1960s Smith-Corona Corsair Deluxe Typewriter Teardown (TPW 217)
291960s Smith-Corona Corsair Deluxe Teardown
Another name in the type writer industry that has been a bench mark of quality for more than a century is the Smith-Corona. The story of how Smith-Corona came into being is pretty interesting. It happened when Smith brothers of the gun manufacturing company met Alexandar Brown to discuss the design of a new gun; instead he gave them the idea of producing a typewriter, and that is how Smith-Premiere Typewriter Company was established in New York in 1886. Another company named Corona Typewriter Company which was established in 1914, merged with the then renamed L.C. Smith & Brothers in 1926 and formed the ‘Smith-Corona Company’, and became one of the top sellers of portable type writers in history.
The present SC type writer is the SC Corsair Deluxe, which was produced in 1970. The Corsair series which was designed David Chase and Philips Stevens began in 1964 and was continued till 1980. The key feature of the Corsair Deluxe which actually distinguished it from its contemporaries was that it was light weight, small and easily portable with its chic briefcase look. It became the new look of SC and lasted for more than two decades. As the Smith-Corona catchphrase rightly said- Precision in miniature; the Corsair series was a huge success.
The Smith Corona typewriters have been used by many famous writers including Tennessee Williams, Joyce Carol, Robert Caro and Robert Butler. The present typewriter is present in a good condition with its body intact, but a crack in the lid of the casing.
With its turquoise plastic body, the Corsair Deluxe can fit right in to you study, room, or studio to give it a classic look to it.