of those Iron Whim beasties while I was there...enjoy!
Well don't this just beat all. An amazingly talented and tenacious young lady by the name of Blythe from Halifax, Nova Scotia has sewn herself an Underwood typewriter made entirely of felt. Why, you may ask? Why not? You can see more pictures of this astounding creation here. And take the time to view her many other creations, too. I mean, how many people do you know who can create a Pentax camera and adorable robots out of felt?
Big fat thanks to Tim from Baby Got Books for bringing this gem to my attention!
It's true what they say – love will strike you when you least expect it. Yes, I've been thinking of him off and on for years, hoping that one day I'd find the right one, but deep down inside I was doubtful of my chances. Then today, I saw him. All alone, off to one corner, looking a little sad and tattered, but still self-assured and very solid. I smiled. He did not respond. So I walked up to him, and caressed him lightly with my fingertips, and that's when I knew it was all over for me. Throwing caution to the wind, I called a cab and took him home.
What can I say? I'm a sucker for a man of letters.
