| European Typewriters / Switzerland -- HERMES |
| Although the Patria was made in Switzerland, the only Swiss maker of real note worldwide was Paillard, located in Yverdon, Switzerland. This company launched a standard office typewriter under the name HERMES in 1920, which was not a great success. Paillard kept at it, releasing Model 2 in 1923, Model 3 four years later, and finally Model 4 as late as 1934. The company had introduced an all-steel portable, the Hermes 2000, in 1932, and in 1935 launched production of the revolutionary Hermes Baby. One year later, the company introduced a lighter version of the Hermes 2000 as the Hermes Media. The last really new model to be introduced was the Hermes Ambassador in 1948, although the complete reworking of the Hermes 2000 into the Hermes 3000 in 1958 could be considered as such. |
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| HERMES No. 3 Tilman Elster collection This is a Hermes Model 3, introduced in 1927. This machine has both wide carriage and decimal tabulator fitted for bookkeeping functions. Serial number 6304, built 1930. |
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| HERMES No. 4 Tilman Elster collection Note the closed-in sides on the Hermes Model 4, which still retain the shaped styling as if the window (or opening) were still present. Serial no. 14514, built 1934. |
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| HERMES No. 5 Tilman Elster collection Wartime (1942) Hermes Standard 5 with wide carriage. Serial number 530387. |
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| HERMES Standard 6 Tilman Elster collection The Hermes Standard 6, which was introduced shortly after the Standard 5 seen above was built. This is a 1947 example, with serial 566657. |
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| HERMES 2000 Tilman Elster collection An example of the first variety of portable introduced by Paillard, notable for its heavy all-steel construction and durability. Serial 20656, built 1933. |
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| HERMES 2000 Tilman Elster collection This is the more common body variant for the 2000, produced for a number of years. Serial 2046794, manufactured 1952. |
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| HERMES MEDIA Tilman Elster collection The Media was a less-expensive version of the 2000, with fewer features. Serial P382055. |
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| HERMES BABY (three various) all Tilman Elster collection The well-known and incredibly successful small Hermes machine that launched not only a host of imitators, and license-built copies, but an entire sub-genre of portable typewriters. Data are by each photo. |
| Serial no. 65229, built 1935 |
| Serial no. 5077677, built 1948 |
| Serial 9041098, built 1966 |
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| HERMES AMBASSADOR Tilman Elster collection Highly advanced office machine introduced 1948 with a number of novel features. The flat front is intended to hold copy for the typist, and function keys are arranged conveniently in a new pattern. Serial 770668, built 1955. |
| HERMES AMBASSADOR Tilman Elster collection Ambassador serial no. 796862, built 1956, shows the new decor applied to all Hermes machines at this time. |
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| HERMES 3000 Tilman Elster collection The popular and advanced 3000 included ideas for auxiliary function keys borrowed from the Ambassador, with a new concept in margin setting. The placement of either margin was indicated by a "redline" inside the paper bail. The operation of the margin stops was not unlike the Royal Magic Margin, but the addition of the visible margin lines right near the printing was novel, and remained completely unique. Serial 3050836, built 1960. |
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| HERMES 3000 Tilman Elster collection Much later body style for this machine, which retains its keyboard layout and margin set lines in paper bail. Serial 7445341. Some of these were built in France, following Paillard's buyout of Japy. |
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| HERMES MEDIA 3 Tilman Elster collection The Media 3 was essentially the same in relation to the 3000 as the original Media had been to the 2000. The body style seen here also housed the 3000 between the two 3000's seen above. This Media 3 is serial number 3576075. |
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| HERMES PORTABLE Tilman Elster collection Included here for fun are two portables sold under the Hermes name, but which were not Hermes products. This machine is actually a product of Nakajima, Japan; serial 80756152. |
| HERMES JUNIOR Tilman Elster collection Again, this machine is not a Hermes product. It was manufactured by Typewriters Works, Plovdiv, Bulgaria and is essentially their Maritsa 30 relabeled. The serial number, which is 30123057, helps give this away as the first two digits are actually coded for "Model 30." |