The Adler Universal was Adler's postwar office standard, built in Frankfurt, West Germany, from the late 1950s; the Universal 39 is the 1960s version documented on the Typewriter Database. It is best known as Jack Torrance's typewriter in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, which has made it a cult object. As an office machine it is heavy, solid and full-featured, with decimal tabulation on many examples. Most were sold in Europe with German QWERTZ keyboards, so a US-layout machine is uncommon. The Universal 39 is scarce on US eBay: in late 2026 no listing clearly identified as one, and the closest was an Adler Universal Standard at $115 plus about $224 shipping. A saved search or a European seller willing to ship is the realistic route.
Specifications
Brand
Adler (Triumph-Adler)
Type
Standard (desk)
Era
1960s
Years produced
1960s
Country of manufacture
West Germany
Carriage width
Office-standard carriage
Pitch options
Pica, Elite
Ribbon spool
Group 1 universal
Typical asking price (eBay, Sep 25, 2026)
$330 – $340
Buying guide
Which one to buy
From Sep 25, 2026 listings
The Universal 39 is scarce on US eBay, and today no listing clearly identifies as one. The closest is an "Adler Universal Standard" with no model number, cleaned but still a work in progress, at $115 plus about $224 shipping; ask the seller for the model plate before you offer. The only other Adler desk machine listed is a serviced 1977 Universal 200, a later model, at about $510 delivered. Most Universal 39s sell in Europe, so a saved search or a European seller willing to ship is the realistic route.
Listed now
1
For parts
0
Typical ask
$330–$340
Full range
$115–$115
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Sep 25, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ — eBay shows your exact total before you buy.
Snapshot
Live on eBay right now
1 of 1 listed
Snapshot captured — listings may have ended
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Sep 25, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ — eBay shows your exact total before you buy.
Serviced
Vintage Adler Universal Standard Typewriter Cleaned, WIP
$339.39est. delivered
$115.00 + $224.39 shipping
Buy It Now$115.00
Offers accepted+
This seller takes offers, and sellers often accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Possibly a Universal 39, but the title gives no model number. Cleaned, work in progress, and about $224 to ship.
Manual typewriters here are 50–80 years old; the same condition badge means different things at that age than on a 2-year-old electronic. Use this as a translation key when you read listings.
New
New / new-old-stock
Vanishingly rare on a manual typewriter — most surviving units are 50+ years old. A "new" listing here usually means a late-production unit (e.g. a 1990s Olivetti Lettera 32 still sealed in factory packaging) or a seller misusing the badge. Verify the listing photos show the original packaging and factory ribbon spool; treat the price premium with skepticism unless those check out.
Refurbished
Refurbished / serviced
The body has been through a CLA (clean / lubricate / adjust) by a typewriter specialist — segment re-lubed, platen tested or re-covered, draw band re-tensioned, type slugs cleaned, key linkages freed. Expect a $100–250 premium over an unserviced "used" equivalent; the listing should name the shop (Gramercy, Cambridge, WordsAreWinged, etc.) or include a service receipt. Highest-confidence buy for a writer who wants to type the day it arrives.
Used
Used — tested / working
The realistic ceiling for most listings. Body types, carriage returns, escapement advances, shift works, ribbon advances. Cosmetic wear is normal. Look for "tested with fresh ribbon" (best), "tested — types all letters" (fine), plus a stated return window — anything short of that drifts toward "for parts." Platen rubber often still hardened on a "used — tested" body; budget $150–250 for a re-cover if you plan to type long-form on it.
For parts
For parts / not working
Sold as-is with no functional guarantee. Common project-typewriter failure modes: hardened platen, gummed segment (sticky keys), broken draw band, missing case, broken bell, dirty type slugs. Buy only to harvest components for another body, donate to a tech for spares, or accept the gamble of a $100–300 specialist CLA on top. The cheapest path to a typing body is almost always a "used — tested" listing, not "for parts" plus a service bill.
Accessories on Amazon
The ribbon, brush, platen fluid, and oil a body off eBay almost never ships with. The ribbon link is matched to Group 1 universal — the wrong spool is the easiest way to lose a typewriter purchase on the consumable.
Ribbon — Group 1 universal (most postwar portables)
Richard Polt found the Universal's escapement a bit finicky, and the double-spacing feature can be unreliable, so ask for a typed sample at different positions. Shipping a desk standard across the Atlantic is expensive and risky; demand proper packing with the carriage locked. Check the keyboard layout and the platen, which usually needs re-covering. Confirm the model plate, as later Universal 200 and 400 machines are different designs.
Notes on sources
The Shining connection is widely documented; the original prop's whereabouts are unknown. Production years are approximate spans compiled from collector references (the Typewriter Database, oz.Typewriter, Ted Munk's and Richard Polt's typewriter pages). Individual machines are dated by serial number: look the serial up on the Typewriter Database's serial-number page for this brand rather than trusting a seller's stated year.
Serviced