Remington Junior Typewriter (1914–1918)

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Remington Junior Typewriter (1914–1918)

The Remington Junior was a semi‑portable typewriter produced by Remington from 1914 until about 1918 (Production ended in 1918 – Mr & Mrs Vintage Typewriters). (It is distinct from a later Remington Junior model of the 1930s, which was a different 4‑bank portable.) This early Remington Junior was marketed as a lighter, simpler alternative to Remington’s standard office machines (The Jeffersonian, January 21, 1915 – Georgia Historic Newspapers). It carried the renowned Remington brand and guarantee, but in a scaled‑down form intended for home or small‑office use.

Design and Features

[File:https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4WoPRfQWODZJbEaMNxDzRiBxvEylvjFEK2ZT_gWIblrNwy9-Uk8Ch0ScrMG79kHtY5FZPty7hNlihDcjyX0SNWaW-8Wdib4SHrHKQhNSfTwpAqUNUZaICW3MyMCK5O_WaA9KGLWvNZM/s1600/Powerhouse+Mar+28+2014+160.JPG%7CA Remington Junior (circa 1915) showcasing its three‑row “three‑bank” keyboard and open‑frame design. The ribbon spools are mounted at the back, and the machine’s wide, flat top plate earned it a reputation as a sturdy “luggable” typewriter (oz.Typewriter, The Filthy Platen)]

The Remington Junior’s design was defined by its three‑bank keyboard – only three rows of keys (instead of the typical four), which meant that typists used dual shifts to access capital letters and figures (Remington Junior Typewriter, what a treat! – Bremerton Typewriter Company, oz.Typewriter)). In fact, it had two shift keys (for uppercase and for figures), placed on the left side of the keyboard (The Jeffersonian, January 21, 1915 – Georgia Historic Newspapers). A small metal tab acted as a rudimentary shift‑lock for capitals (The Filthy Platen). The keyboard was extremely basic: aside from the letter keys and shifts, it had only a backspace key and a margin release lever (the latter mounted on the carriage) (oz.Typewriter). Notably absent were conveniences like a tabulator or a color ribbon selector – the Junior could only type in one ribbon color unless the ribbon itself was manually swapped (The Filthy Platen). Even the line spacing was limited: the carriage advanced by a fixed two‑line jump (double‑spacing) with no single‑space option built in (Mr & Mrs Vintage Typewriters).

Physically, the Remington Junior was built like a scaled‑down desk typewriter. Its frame was made of heavy cast metal (“a hunk of iron,” as one collector quipped (Remington Junior Typewriter, what a treat! – Bremerton Typewriter Company)). This gave it a wide footprint and excellent stability when typing (The Filthy Platen). This heft meant it was not truly portable in the modern sense – Richard Polt describes it as a *“‘luggable’ typewriter”* rather than a lightweight portable (oz.Typewriter). The machine did come with a carrying case, and inside the case it was secured by hooks and wingnuts on each side (Remington Junior Typewriter, what a treat! – Bremerton Typewriter Company). However, the case was quite large relative to the smallish machine, underlining that the Junior was only portable by the standards of the day (Remington Junior Typewriter, what a treat! – Bremerton Typewriter Company). The case was often lined in fabric (sometimes a purple hue) and featured sturdy latches for transport (Remington Junior Typewriter, what a treat! – Bremerton Typewriter Company).

One distinctive engineering feature was the Remington Junior’s typebar mechanism and “basket shift.” Unlike many early portables that raised the entire carriage to shift for capitals, the Junior employed a segment shift, moving the typebar basket instead (oz.Typewriter). When the typist pressed the shift keys, the type segment would shift *downward* for capitals and *upward* for figures, tilting the typebars in an arc to strike the platen at the correct position (The Filthy Platen) (The Filthy Platen). This mechanism – essentially a segment‑shift in a double‑shift machine – was quite advanced for its time. It made the shifting action feel smoother and was an innovation that prefigured later Remington designs by about 20 years (The Filthy Platen). (Segment shift had existed in some large typewriters like the L.C. Smith #2, but Remington had not used it in standards yet (oz.Typewriter)). The Junior’s typing action was often praised as crisp and responsive, with the keys giving a sharp, smooth response (The Filthy Platen). Its wide, flat top plate covering the typebars not only added structural rigidity but was jokingly said to be useful as a coffee cup rest by collectors due to its flat expanse (The Filthy Platen).

The Remington Junior’s ribbon and paper handling also reflected its Smith Premier heritage. The twin ribbon spools were mounted side‑by‑side at the *rear* of the machine, in a vertical orientation behind the carriage (oz.Typewriter) – a layout borrowed from the Smith Premier No.10 and the Smith Premier Simplex (a stripped‑down model from 1914) (oz.Typewriter). This rear‑mounted ribbon system was unusual compared to other portables that typically had front‑mounted spools. The Junior’s mainspring (which drives the carriage movement) was mounted perpendicular to the carriage, with a visible winding key at the back of the machine to adjust tension (The Filthy Platen) (oz.Typewriter). Overall, the machine had a utilitarian, almost “industrial” look with its open sides and exposed mechanism in places, lacking some of the polished curves that later portables would have (The Filthy Platen). It was finished in black enamel with gold Remington decals, in line with Remington’s branding of the era (many surviving examples still show the original decals and paint, which collectors strive to preserve (The Filthy Platen)). In summary, the Remington Junior’s design blended elements of full‑size office typewriters and emerging portables – a three‑row keyboard and simplified features housed in a stout, metal frame that could be carried in a case if needed.

Historical Significance

When Remington introduced the Junior in 1914, it entered a market that was hungry for smaller, more affordable typewriters – but the product proved to be a bit of an odd duck in the industry. At the time, the folding Corona 3 portable (launched 1912) was hugely successful, especially among traveling professionals (like journalists during World War I) (oz.Typewriter, oz.Typewriter). Remington, known for its standard office typewriters, wanted a piece of this emerging market for personal and portable machines. The Remington Junior was their first attempt at a downsized machine, “designed for the simpler uses” of manuscript and letter writing rather than heavy office workloads (The Jeffersonian, January 21, 1915 – Georgia Historic Newspapers).

Despite Remington’s optimistic marketing, the Junior’s reception in the market was mixed. On one hand, it did fulfill a need for a lower‑cost, compact typewriter. It was heavily advertised – for example, in 1917 Remington ran sustained ad campaigns in places like Australia to push the Junior (oz.Typewriter). (Ads urged consumers to *“Think it over… Make up your mind…”* and *“Be good to yourself during 1917”* by purchasing a Remington Junior (oz.Typewriter)). Remington even offered easy payment plans – one 1915 offer allowed purchase with “$5 down and $5 a month,” underscoring their strategy to broaden the customer base (The Jeffersonian, January 21, 1915 – Georgia Historic Newspapers).

However, in practice the Remington Junior turned out to be a commercial disappointment. As one historian bluntly put it, *“it didn’t do all that well and is considered a bit of a commercial fizzer”* in retrospect (The Filthy Platen). Several factors contributed to its limited success. The Junior, while smaller than a standard typewriter, was still not very portable by the standards set by its rival Corona 3 (The Filthy Platen). Weighing in as a hefty “luggable,” it wasn’t ideal for war correspondents or traveling salesmen – any journalist *“would have struggled to even get it ashore, let alone use it”* in the field, as one commentary on WWI usage noted (oz.Typewriter). Moreover, its three‑bank keyboard was becoming a liability by the end of the 1910s. Touch‑typists preferred full four‑row keyboards, and as the industry evolved, three‑bank machines (which require more shifting) fell out of favor. Remington Junior owners might have found it adequate for basic typing, but anyone wanting speed and convenience eventually upgraded to more modern designs.

Production of the Remington Junior appears to have been modest in scale. It was manufactured from spring 1914 until about 1918 (some sources say 1919) (The Filthy Platen), with an estimated total output of only around 10,000 units (The Filthy Platen). (For comparison, Corona was selling many times that number of portables.) Richard Polt notes that many Juniors likely ended up scrapped over the decades, as their obsolete three‑bank keyboards rendered them less useful once four‑bank portables became common (The Filthy Platen). This relative scarcity makes surviving Remington Juniors quite rare today. By 1919, Remington was gearing up to introduce a truly successful portable – the Remington Portable #1 (a four‑bank machine launched in 1920) – which would capture the market that the Junior had targeted.

It’s also significant that the Remington Junior’s production and aftermath were tied up with corporate maneuvers in the typewriter industry. The machine was actually built not in Remington’s main Ilion factory, but in the Smith Premier factory in Syracuse, NY (The Filthy Platen, oz.Typewriter). This was a result of Remington’s earlier mergers: Remington had been part of the Union Typewriter Trust (along with Smith Premier) in the early 1900s. Even after the trust dissolved in 1913, Remington retained control of Smith Premier’s operations (oz.Typewriter). The Junior shares many design traits with Smith Premier models (the rear ribbon spools, etc.), indicating that Remington essentially leveraged Smith Premier’s technology for this “low‑price” offering (oz.Typewriter). In the final phase of the Junior’s life, Remington even outsourced production: American Writing Machine Company (AWMC) – a firm Remington had influence over – took over manufacturing a variant of the Junior around 1919 (The Filthy Platen, oz.Typewriter)). AWMC marketed a slightly refined version called the “Century 10” typewriter (circa 1919–1921) which was essentially the Junior with a few updates (for example, a front‑mounted ribbon spool system and a less utilitarian styling) (The Filthy Platen). But before this derivative could gain any real foothold, Remington’s new four‑bank portable came out and made the old Junior design feel antiquated (The Filthy Platen). By the early 1920s, the Remington Junior had faded into obscurity, known only as a short‑lived experiment on Remington’s part to offer a budget typewriter during the 1910s. Today, its historical importance lies in being a transitionary model – bridging Remington’s heavy office machines and the true portables of the 1920s, and introducing features (like segment shift) that were ahead of their time even if the machine itself wasn’t a big success.

Pricing and Availability

Original Price (1910s): The Remington Junior was aggressively priced for its era. Advertisements in 1915 listed the Junior at $50–$60 – a bargain next to the ~$100 price tag of a standard Remington No.10 of the time (The Jeffersonian, January 21, 1915 – Georgia Historic Newspapers). One Remington ad noted, *“The price of the Remington Junior is $50… absolutely the first high‑grade typewriter at a medium price”*, and offered it on installment plans (The Survey October 1916‑March 1917). In fact, Remington’s 1915 offer allowed buyers to put $5 down and $5 per month until paid – an early example of installment financing for a typewriter (The Jeffersonian, January 21, 1915 – Georgia Historic Newspapers).

Modern Value and Collectability: Today, the 1914–18 Remington Junior is a sought‑after collectible for typewriter enthusiasts, though its value depends on condition. Because relatively few were made and even fewer survived intact, it’s not a typewriter you’ll stumble upon every day (The Filthy Platen, The Filthy Platen). Collectors appreciate it for its historical quirkiness and mechanical significance (being Remington’s only three‑bank model and an early segment‑shift machine). On the market, Remington Juniors turn up occasionally on auction sites and antique dealers. For instance, fully restored examples have been sold by specialist shops and online marketplaces. Prices in the current market typically range from a couple of hundred dollars up to several hundred, depending on condition and completeness. A worn but working unit might sell for around $200, while a well‑preserved example with the original case can fetch higher sums. Recent listings illustrate this range: one vintage Remington Junior in only “3‑star” cosmetic condition was offered at about $187 (on sale from $250) (Remington Junior – Etsy), whereas a mint‑condition Junior was listed at $646 (marked down from nearly $1,000) (Remington Junior – Etsy). Most fall somewhere in between – for example, $180–$300 is a common range for units in decent, working shape (Remington Junior – Etsy). These figures show that while the Remington Junior is rarer than mass‑produced later portables, its collector value is moderated by the fact that it’s not the most practical machine to use (with its odd keyboard and double‑spacing).

Enthusiasts and historians can occasionally find the Remington Junior through online auctions (e.g. eBay), where it may appear in the antique typewriter category. Sometimes they are mislabeled or confused with the 1930s Remington Junior (so collectors have to confirm the serial number and 3‑bank design). Etsy and other vintage marketplaces also have had Remington Juniors listed, often by sellers who refurbish typewriters. Specialty typewriter dealers and shops (both online and brick‑and‑mortar) might have one in stock from time to time – these dealers often provide restoration, which adds to the price. As of today, owning a Remington Junior is mostly of interest to collectors who appreciate its historical novelty. If found in attic condition (needing repair), it might not command a high price at all – one lucky collector reported thrift‑store finds or local sales under $100 – but a fully functional, clean Remington Junior will usually command a premium because of its scarcity. For those interested, checking antique shops, estate sales, or typing enthusiast forums can sometimes turn one up. Museums and public collections also hold a few Juniors; for example, the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney has one in its collection and it has been displayed in exhibitions of early typewriters (Below, the Powerhouse Museum’s Remington Junior).

Inventors and Patent Information

The Remington Junior’s development is attributed to a few key individuals and reflects a collaborative design effort. According to typewriter historians, the machine was designed by Arthur W. Smith and John H. Barr, with conceptual contributions from Frank Sholes (Production ended in 1918 – Mr & Mrs Vintage Typewriters). Smith and Barr were engineers with experience in the typewriter industry (Smith had worked on other compact typewriter designs, and John H. Barr was a prolific inventor at the Smith Premier factory). The mention of *“ideas of Frank Sholes”* (Production ended in 1918 – Mr & Mrs Vintage Typewriters) likely refers to Francis or Frank Sholes, a relation of Christopher Latham Sholes (the pioneer of the typewriter) – indicating that some of Sholes’ earlier innovations or suggestions influenced the Junior’s design. Indeed, the Junior shares DNA with the Smith Premier Simplex (1914) and other designs circulating in the 1910s (oz.Typewriter), so it’s clear Remington drew on a pool of design knowledge from across its associated companies.

In terms of patents, the Remington Junior’s mechanism was documented in several patent filings during the mid‑1910s. A notable patent was filed on **December 24, 1915** (during the Junior’s production run) by Remington engineer **Arthur J. Briggs**, and granted on **Feb 13, 1917 as U.S. Patent 1,215,612** (Patented Feb. 13, 1917 – A. J. Briggs, Type Writing Machine). In the patent text, Briggs actually credits **John H. Barr** for the case‑shift mechanism, noting that the shifting system illustrated was *“not of my invention but is the invention of John H. Barr, whose application was filed…”* around that time (Patented Feb. 13, 1917 – A. J. Briggs). This indicates that Barr had separately patented the innovative segment shift mechanism used in the Junior. (Barr’s own related patent was likely issued later – one patent record from July 10, 1917, U.S. #1,232,755, is attributed to John H. Barr for a “type writing and computing machine,” which might encompass the Junior’s features or an adding mechanism variant (Rechnerlexikon)). The collaboration between Briggs, Barr, and Smith is a fascinating aspect: it suggests that multiple engineers worked together to create the Remington Junior, pooling ideas and even overlapping patents for different parts of the machine. Frank Sholes’ contributions were probably more informal (ideas rather than formal patents), but his involvement is acknowledged in historical sources (Production ended in 1918 – Mr & Mrs Vintage Typewriters), hinting that Remington incorporated some design principles that traced back to the Sholes lineage of typewriter development.

From a corporate standpoint, these inventors were working under the umbrella of Remington and its affiliates. **John H. Barr** was a key figure at Smith Premier in Syracuse (which built the Junior for Remington) – he had earlier patents assigned to Smith Premier, such as an early 1900s patent for a typewriter mechanism (US835233A – Type‑writing machine). **Arthur W. Smith** was likely associated with Remington’s design team (possibly also in Syracuse), and he later had a hand in designing the successful Remington Portable in 1920 (On This Day in Typewriter History (CXIII) – oz.Typewriter). The blending of the Smith Premier and Remington design efforts is evident: one source remarks that the Junior *“shares many traits with the full‑keyboard Smith‑Premier No. 10, and especially the Smith Premier Simplex… Most notable of these is the placement of the ribbon spools behind the carriage… The spring drum is also oddly positioned… A single set of shift keys, a rudimentary shift lock tab, and backspace are the only keyboard controls”* (oz.Typewriter, oz.Typewriter)).

Remington’s corporate role in the Junior’s invention was significant in that the company orchestrated the project and leveraged its subsidiaries’ talents. The Union Typewriter Company trust (which included Remington and Smith Premier) had centralized a lot of expertise. Even after the trust ended, Remington effectively utilized the Syracuse factory’s engineering bench to produce the Junior (oz.Typewriter). When the Junior struggled in the market, Remington handed off the design to the American Writing Machine Co. (which Remington controlled) – a move that suggests Remington was trying to let a secondary brand (AWMC’s “Century 10”) carry the product, possibly to avoid diluting Remington’s main brand with a slow‑selling model (oz.Typewriter). This also freed Remington to focus on their next design. Thus, the Junior sits at an interesting intersection of invention and corporate strategy: it was a Remington in name, built by Smith Premier people, and briefly rebranded by AWMC – a true product of the early typewriter industry consolidation.

In summary, the Remington Junior’s creation was a team effort. Inventors like Smith, Barr, and Briggs brought together ideas (some patented, some simply practical know‑how) to build a machine that was quite innovative even if commercially short‑lived. The patents from 1915–1917 surrounding the Junior detail its inner workings and stand as documentation of Remington’s attempt to break new ground. And while the Remington Junior did not revolutionize the market, it did foreshadow technological shifts (like segment shifting and more affordable typing machines) that would become standard in the following decade. It remains a noteworthy chapter in the evolution of typewriters, backed by the ingenuity of its inventors and the ambitions of the Remington Typewriter Company.

Sources

 (also Image – Bremerton Typewriter Co.)

 (also The Filthy Platen – Mechanical details)

 (also Richard Polt commentary)

 (also Alternate link)
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