1969 Hermes 3000 Portable Typewriter - Late Second Generation

Description: 1969 Hermes 3000 #3539674 (The 1969 date attribution is based on looking up the serial number in the online Typewriter Database.) Keyboard: QWERTY with U.S Dollar and U.S. Cents symbols. Typeface: Pica 2.5mm. (~10 characters per inch) Footprint: About 14 inches deep by 13 inches wide. The height (with the lid attached) is just under six inches. Weight: 17 pounds, 3 ounces (with lid) This is the second generation Hermes 3000 (Model HP-2/66) which was manufactured for about four years from May 1966 into 1970. In my opinion, it represents the mechanical engineering pinnacle of the Hermes 3000 line, with minor enhancements having been made regularly following the launch of the first generation (Model HP-2/58) in 1958. In 1970, production moved from Switzerland and (I believe) quality declined. (Search for "A Brief History of E. Paillard S.A. and their Hermes Portable Typewriters" to learn more about Hermes models.) This typewriter could be put to immediate everyday use. It types magnificently, with the keys moving smoothly and freely. Also included are a new black/red ribbon on metal spools, a copy (not the original) of the user guide, and a set of replacement feet which I modeled after a like-new original and 3D printed myself. The typewriter can be carried by the handle incorporated into its snap-on case lid. (Be aware that—at 17 pounds—the Hermes 3000 weighs twice as much as an ultra-portable like the Hermes Baby/Rocket. I consider the Hermes 3000 to be "luggable" rather than truly portable. Since January 2023, this one has resided on my home office desktop—a place of honor reserved for my best typer—while an ultra-portable continues to serve me well on the road.) All-in-all, this is a very nice, fully-functional, nearly 54-year-old typewriter. Selling it will make way for another recently-purchased Hermes 3000 to assume its place on my desktop. Fun Fact: Included among the famous Hermes 3000 users named in the "Writers and their Typewriters" section of "The Classic Typewriter Page" are Jack Kerouac, Larry McMurtry, Sylvia Plath, Adrienne Rich, Sam Shepard, and Bob Woodward. Please note that we are painfully aware of the damage risks entailed when shipping a typewriter. We strive to ensure that your "new" typewriter arrives at your doorstep in the same condition it leaves ours. When packing a typewriter for shipping, we lock the carriage in its centered position, move the margins all the way in to reinforce that position, place padding into the type basket to prevent bouncing keybars, and provide additional padding inside the case to restrict movement. We then wrap padding outside the case, and place it in a snug-fitting cardboard box. Finally, we pack that first box—well padded on all six sides—into a larger, second box. For additional peace of mind, we insure shipments for their full value. Our standard domestic U.S. shipping is via UPS Ground. (Sadly, we have found USPS handling to be subpar for the past several years.) If you have other shipping requirements, feel free to contact us for a quote of the cost. If you have any problem with or question about your purchase, please contact us and give us the opportunity to resolve any issues before opening a case with eBay. We want to make you happy. In the unlikely event that your typewriter is damaged in transit, we will submit any insurance claim forms required. If it arrives with apparent damage to the box it was shipped in, please take pictures of that before you open it. If the typewriter itself arrives with visible damage, please take pictures that clearly show that damage. (With our defensive packing, that shouldn't happen!) We accept returns within 30 days for any reason. If returning a typewriter, please pack it as we did, using the same materials we used to pack it for shipment to you. If the typewriter is not as described, we will fully refund all charges. Otherwise, we will refund the full price you paid, plus any sales taxes paid, but not the original shipping charge.

Price: 859 USD

Location: Novato, California

End Time: 2024-03-11T00:19:54.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD