| European Typewriters / Germany / RHEINMETALL |
| The familiar Rheinmetall portable known to collectors was not the first product of this company; a standard was introduced first, around 1920. Later, during the Great Depression, the production of the Stoewer four-bank portable typewriter was taken over by Rheinmetall and continued under the new name. Following the end of the Second World War, the company found itself in the GDR (East Germany) and production was eventually controlled by a central bureau, which first phased down production of the standard machines, followed by the portables ending in the 1960's. |
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| RHEINMETALL STANDARD Tilman Elster collection This is a very early example of the first standard model introduced. It is serial number 5658 and dates to about 1923. The "works mark" of the company is on the front of the machine. |
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| RHEINMETALL SUPER Tilman Elster collection Here is a later model, displaying some styling changes to the machine -- most notably the open front, with the whole of the type basket visible. Serial number 33480, with production about 1930. |
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| RHEINMETALL RHEINITA RECORD Tilman Elster collection This machine, built in 1934, retains the old-style front with a slightly different application of the Rheinmetall works emblem. The brand "Rheinita" was used occasionally by the company on standard and portable machines. Serial number 46486. |
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| RHEINMETALL HEROLD Tilman Elster collection This machine, the Herold, represents an attempt begun by Rheinmetall about 1935 to produce a better keyboard. The key rows are semi-circular, and two space bars are fitted. The single shift key is in the center, with the shift lock above it. On the top center of the keyboard is the "TAB" key. Below, we will see a portable with the same arrangement. This machine dates to 1937, with serial number 55819. |
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| RHEINMETALL RHEINITA Tilman Elster collection Here is another Rheinita machine, providing good contrast to the Herold seen above. Serial number 71711, produced 1938. |
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| RHEINMETALL STANDARD Tilman Elster collection This is a 1945 example of the Rheinmetall, and was that variety produced at the beginning of the rebuilding following the Second World War. Serial number 174944. |
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| RHEINMETALL STANDARD Gs Tilman Elster collection This is the post-war restyling of the machine, complete with decimal tabulator (note the operating keys for this in the front frame, below the space bar.) Produced 1960 with serial number 208232 |
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| RHEINMETALL HEROLD PORTABLE Tilman Elster collection First in our brief look at Rheinmetall portables is this portable version of the Herold. Serial number 185352, manufactured 1936. Again, note the two space bars, the center shift key with shift lock above it, and "TAB" key top center. |
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| RHEINMETALL PORTABLE Tilman Elster collection This machine is in a wonderful wood-grain paint which is reminiscent of that seen on some Royal portables. Serial number 213025, from 1939. |
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| RHEINMETALL KsT PORTABLE Will Davis collection This is the Rheinmetall machine perhaps most familiar to collectors today; this is the post-World War 2 restyle of the machine, produced in good numbers during the 1950's and early 1960's. These were very high quality portables, in point of fact competitive with those produced anywhere. |
| SUPERMETALL PORTABLE Tilman Elster collection This Supermetall 14 bears a brand name used at times by Rheinmetall on other machines. However, this is not actually a Rheinmetall design; it is the Erika 14 carrying an alternate branding. This happened several times with the various East German makes, as they were phased out. For example, after the Optima portable was dropped, the name appeared on Erika machines as well. This machine is serial 2202920 and was built later than 1964. |