Remington Standard Typewriter: Mixed Media Collage

The contraption was black, its bottom tray etched with gold lines. Protruding low along the front, nestled in the bottom tray, was a panel of push-buttons, each with a letter of the alphabet on it.

At the top, a slightly curved, wide strip of metal proclaimed “Keep the machine free from dust. Clean all of the top rods—especially the Shifting rod—with a greasy cloth every day.”

Along the front of the tray, were the embossed words “Remington Standard Typewriter No.2.”

“Of all the nerve!” Holmes exclaimed, throwing the letter on the table.

“What’s wrong?”

“This…monstrosity” —here she gestured to the typewriter— “is a ‘gift’ from my brother Mycroft.”

–A Study In Garnet: Ladies of Baker Street Book 1

Remington Standard Typewriter is a shout-out to…well, exactly what it says. The Remington Standard Typewriter No. 2 was one of the first commercially available typewriters in the world. From 1879 on, it revolutionized office work and created new job opportunities–many of which enabled women to enter the workforce for the first time.

This mixed media collage in shades of gold, brown, green, and red, features an illustration of the typewriter itself as well as vintage ads proclaiming its benefits, the cleaning instructions that were printed on the machine, and an article both praising the Standard No. 2 and criticizing it (rightly) because you couldn’t see what you were actually typing until after you removed the paper! The collage is embellished with bronze metallic wax and faux vintage typewriter keys that spell out “writer”.

Original: 6×6 inches (15.24 cm x 15.24 cm) canvas-wrapped board, mixed media collage (acrylic, paper, metal typewriter key embellishments, and metallic wax) sealed in clear acrylic gloss. Includes optional adhesive hook for hanging, or can be framed. (Only 1 available.)

Print: 7×7 inches (15.24 cm x 15.24 cm) suitable for matting or framing (you’ll have to trim the border for a 6×6 frame), please allow up to 3 working days to create print before shipping.