HISTORICAL REMARKS:
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                  based on the book of W.A.Beeching »Typewriter« (1974)

Franz Xavier Wagner, a German immigrant with a genius mind, devoted his
life to inventing and designing typewriters - His brain was behind most
of the leading American typewriters of this time.  In 1895 he founded
THE WAGNER TYPEWRITER MANUFACTURING COMPANY in New York to produce his
new and revolutionary "Complete Visible Writing" Model. He met John T.
Underwood, a manufacturer of carbon paper, inks and ribbons. Underwood
was interested in making Wagners new machine, because REMINGTON had
just canceled the contract with Underwood, to produce all this itself.
Wagner's company became UNDERWOOD TYPEWRITER COMPANY. The change to
visible writing was a world-acclaimed accomplishment:  Sales exploded.
In 1898 the plant was moved to New Jersey  and in 1901 to Hartfort,
Connecticut. In 1926 ELLIOTT FISHER and SUNDSTRAND merged - and later
with UNDERWOOD.  In 1945 the name was changed to UNDERWOOD CORPORATION.
In 1959 a close co-operation with OLIVETTI of Italy was made but later
UNDERWOOD was acquisitioned by OLIVETTI and lost their identity:  Also
OLIVETTI used the »UNDERWOOD« brand name for own machines (like this).

impressum:
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© C.HAMANN         http://public.BHT-Berlin.de/hamann          11/12/07