FOX PORTABLE No. 3 / Fox Sterling

Will Davis with Peter Weil, Richard Polt, Herman Price, Jim Dax, David A. Davis, David B. Davis
After having produced no more than about 10,000 portables of its original collapsible design, Fox Typewriter Company changed to a redesigned version largely the same as the previous machine but with the collapsing design and appurtenances deleted.
Peter Weil has provided us with instructions for the Fox Sterling, and his machine (serial s12762) is seen here.  These machines have a large decal on the front right, seen in detail which is very elaborate and attractive. 
A serial number listing provided to us by Herman Price (as well as one provided by Thomas Fuertig) indicates that only about 1,000 of these machines were built; serial numbers, usually but not entirely with a prefix of the letter "s" run from just below 12,000 to right above 13,000.  Clearly, this machine is the rarest of the Fox portable machines -- although perhaps some people would find it the least desirable since it doesn't fold or collapse.

As we have related before, the Fox Typewriter Company was sued by Corona over the design and in many circles this final, non-folding or non-collapsing design is considered to have been the final answer.  However, if we consider that by 1920 (about the time we think this model was introduced) the trend was toward non-folding machines and if we consider also the fact that the patent for the original Fox portable wasn't withdrawn, we might simply find this machine timely and not reactionary.
We can view the whole history of the Fox portables in another way, as well.  The first appearance of a Fox portable occurred only after the original ownership of the company and its operation directly by William Fox had ended; the company was reorganized under new ownership at the end of 1915 and it was about two years later that the Fox Portable No. 1 appeared, according to Typewriter Topics.  As we know, the company did not last beyond 1921 and the portables were produced in about as great number as the standard machines during that time.  So, were the portables a last gasp?  Did they, by virtue of higher profit, extend the company's lifetime or did they help end it by drain of capital during the lawsuit and with further redesign?  We may never know.
At left:  Fox Sterling, Richard Polt collection, serial 12688 - an unusual machine due to its Spanish keyboard.

What is very clear today is that during this entire period, the company was constantly attempting to redesign the typewriters.  Several designs for simplification and improvement of the standard, Fox Visible machine were developed and patented during this time; in these, it's made clear that reduction of production cost was a prime factor.  If we look at the little portables, considering what it cost to make them we find that their profit margin was larger - and this works right along with the theme of increasing profit.  If we look at things this way, it's clear that the company was suffering from the same thing Wilfred Beeching so clearly described in his excellent book when he said essentially that there were few easier ways to lose a fortune than to attempt to build mechanical typewriters.  The complicated Fox Visible standard machine apparently was draining the company of capital due to excessive production cost, made clear in the patents and both changes in that machine and the addition of higher-profit portables seem to have been the attempts to save it.
Above, we've seen a rare variant of an already rare machine, considering that less than 20 Fox Sterlings are known to exist today (to us, anyway) and Richard's is the only one with a Spanish keyboard... but how about this!

On the right, Herman Price sends us a shot of his very interesting Fox Sterling, serial s12467.  This machine is completely, overall polished aluminum finish - note the decals applied right onto the metal itself.  This is the only one of its kind known to exist and surely gives a totally different look.

Richard Polt, who (as we said) owns all three models assures us that the Fox Sterling is exactly what we might guess; it's the same design overall (same key lever and type bar mechanism, for example) but with all provision for collapsing removed, of course including the clever separable mechanical couplings from body to carriage.
Peter Weil sends our final Fox portable illustration.  This is what he describes as "possibly the last new sales receipt for a Fox portable."  It's written by Typewriter Sales & Service Company, in Long Beach California.  It's a receipt showing the same of a Fox #3 (the actual model for the Fox Sterling, visible on such machines behind the top row of keys) with an original price of just $50.00.  On this occasion, a trade-in allowance was given for a Royal No. 5, for $40.00 leaving just ten dollars as a balance.  The sale date was December 23, 1921 .. and we note that this is the second time in our Fox portable discussion that the date of December 23 appears!  Considering that the company was shut down at this point, Peter's guess seems pretty good to us and if it wasn't the last, it was close.
Thanks to all of my friends for all their help and for their contributions.  Speculations above are mine alone.