01
Twin Speed Lines
Double horizontal polished chrome bands wrap around the lower body, defining classic pre-war Streamline Moderne design.
Curio Gallery
01 / 05
01 / 05Underwood Master Standard Desktop Typewriter — photograph 1
Highlights
Why this object
still matters.
Featuring an enclosed cast-iron body with a black crinkle finish, this pre-war desktop standard is styled with distinctive twin chrome speed lines along the lower perimeter. Built in the United States by the Underwood Elliott Fisher Company, it is equipped with green-capped keys and an integrated carriage return mechanism.
02
Fully Enclosed Chassis
Heavy-gauge enclosed housing shields internal keybaskets and mechanisms from office dust and debris.
03
Underwood Elliott Fisher Pedigree
Rear casting features the original stamped manufacturer text and patent notices from Hartford, Connecticut.
04
Grounded Rubber Feet
Mounted on heavy-duty conical rubber suction feet designed to absorb keystroke vibrations during rapid typing.
05
Green Keycaps
Circular dished keys fitted with green caps provide a striking contrast against the dark crinkle finish.
06
Original Decals
Retains the classic gilded 'Underwood' lettering on the front ribbon cover plate.
Specifications
The useful facts,
clearly recorded.
Measurements, construction, identity, and seller-supplied details are kept together for direct comparison.
Reviewed · Curio catalogue
Maker
Underwood Elliott Fisher Co. (Hartford, Connecticut, USA)
Origin
United States
Year
1938
Department
typewriters
Packed shipment
6 kg · 45 × 35 × 25 cm
Manufacturer
Underwood Elliott Fisher Co.
Country of origin
United States
Finish
Black crinkle / wrinkle textured enamel
Accent styling
Twin horizontal polished chrome speed lines
Keycaps
Round keys with dark green inserts/covers
Carriage width
Standard desktop carriage
Details
Close inspection,
recorded in photographs.
Detail № 01 · Underwood Master Standard Desktop Typewriter — photograph 2
Detail № 02 · Underwood Master Standard Desktop Typewriter — photograph 3
Heritage
A traceable life,
carefully recorded.
Provenance documentation was not supplied for this specific Underwood Master Standard Desktop Typewriter; this listing is based on the supplied photographs only.
Chapter 01 · Provenance
Underwood Elliott Fisher Co. (Hartford, Connecticut, USA): a tangible chapter of the analog era.
Underwood Master Standard Desktop Typewriter carries the material language of United States manufacturing around 1938: purposeful controls, repairable construction, and a design made for use rather than disposal. Its surviving details connect today's collector with the hands that made and used it.
Chapter 02 · Why it matters
A one-of-one object, not a stock photograph.
Every mark and fitting shown belongs to this individual Underwood Master Standard Desktop Typewriter. Its documented details give collectors a precise, honest connection to the people and practices that shaped Underwood Elliott Fisher Co. (Hartford, Connecticut, USA). The photographic record keeps that connection specific, personal, and grounded in the evidence presented.
Timeline
An object in time,
one continuous story.
1927
Underwood Elliott Fisher Formed
Underwood merged with the Elliott-Fisher Company, establishing Underwood Elliott Fisher Co.
1938
Master Standard Introduced
Underwood unveiled the Master, featuring a fully enclosed housing and Art Deco chrome speed lines.
1942
Wartime Conversion
Commercial typewriter production was halted as facilities converted to manufacture military equipment for WWII.
1945
Reorganization
The company dropped the Elliott-Fisher moniker to become the Underwood Corporation.
Condition
Honest wear,
documented clearly.
Shows authentic vintage patina consistent with heavy office use. Surface paint shows noticeable rub wear, chipping, and exposure of bare metal along the front lower frame edge and paper bail. Chrome trim and mechanical linkages exhibit light surface oxidation and dust accumulation.
✓
InspectedFrame & Paint Finish
Black crinkle paint shows significant edge wear and loss down to the metal along the front lip and bottom corners.
✓
InspectedBrightwork & Decals
Twin chrome speed stripes are intact with moderate tarnish; Underwood gold front decal and rear maker stampings remain legible.
✓
InspectedKeytops & Controls
Green keycaps are complete across the keyboard layout; surface grime and age-related fading are visible.
✓
InspectedMechanical Assembly
Carriage, platen knobs, paper bail, and margin release levers are present with scattered dust, oxidation, and cosmetic wear.
Logistics
Inspected, insured,
door to door.
Step 01
Delivery
Inspected, photographed, and packed with its condition report.
Step 02
Shipping
Custom-fit protective packing with tracked, insured courier service.
Step 03
Returns
Return requests are accepted within fourteen days of confirmed delivery.
Step 04
Dispatch
Prepared for courier handoff within three to five business days.
Acquisition
Make it part of
your collection.
Contact the seller for more information or to discuss this object.
✓ Insured Shipping✓ 14-Day Returns✓ Condition Report✓ Reviewed Listing
Underwood Master Standard Desktop Typewriter