SORRY, SOLD! 1960 Dutch Military Remington Senior-Riter, Model 18, Typewriter
What we have here is a Dutch military-issue typewriter previously used and later owned by a Brigadier General attached to NATO headquarters in its early years. This is a wonderful example of a mid-century Remington (Torpedo), Model 18 typewriter: the famous-but-rare Senior-Riter. It is a solid work-horse, has a lovely typing feel and is in exceptionally nice condition mechanically and cosmetically.
The typing action is wonderfully fast and solid. This machine really hums. And it is a "thing of beauty" with its military green colour combined with the lovely teal-blue keys. The label on the front, partially degraded, gives it a historical feel, as well. The original label on the typewriter front said: "Konink. Landmacht Waarde f390" which means "Royal Army, Value: 399 guilders". This was a VERY expensive typewriter when new. The purchasing power of 399 guilders in 1960 was the same as around 1,250$ today! This is a quality machine.
The Senior-Riter is a relatively uncommon model of the Torpedo Model 18. Many Senior-Riters, finished in military-green colour were used by the Royal Netherlands Military Forces and show up from time to time for sale. The Senior-Riter in market-oriented colours (so far they are only known in silver-gray and a blue-gray colour) seems to have only been marketed in the Netherlands. Although this assumption is open to more research. The Torpedo factory, in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, was a subsidiary of Remington for some years. While most Torpedo’s were branded Torpedo some, branded as Blue Bird or Bluebird were destined for Great Britain and some, branded as Remington, were sold through Remington sales channels. At the time it was apparently still cheaper to avoid long shipping distances, so Torpedo made some models of Remingtons for European markets.
It comes with the original case in fine, solid condition although with signs of wear and use.
Acme typewriters have been the choice of discerning collectors and writers more than 1,000 times since we began selling online in 2016. We safely ship your typewriter from our store in the Netherlands and delivery time to the US averages only 3 days—this is a quicker delivery time even than most shipments from-and-to a US address! In the last 7 years, our typewriters arrived damage-free 99.4% of the time. So please don’t be concerned about buying from us just because we seem far away. Acme typewriters are covered by a 1-year warranty, and come with lifetime customer-care.
With an ACME Typewriter, you know you are getting a fully-working--as original--typewriter. The only thing that you have to do is sit down, put paper on the roller and start typing. Your typewriter comes with the "Acme" lead certification seal which permanently identifies it as a genuine Acme-restored typewriter and provides for a one-year warranty at no charge. In terms of an investment, the Acme Seal proves that this machine was restored in 2023 by the Acme Type Machine Company. This can add value in the event that you wish to sell this typewriter in the future.
More photos, and in better resolution, can be seen on our official website: www.acmetypemachines.com. And, as an international company, our website (as compared to Etsy) does not require the collection of State taxes.
This typewriter has been fully serviced, aligned, adjusted and cleaned, inside and out. The rubber on the platen is in top condition measuring ~89 on the hardness scale which is within the ideal range (85-95). The Feeder rollers are, interestingly, of cork. The original rubber feet are in excellent, soft condition--this is contrary to what is typically found on Model 18's where the feet are normally as hard as a rock. The chrome is in excellent condition. The typeface is Elite (11 cpi). The keyboard is English standard with QWERTY. This typewriter comes with an original metal ribbon spool and a new ribbon so that you can start typing immediately.
For some interesting perspectives on the Remington/Torpedo and the Torpedo Model 18, please see:
https://writelephant.com/2013/11/14/the-remington-torpedo/
https://typewriterreview.com/2015/02/19/torpedo-18/This fine example of a Remington Senior-Riter, Model 18, will be packed and shipped with the greatest care to preserve its condition and beauty. It will be fully insured during shipment. We have a lot of experience in shipping typewriters and have an excellent track record for proper packing and safe delivery. We only charge the exact cost of shipping (or often less!
If you have any questions or wish to see more photos, please don't hesitate to contact us.