Smith-Corona
5-Series
1950 - 1962
L.C. Smith & Corona Typewriters Inc.
Groton, New York, US
Following WWII, and its Speedline Series, Smith-Corona unveiled its 5-Series portable typewriters, which sold primarily during the 1950s. These were (and still are) some of the best made, most user-friendly typewriters available. Granted, they aren't the handsomest bunch, but, when classic American craftsmanship is paramount, one can not go wrong with a 5-Series Smith-Corona.
This group of portable typewriters were available from entry level Clipper model, to the Sterling, then the Silent, then Super and finally the top-of-the-line Silent-Super. They all had frontsrike typebar arrangements with four-row keyboards and basket-shift mechanisms. All of the models typed equally well. The differences were in the amount of optional features each that model came with. Some of these 5-Series typewriters were rebranded for the Sears department stores as the Tower.
They were produced in several colors including Sapphire Gray, Desert Sand, Alpine Blue, Coral Pink and Seafoam Green. The texture of the enamel was rough and sand-like which is often referred to as a crinkle or matte finish. The most common colors found today are Sapphire Gray and Desert Sand. The keyboards were available only in green bakelite at first and then in white towards the end of the decade. During the early 1960s the body style was changed slightly and the crinkle texture gave way to a smooth finish. Per special order, a buyer could request his/her 5-Series be completely nickel plated.
Questions? Comments? I could be interested in one of these with an original nickel plated finish. Please email me at Antikey.Chop@gmail.com
