tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post8082622078266156275..comments2024-03-01T15:21:50.710-08:00Comments on Davis Typewriter Works: R.C. Allen Woodstock Ad / Late US StandardsWill Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04371377137844175320noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post-35425212085302117592021-11-20T09:43:39.152-08:002021-11-20T09:43:39.152-08:00My dad picked up a used RC Allen Visomatic when I ...My dad picked up a used RC Allen Visomatic when I was about 15--so that would have been close to 60 years ago. It typed well. It served the family through five kids (I was the oldest). We don't know what happened to it; presumably gifted it to someone in about 1980 or so. <br /><br />It had a very positive action, clean sounding with a solid type depression. Thomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14841969187709305012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post-74129933383177091522014-08-15T09:36:45.280-07:002014-08-15T09:36:45.280-07:00They're fine machines. Quick is an understate...They're fine machines. Quick is an understatement. Glad yours is in near-mint condition! Will Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04371377137844175320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post-32776727194145436142014-06-05T20:09:06.072-07:002014-06-05T20:09:06.072-07:00Just picked up an R C Allen Visomatic B from 1963....Just picked up an R C Allen Visomatic B from 1963. It's has a super wide carriage, with a 26 1/4" platen. Serial # is B - 2311089 - 26. It sat in an antique store basement for years, and I finally had to give it a home! The ribbon is still quite dark, and I love the feel, and sound of the typing. It's a big surprise to me. I didn't really expect much out of it, but it's a great typer. Under the typebar cover, it's still got it's original paper label with all the manufacturing codes and info on it. On the right side is a decal from the dealer - a Leo A. Mattson Co., Inc. FEderal 6 - 8007, Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />The decal on the back says R C Allen Business Machines, Inc. Battle Creek (?) Michigan Made in USA.<br />It is a big beast!<br /> Don Lamperthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10033476212606822358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post-91232079061913178802013-10-08T18:46:47.945-07:002013-10-08T18:46:47.945-07:00The Secretarial 76 definitely has that "late ...The Secretarial 76 definitely has that "late model" look, but it's not the stark appearance of the Predom. Glad you both like it! Someday we'll clean it up, adjust it, and really wring it out. I can tell it's going to be a good or maybe great machine.Will Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04371377137844175320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post-73822053297820863942013-10-08T18:43:51.005-07:002013-10-08T18:43:51.005-07:00I'm sure the primary driver for any of the mak...I'm sure the primary driver for any of the makers would have been reduction in sales of the machines (and you can see the numbers sold per year have dwindled) and the concurrent increase in overhead maintained per machine sold, as well as labor cost. "Bean counters" would easily have found such operations to be low hanging fruit, especially in the new world of the congolmerate corporation (which SCM, Olivetti-Underwood, Sperry-Remington, and Litton Industries all surely were.)<br /><br />Why the reduced sales? Tremendous numbers of rebuilt machines on the market. Introduction of the IBM Selectric in the mid 1960's, and a shift to electric machines generally for office use. Elimination of typewriters in some places by substitution of other technologies and loss of some markets completely (for example, railroad towers and stations no longer needing to type up orders after wide institution of locomotive cab radios, and centralized traffic control which itself eliminated many line side towers completely.) <br /><br />I'm certain that the competition from foreign made machines in the same market could not have helped either.Will Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04371377137844175320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post-51860278501045994522013-10-08T18:22:26.977-07:002013-10-08T18:22:26.977-07:00The Secretariat 76 caught my eye too. So 70s.The Secretariat 76 caught my eye too. So 70s.Ton S. https://www.blogger.com/profile/10691201724230891974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post-482792582289477142013-10-08T17:28:16.466-07:002013-10-08T17:28:16.466-07:00I wonder what a 1971 R.C. Allen looks like.
What ...I wonder what a 1971 R.C. Allen looks like.<br /><br />What was the cause of the end of standard manual manufacture in the US? Expensive labor? The rise of electrics?Richard Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16232053429935587826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post-30348403399317672972013-10-08T17:18:26.340-07:002013-10-08T17:18:26.340-07:00Very nice Secretarial 76. I passed on an Allen ov...Very nice Secretarial 76. I passed on an Allen over the week end. I had never heard of them (there are many typewriters unknown to me).<br /><br />Interesting that the Allen also had the Woodstock name.Bill Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14649212489891769390noreply@blogger.com