No Longer Fear Pen Paralysis!

Wyokoff, Seamans, & Benedict, The Remington Typewriter, 1902, Illustration of Remington Standard Typewriter, No. 6 Keyboard

This year marks the 142nd anniversary of the typewriter being patented. The innovation of the typewriter allowed for writers and office workers to record and produce information faster and more efficiently than ever before.

Despite now being replaced with computers, the legacy of typewriters can still be found in computer keyboards and word processors in such functions as "cut and paste," and with the "backspace" key.

Today's featured National Museum of American History Library trade literature illustrations are from a 1902 Remington Typewriter catalog by Wyckoff, Seamans & Benedict. An early innovator in the typewriting industry, the Remington Typewriter Company were the first manufacturers of typewriters with the QWERTY keyboard. The marketing firm Wyckoff, Seamans & Benedict was responsible for generating Remington Typewriter's commercial success.

Check out some of the Libraries' books and trade literature about typewriters and their history.

—Mary Jinglewski