American 2
American Visible 1
Automatic
Bar-Lock 4
Bennett
Blickensderfer 5
Blickensderfer 6
Caligraph 2
Chicago - decorated
Columbia 1
Columbia 2
Commercial Visible 6
Crandall, New Model
Daugherty
Edelmann
Edland
Empire 1
Ford
Franklin
Granville Automatic
Hall 1
Hall Braille-Writer
Hammond 1 - Mahogany
Hammond 1 - Oak
Hammond 1b
Hammonia
Hartford 2
Ideal
Jewett 1
Jewett 4
Keystone 1
Kleidograph - for the blind
Lambert 1
McLoughlin Brothers
Merritt
Mignon 2
Morris
Munson 1
National - 1889
New American 5
Norths
Odell 1
Odell 2
Oliver 2
Peoples
Postal 3
Remington 2
Rem-Sho no. 4
Shimer
Simplex 1
Smith Premier 1
Standard Folding 1
Stenograph 1 - first form
Stenograph 1 - third form
Sun index
Sun Standard 2
Underwood 1
Victor index
Williams 1 - curved keyboard
World 1
Yost 1

McLoughlin Brothers

McLoughlin Bros. Inc, New York
1884 - no serial number, patent applied for

Little information is known about the McLoughlin Brothers Typewriter. It appeared on the market in 1884 for $10 and was intended for both children and adults. Therefore the McLoughlin Brothers typewriter has the distinction of being the first typewriter marketed for children; however, it is built solidly from cast iron and machined parts making it a contemporary to the few other adult index typewriters that had appeared by this early date for manufactured typewriters. Over the next fifteen years, many different index typewriters for adults would come to market, along with many sheet metel, lesser quality, children’s index typewriters.

To type, the handle is rotated to select a character. Then the handle is depressed, causing the whole spring loaded carriage assembly to sink down, bringing the type-wheel (shown below) into contact with the paper. Inking is accomplished with two felt rollers.

Here is a colorful description to use the McLoughlin Brothers Typewriter from its manual. 'The method of printing is so simple that a child can operate it with-out instruction, as the movement is similar to the hand organ, as you simply turn the crank and grind out the words by the yard if necessary.'

The McLoughlin Bros. Inc. began business in 1828 and were a New York publishing firm that pioneered the systematic use of color printing technologies in children’s books, particularly between 1858 and 1920. By 1886 the firm published a wide range of items including cheap chapbooks (pocket size books), large folio picture books, linen books, puzzles, games and paper dolls. In 1920, McLoughlin Bros. ceased game production when this division was sold to Milton Bradley but continued to publish picture books and a successful line of mechanical paper dolls called ‘Jolly Jump-Ups’ until 1951.

The McLoughlin Brothers are considered the foremost American children's book and game makers of the late 19th century. However their little typewriter likely did not sell very well, as there are few surviving examples today.

The informative full page advertisement (first shown below) is from the McLoughlin Brothers' 1886 general catalogue. The richly illustrated cover and illustration of the McLoughlin Brothers' factory are also from this catalogue.

‘The McLoughlin Brothers Typewriter’ - An article written for ETCetera, Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors Association.

“Although especially designed for young people, its practical perfection as a machine, its low price, simplicity and thorough reliability in the work it turns out, make it desirable alike to professional men, clergymen, business men, etc.”

"The Type Writer has become a necessity in every office and household, and every man, woman and child needs one either for business or pleasure, as much as the almost universal jack-knife."

"There is a charm in its operation, not unlike that of a favorite game."