Date: Fri 09-Jul-1999

Publication: Ant

Author: CAROLL

Quick Words:

typewriter-Germany

Full Text:

Auction Team Breker: Old Typewriter Sold for $57,538

(with 8 cuts)

COLOGNE, GERMANY -- The world's first produced typewriter, the so-called

"Writing Ball," by Danish inventor Rasmus Malling-Hansen, Copenhagen, 1867,

offered at Auction Team Breker's Specialty June 5 sale, set a world record

auction price of $57,538, according to the gallery.

This piece of communication technology history was sought after by technical

museums and major private collectors from all over the world, but found a new

home in a specialized Italian State museum. Only three more examples of the

typewriter are known to be in private hands.

Another highlight was Germany's decorative first typewriter, the "Hammonia,"

1882, which went for $19,179 to a private Spanish collection.

The legendary cipher machine of WWII, the "Enigma M-4," was offered as the

marine model and went to an ambitious American collector for $20,460. To the

same collector went the even rarer so-called "Enigma clock," which was

introduced in 1943 to change arbitrarily the incredible 22 billion cipher

codes of the "Enigma" every hour. The clock sold for $12,147.

Also offered were telephones, telegraphs, pencil sharpeners and fountain pens.

The prices for calculating machines and typewriters especially skyrocketed.

All six models of the "Curta" calculator were offered, and ranged from $575 to

$770. The "Twin-Odhner Mod. 35," 1937, sold for $2,109, and the "Addo Mod. 1,"

1920, went for the same amount.

Standard typewriters included the German 1919 "Omega" which reached $1,278. A

sum of $1,662 paid for an ordinary "Lambert," 1896. The "Pittsburgh Visible

No. 10," 1902, brought $1,662. A bid of $1,790 purchased an American "Bar-Lock

No. 6," 1894, and $5,753 was realized for the index typewriter "Liliput,"

while Sweden's first typewriter, "Sampo," made $7,670.

The second section of the auction offered a collection of rare flatirons

featuring some early French irons which were sold at top prices. The world's

oldest existing Gothic-style flatiron, dating from 1480-1520, brought $11,506.

An early American boneshaker bicycle from 1871 went for $7,670. A Marilyn

Monroe poster calendar from 1954/55 sold for $3,644.

Unusual vending and gambling machines included the Bajazzo, 1904, which sold

for $2,877; and a rare collection of fairground target figures from the turn

of the century were sold to Saudi-Arabia for a high $5,434.

A selection of rare radio and TV sets were offered. Germany's first transistor

radio, TR-1 by Telefunken, sold for $3,200. A microphone by Reisz, 1922, sold

for $1,215. Early TV sets included an HMV mod. 900 Mirror TV, 1937, which sold

for $2,046.

The afternoon session offered tin toys, model trains, dolls and teddy bears.

A Chrysler Imperial Le-Baron tin toy car by ATC Asahi, Japan, 1962, sold to a

major American collection at $20,455. Another tin toy car, the Hispano-Suiza

Alfonso XIII, 1912, probably by Pinard, Paris, found a new home in a private

southern European collection for $14,063.

A restored large steamboat by French manufacturer Radiguet made $12,786, and a

very early tin toy alcohol steam train by E.P. Ernst Plank, Nurnberg, 1885,

went for $3,708 to an American collector who traveled to Europe especially for

the auction.

For information, 941/925-0385.