Bidspirit auction | Simplex Model B Index Typewriter

Simplex Model B Index Typewriter with Original Box - A Simplex Typewriter Co. Model B index typewriter featuring painted tin-plate construction with a green and red finish. The machine utilizes a rotating index dial mechanism for character selection and printing. The central index wheel features an outer cream-colored cardboard rim printed with a series of characters including ”0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 $ ? - . , Z X V Q M Y K S G D N A I O R E H T W L B U F P J C &”. The outer rim is also printed with ”THE Simplex TRADE MARK Typewriter” and lists various international patent numbers, including United States patent numbers ”481855, 821828, 696304, 781473, 1138427”. The center of the dial features a red, white, and black adhesive label reading ”SIMPLEX SPECIAL DEMONSTRATED MODEL B TYPEWRITER”, which is applied over a black and gold printed ”Simplex” logo. The device is fitted with wooden platen rollers and a spring-loaded carriage mechanism. The typewriter is accompanied by its original two-piece cardboard box. The lid is printed in black ink with ”Special Demonstrated Model B Simplex TRADE MARK Typewriter” along with a sample of the characters it prints and the text ”Prints 42 characters any length paper or card: 6 inches wide. Inked, tested and ready for use. Take one home and try it.” A yellow adhesive price tag is attached to the upper left corner of the lid, though the text on it is largely illegible, showing only ”CE” and portions of other characters. The interior of the box lid features a full set of printed operating instructions titled ”DIRECTIONS FOR OPERATING”, concluding with the manufacturer information ”SIMPLEX TYPEWRITER CO., Inc. 210 Eleventh Avenue, New York, U.S.A.” and an advertisement for ”Simplex Typewriter Ink” priced at ”15 Cents a Tube”.