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Typewriter
Identifier:
145192Description:
An early model Fox Typewriter, manufactured in Grand Rapids.Date:
circa 1900Materials:
Cast Iron, Steel, RubberCurrent Location Status:
In StorageCollection Tier:
Tier 2Source:
Gift Of Simon PuntExhibit/Program:
Artifact GR (2012 – 2013)Artifact GR was a project which invited members of the community into the archives of the Grand Rapids Public Museum, and asked them to write about their experiences. The resulting submissions were cataloged in an interactive website (www.artifactgr.org) and in a published book (http://www.blurb.com/b/4400444-the-artifact-projectsoftcover).
Related Entities:
Mr. Simon Punt (donor) Fox Typewriter Company (creator)Alternate names: Fox Machine Company, H.B. Smith Machine Company
William R. Fox started the Fox Machine Company in Grand Rapids in 1885 to make machinery used in the furniture industry. Fox was very mechanically inclined, and in 1898 he cooperated with Glenn Barrett to invent the Fox Typewriter. Sales of this machine propelled the company to international status, and the Grand Rapids-made typewriter was sold to all over the world. World War I was a blow to lucrative foreign sales, but the company was ready to move forward with the Fox Portable Typewriter which they released in 1917. However, this innovative model would prove to be their downfall, as rival typewriter manufacturer Corona, sued Fox for patent infringement and won. As a direct result of this legal battle, Fox was forced into bankruptcy in 1921.
