Sunday, March 20, 2011

Typewriter Ephemera: Swissa Junior Instruction Manual and Warranty

I uncovered an awesome typewriter find at the flea market over the weekend and proudly hauled it home - boy, it has been a long while since my twice-monthly visits bore fruit. However, I have been slacking on putting up typewriter manuals, so it is time to post up the ephemera from this Swissa Junior. My post on the new acquisition will have to wait till later in the week.

Here is the front and back cover, with a sketch of the factory in Murgenthal. The umbrella-like symbol is actually William Tell's bow and arrow - or so I have been told - and it was included on all genuine Swiss-made products.

Getting the typewriter out of the box, freeing it from the base, and rolling in some paper.

Margin stops, margin release key, and a lever to unjam the  keys (now I know what that's for!).

Spooling in the ribbon, ready to start typing!
Exhaustingly detailed instructions (I can only guess, I don't speak German) on how to get your machine back on the base and lock the carriage for transport - upright only, please.

Anatomy of a Swissa Junior

While this warranty has long expired, of course, it is amusing to see how many caveats would disqualify virtually all typosphere members from redeeming the warranty (even if it was still valid). Example: Rubber parts are excluded (ossified platens being the bane of our existence); bad handling and insufficient packing void the warranty (so any machines purchased from eBay are automatically disqualified); anyone attempting to repair or modify the machine voids the warranty (and we love to tinker!); and the warranty is only valid for the first purchaser (I think this is the final straw, really).

4 comments:

  1. That is amusing about the warranty. nice find there!

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  2. Great manual! And wondering what your new find is all about...

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  3. Adwoa - by William Tell's bow you must mean actually his crossbow, as this was actually his weapon of choice. Swiss were renowed all over Europe in the late Middle Ages for being proficient crossbowmen.

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  4. Thanks for posting this manual - I can write and read German, so I was really happy, as I got a Swissa Junior today. And now I know where the unjam key is for.

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