The Perfected Remington 2 (1878) and 4 (1879) were the first typewriters that Remington made after the famous Sholes and Glidden typewriter (1874) and its successor the Perfected 1 (1878). The Perfected 2 would be the first typewriter to have a shift key (giving upper and lowercase characters) and introduced a smaller diameter platen which would become the standard, while the Perfected 4 maintained the large platen and did not have a shift key, so like its predecessor, only typed in capitals. It also sold for the same price as the Sholes and Glidden at $125. The Perfected 4 is decorated with pin striping, with no markings indicating the model number or manufacturer. Later model 4’s have ‘Remington Standard Typewriter 4’ present on the front of the frame.
The Perfected 4 was used by telegraph operators, ’business houses for billing’ and ‘general correspondence’. This period advertisement states the attributes as follows, ‘A popular machine of the Remington make, and a great favorite with telegraphers and others desiring plain, rapid work.’
The Remington typewriters at this early time were being marketed by Fairbanks, Moorse & Co., famous makers of scales. Seen below is the front page of their typewriter marketing pamphlet and their notice of an award given to the Perfected 4 for ‘Superior Merit’ at the Paris Exposition in 1878.
Like a quality bicycle, the Perfected 4 has brilliantly designed components that are easy to remove and are in the simplest form to do their job. This typewriter is indeed Perfected.
This typewriter originally sold for $125, the same price as the Sholes and Glidden.
“It substitutes the pen or pencil in everything except making useless flourishes.”
“The necessity of the age is now met, and rapid thinkers and quick workers have an unfailing assistant.”as the Sholes and Glidde
