Era

1920s typewriters

By the 1920s the front-strike, visible-writing office machine pioneered by Underwood had become the industry standard, and the Underwood No. 5 was its best-seller. Office standards from Underwood, Royal, Remington and L. C. Smith dominate what survives from this decade. Portables existed, from the folding Corona 3 to the first Remington and Underwood portables, but they are less common today. Almost every 1920s machine needs its platen and feed rollers re-covered before regular use, so budget about $150–250 on top of the purchase. Big desk machines are cheap to buy (an Underwood No. 5 asked about $150–260 delivered on eBay in late 2026) but heavy to ship, so local pickup is often the better deal.