I dug out my 1908 Fox no. 23. Why? Because I needed a dose of pure pleasure. Don’t we all?
There are many beautiful typewriters, but there’s none in my collection lovelier than this one. It’s a great Art Nouveau design to begin with, and this one is in outstanding condition.
I bought this typewriter on eBay maybe 20 years ago. It came with a base and cover, and as I recall, there was plenty of fluff and dust in the typewriter, but it basically blew away, and underneath, there was an almost perfectly preserved machine, with great paint, decals, and nickel. I had the platen redone by Ames.
What’s it like to type on? It features an easy basket shift and snappy action. There is a switch in the back that allows you to adjust when the escapement will trip; I find that if I put it on one setting (I think it’s supposed to be the speedy setting), I tend to get shadowing. The button on the left front corner of the frame is for the tabulator (this is a weak point in the frame, and is often broken). The main disadvantage of this typewriter is that it has no backspacer. But with a little care and practice, I think I could get used to it.
Now to type some letters …
PS: Want to know more about Foxes? Read Tyler Anderson’s The Fox Typewriter Company, available for free download by courtesy of the author.
Dirk & I managed to snag a #24 a few years back. One of the few early front-strikes that feel like a typewriter of the 30s when they are really early 1900s. My only complaint with them is the same as the old Empires; the legends wear off the keys rather readily.
Wow, one of those with a fresh platen has got to be a pleasure to type on :D
I have one Theodore, just not as nice as yours I am sure. But you are correct, a nice snappy action.
Thanks, Mc!
What a beautiful typewriter! I never knew any typewriter was basket shift in 1908.
Fresh platens are always nice, too.
Most were carriage-shifted, but a major exception was the L.C. Smith (1904).
A joy to behold – pure 'eye-candy'. Thank you :-)
This is what mine is supposed to look like….
Monarch I think debuted one the same time as LC Smith, making a bit of a tie for first. As I type Monarch that seems wrong… but I can't think of who else it could have been.
I have a Fox 23 with all the front facing buttons intact, and yes, it is broken clean through next to the tab. My question is what can be done about it, or need to be done about it? It doesn’t seem to endanger the stability of the machine, but what advice would you give? The machine is very clean otherwise, although I need to have the paten re-rubbered. Thank you for any advice you could give!
I don’t think a repair is really necessary, but a good solution would be to use JB Weld (a serious epoxy) to mend the crack. You could use a paint marker to blacken any bit of JB Welt that may show in the crack.
One further observation, I constantly remark the fact that the front opening on the Burroughs Typewriter is so similar to the one the Fox. In looking at your pictures, I said to myself oh he has a second fox in the background, and low, and behold, you have a burrows right behind it, almost to see if you put it there for comparison! Can you explain to me the connection between the two if there is one? I have always theorized that Burtoughs acquired some of foxes diecasts, and incorporated them into the design of their own machine. Obviously the back of the machine is dissimilar, but the front seems so related, that it’s always made me curious. Thank you for any clarification you can bring!
I’ve noticed the similarity too, but I don’t know of any real connection. My guess is that it’s a coincidence.