Senta
1913 - 1929
Frister & Rossmann AG
Berlin, Germany
The Senta is a great looking portable typewriter made by sewing machine manufacturer Frister & Rossman (F & R). F & R had experience producing typewriters so the Senta wasn't a major undertaking. Unfortunately the Senta was introduced at the onset of The Great War, WWI. F & R was a massive global force until then, but, after the war, imposed trade restrictions levied by the victorious parties crippled its business. The Great Depression that followed further decimated the business forcing F & R to sell the rights to its machines to Gritzner & Keyser in 1925. By 1929 Gritzner & Keyser liquidated all F & R assets.
The 9lb, 7oz Senta was created by Franz Kraudzun (1885 - 1943). The first of these were produced with a three-row, double-shift typewriter from 1913 to 1926. After 1926, at the direction of new owners Gritzner & Keyser, the Senta was modernized with a single-sift, three-row keyboard.
Neither model was all too innovative but they were very attractive. Especially attractive was the decal found across each Senta's paper table of the massive complex that was once the F & R factory. Some Sentas were rebranded for various markets. For example, machines labeled as the Presto were for a Dresden based seller while the Balkan meant for the Bulgarian market.
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