Corona / Smith-Corona portables, continued

FURTHER ON CORONA / SMITH-CORONA PORTABLES.... On the left we see a CORONA STANDARD, which is in the "Speedline" body introduced in 1938. It carries the Corona brand name, has manually-set tabulator.

On the right, SMITH-CORONA SILENT. Options essentially like the machine above, with detail differences.

The SPEEDLINE body was the main production variant for these machines from 1938 through the end of 1949. The older "FLAT TOP" body continued in production along with this style for a time before the war, but was not placed back in production following the war. Post-war models included only the SILENT, the STERLING and the CLIPPER, in the Speedline body.

Just before Christmas, 1949 the new "1950 Line" of Smith-Corona portables was introduced. These were known internally to Smith-Corona as the SUPER 5 machines. All three models produced postwar were carried over into the new body style, which incorporated a number of changes and improvements. The small, flat machine also reappeared around this time as the SKYRITER.

The top model originally (as before) was the SILENT, seen at left. Note the front logo, which is burnished metal, and note that the outer keytops are lighter colors.

In 1953, a new model was introduced which incorporated a key-set tabulator. This was the SUPER, which almost immediately was renamed as the SILENT-SUPER. One of these is seen at right.

Within a few years, the SILENT-SUPER was modified further, and incorporated 44 keys instead of 42. One of these is seen at left. The other models in the lineup, which were the STERLING and the CLIPPER continued to use 42 keys. The SILENT model ended production during this time period, so that the STERLING name was used on the machine with manually-set tabulator.

It appears as if the Speedline body was not finished entirely off by the introduction of the Super 5 series. Some Speedline machines were built, it appears, well into the 1950's and were even built late enough to incorporate white keys. The instructions for one machine (not shown here) in the Speedline body but with the new colors / keytops are dated 6-53.

Above, EATON'S portable, sold through department stores of that name in Canada; left, SMITH-CORONA TABULATOR model. Both are Speedline bodies with the new decor; the Eaton's machine actually has raised lines in its top cover. Machines of this variant have odd serial number prefixes (most of them have a prefix of "4AR") and do not show up in serial number records. The "Tabulator" model seen at left may have been sold through Sears-Roebuck, as that model name was known to have been used on at least one other kind of machine handled by that company.

We have quite a number of newly-arrived Corona and Smith-Corona portables, which will appear on this page. These are in all body variants and of all ages, so check back frequently for more.

Of course, we all know that the genesis of the success of this line of portables was Frank Rose's STANDARD FOLDING TYPEWRITER, which appeared in its first primitive form around 1907. The firm went through innumerable troubles regarding funding, ownership and corporate changes until new investors bought out the firm.

Former plant of Corona Typewriter Company in 1930, now part of LC Smith & Corona

In 1909, the firm was bought out by two men, one of whom, a Mr. C.F. Brown, was a mechanical engineer. He became the General Manager of the company, and in 1912 a new model replaced the Standard Folding. This new model was named the CORONA, and unlike the previous machine was painted black instead of white. Also, on the Corona, both shift keys were located on the left side of the keyboard, instead of one either side as on the Standard Folding.

The machine was a success, and in fact the name of the company was changed from Standard Typewriter Company to Corona Typewriter Company in 1914. The machine was selling as fast as it could be made, and the company was forced to enlarge its plant in Groton, N.Y. in 1916 and then further expanded it in 1919. Apparently, this latter expansion also included the purchase of other property in the same city, on which was built a supplementary facility. Both of these plants served the successive corporations through the 1980's.

I am lucky to have in my collection a Corona 3 from that very short period 1912-1914; the machine, as noted above, was called the CORONA but was manufactured by the Standard Typewriter Company.

On the left, we can see that this is a Corona 3, and that there is extra labeling below the name "Corona." As seen in the close-up detail shots, this is actually "(Standard Folding Typewriter)" which was, in all likelihood, included in fear of losing name recognition with the previous machine. On the front frame, we note the manufacturer's name.

In this shot, the machine you see above is on the right; on the left, a later Corona 3. The machine on the left is late enough to incorporate a slotted type-bar segment, rather than the individually-hung type bars of the earlier machine. The machine on the left also has the stamped lightweight folding arms, which are a sort of "L" in cross-section. Many collectors enjoy searching out these detail variations on Corona 3 machines.

In 1923, the first non-folding product of Corona Typewriter Company appeared. This was the Corona Four. The model of this machine is NEVER seen, in official materials from the company, as a number; it is always spelled out as "FOUR." This has led the author to believe that it was not only intended to imply the 'fourth model' but also to indicate the new four-bank keyboard. My example on the left, with detail of its front label.