Retro Tech Thrift Adventures (RTTA) Q&A Series

A thrift store find from this summer...

Yes, it was a fabulous Brosette... I had one before that I didn't end up keeping either, although I blogged about it here.

While the first Brosette had a serial number in the 38,000s, this one was manufactured a bit later.

I didn't recognize which typewriter it was at first, seeing this case in the thrift store. My first Brosette had had a vinyl case that was terribly battered by the time it reached me, but this was just fantastic.

Gorgeous, isn't it? I don't mind not having kept it, though, we will (knock on wood) be moving in less than two weeks and I am already dreading the typewriter procession up and down stairs. So, one less to worry about is just fine by me.

I was pleasantly surprised not only by how rare of a find it was, but also by the excellent condition the machine was in. So photogenic, too!

Decals intact, too.

Typewriter Ephemera: Brosette instruction manual

A letter-writing frenzy last night has me temporarily unable to bear the sound of type slugs hitting platen, so tonight will be an ephemera post. This Brosette, which I featured on the blog in July last year, has since found a home with prolific Brosette collector David in Zurich. As he already has several Brosette manuals, David graciously permitted me to keep this manual (which I originally forgot to send him with the typewriter), and share it with you here.

 

The  manual is a simple A4 sheet folded over to make a four-page leaflet, of which this is the first page. Having just started to take an interest in fountain pens, inks, and calligraphy, I am envious of the beautiful penmanship on display here - that is one impressive M, with the B and C close behind.

 

The middle pages are a sea of German words (I assume all the usual instructions for typewriters are covered) with no pretty pictures, so I am omitting them for convenience' sake.  I like this annotated diagram, though, with a bite-shaped cut-out showing where the touch regulator is hidden.

Here, a guarantee card which the owner never bothered to fill in. Good to know I'm not the only one!

For some idea of the Brosette's actual size, here are some pictures of it next to a Hermes Baby, taken last summer:

 



Just a bit deeper, but otherwise the dimensions are very similar.

Brosette Silver Portable Manual Typewriter (1950s)

This is an odd bird, the Brosette. I had heard of its extremely rare, almost-mythical nature, and so when one popped up on eBay, I leapt in and bid at the last moment and won the auction. It arrived in functioning, but grimy condition, and I scrutinized it carefully to see what was so special about it. One thing is certain - this all-metal typewriter from the mid-50s is built like a tank.

There are some quirks to it: the margin settings are reversed, for example, so the right margin stop controls the left side of the paper. You quickly get used to it, like riding backwards in the train. Because of this, the bell is also on the left. You can see it in the picture below, and also note that the numbers increase from left to right, exactly the reverse from every other typewriter I've used.

I have read on Will Davis' site that only a few of these machines were manufactured, but the serial number on mine is in the 38,000s. I don't think it is quite so rare! Perhaps, as is usually the case, there are few to be found in still-usable condition.

This one is in solidly average condition - quite a few of the screws are rusty, there are a few chips in the paint, and the chrome finish on the carriage return lever is a tad chipped. The case, on the other hand, could not be salvaged. It was originally blue vinyl and had fallen apart badly; the zipper was ripped out completely and had frayed so much it could not be repaired. It was with much regret that we discarded it.

My favorite part of the Brosette is the logo. Such a beautifully-rendered B!

If there is any part of the machine that is completely ordinary, it is the Pica, 10-characters-per-inch font. It is virtually indistinguishable from the font on my ABC, and for that reason it violates my rule of only keeping one machine with a particular typeface. While it writes fine, the action is still a little stiff, and I would not want to write with it for long stretches, at least until it's loosened up with regular use.

I'm hanging on to this one for now, but the jury is still out on whether it will be a firm part of my collection. I'm sure it has no resale value, because anyone looking for a typewriter merely to write with will not know anything of the Brosette's rarity or its place in German typewriter history. I am happy to give it a good home for now and take it for a spin from time to time, but eventually it would be great to swap it (*hint, hint*) for a nice machine with an interesting typeface. Fellow collectors, any takers?

Update on 14/9/10: The Brosette has found a loving home in Zurich with DC, a  new friend and budding collector :-)