Imperial · c. 1957–1960
Typical used$150–$180
The Good Companion was Imperial's portable line, made in England from 1932 until the 1960s, ending with the Model 7 of 1962. Imperial's portables came from its Hull factory, opened in 1954, while Leicester concentrated on the office standards. Model numbers matter more than usual here: according to oz.Typewriter, the first Good Companion and Models T, 4 and 6 shift the carriage for capitals, while Models 3, 5 and 7 are segment-shifted with a different mechanism. The Model 5 combines that segment shift with the lower, sleeker body introduced on the Model 4, and the Typewriter Database records Model 5s from about 1957 to 1960. It is common in Britain and scarce in the US: in late 2026 only two clearly identified Model 5s were on eBay, about $150–180 delivered, both shipping from the UK.
Buying guide
From Sep 25, 2026 listings
Only two listings are clearly a Good Companion 5, at about $150–180 delivered, and both ship from abroad with about $107 of that in shipping. The search also turns up a Model 4, a Model 6, two Good Companions with no model number (one at about $714) and two old magazine ads; none are counted. The Good Companion 5 is common in Britain and scarce in the US, so a UK seller is the usual route. Neither title says tested, and long-haul shipping is the main risk. Check that the case latches work, since they often need replacing.
About $150 delivered, Buy It Now, from a 100% seller, and about $107 of that is shipping. Ask for a typed sample, since the title doesn't say tested, and ask how it will be packed for the long trip, with the carriage locked.
Vintage Imperial Good Companion 5 Portable Typewriter - Royal Warrant
A steel Good Companion 5 with its metal case for about $180 delivered, Buy It Now, from a 100% seller, only $30 more than the cheapest. The metal case protects it better in transit; ask whether the latches close and for a typed sample.
Vintage Imperial Good Companion 5 Portable Steel Typewriter & Metal Ca
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
2 of 2 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.
UsedVintage Imperial Good Companion 5 Portable Typewriter - Royal Warrant
$43.60 + $106.78 shipping
Buy It Now$43.60
Good buy
Royal Warrant badge, about $150 delivered, but about $107 of that is shipping.
Seller: adthrea0
100% positive from 293 ratings
UsedVintage Imperial Good Companion 5 Portable Steel Typewriter & Metal Ca
$72.70 + $107.79 shipping
Buy It Now$72.70
Good buy
With the metal case, about $180 delivered; about $108 of that is shipping.
Seller: shopontime
100% positive from 2.9K ratings
Prices and availability change daily. The full, current search on eBay shows every matching listing, including new ones since Sep 25, 2026.
See all current listings on eBay →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-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 / 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 — 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 / 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.
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)
Search on AmazonType slug cleaner brush
Search on AmazonPlaten rejuvenation fluid
Search on AmazonLight machine oil (segment + rails)
Search on AmazonReplacement rubber feet
Search on AmazonCheck the case latches, which often need replacing. Confirm the model number on the machine, since Model 4 and 6 listings turn up in the same search and shift differently. UK machines often have a pound sign and British layout. Check the platen, the carriage return and line spacing. Expect most of the delivered price to be transatlantic shipping.
Shift-type split per oz.Typewriter's Imperial portables history. 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.