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Corona No.3 Typewriter Prototype

Corona No.3 (Prototype)

ca.1909

Standard Folding Typewriter Co., Inc.

Groton, NY

 

Before the Corona's Standard Folding No.3 officially replaced the Standard Folding No.2 (SF2), there was the prototype seen on this page. It is what engineer Otto Petermann originally envisioned for the future of the brand. Unfortunately upper management felt it was too expensive to produce so it was scaled down. Luckily for us the prototype has survived. You'll note that it is the machine represented in patent no.1,088,924 which Petermann filed in 1909  and assigned to the Standard Folding Typewriter Co. 

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Corona No.3 Typewriter
Corona No.3 Special Typewriter

Obviously, the prototype lost its carriage. It was lost some time prior to 2009 which was when the typewriter was deaccessioned from the collection of the Onondaga Historical Association in Syracuse, NY and offered at public auction. However, based on the patent drawing and on a photo of Otto Petermann next to the actual prototype, which has been generously provided by the descendants of the inventor, we can see that its carriage had two platen knobs whereas the eventual production model had just one.

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Otto Petermann

Corona No.3 Typewriter Prototype Patent

Other major differences between the prototype and production model included:

  1. Larger, more angular steel frame

  2. Placement of mainspring under left ribbon holder

  3. Placement of bell under right ribbon holder

  4. Keytops like those of SF2

  5. Keyboard with 30 keys

  6. L-shaped folding arms

  7. Solid type segment

  8. Ribbons spool drive shafts

  9. More robust escapement 

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Corona No.3 Typewriter Prototype
Corona No.3 Typewriter Prototype

Otto Petermann started working on the prototype even before production of the SF2 commenced so it should not be surprising that some attributes, like the form of the typewriter and its keytops, more closely resemble the SF2 than the Corona No.3. Other attributes, like the solid type segment and the L-shaped folding arms, were not found on the original No.3 but were adapted later in 1912 and 1919, respectively.

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Click here to see an experimental faux woodgrain Corona No.3.

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Need an Instruction Manual for you Corona? I have them available here...

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Comments? Have a strange folding typewriter for sale? Please email me at Antikey.Chop@gmail.com or call +1 (860) 729-2252

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