Antique Ideal A2 Typewriter with Wooden Case. Germany, Circa 1905

This extremely beautiful typewriter is a very antique model made in the early 20th century (circa 1905). It is an Ideal A2 typewriter, a model produced in Dresden (Germany) that has survived to our days in excellent condition. It has been revised, cleaned and fine-tuned so it can be perfectly used to type documents. This typewriters design is quite appealing, with its black-enameled cast-iron body and side panels with the logo molded into them. The wooden base and case are also original and remain in very good condition. Though these typewriters were manufactured in Germany, the Ideal was patented in 1897 by two American designers, E. E. Barney and Frank Tanner. The production was nevertheless assumed by the sewing machine and bicycle factory Seidel & Neumann, located in Dresden. Their first model was the Ideal A, a typewriter that started being produced and commercialized in 1900; the A1 and A2 (the typewriter we can see in these photographs) are the most decorative versions, with side panels that include the brand logo. The printed decals that we can see over the carriage and the keyboard are very well preserved, just like the slim straight blue and golden lines that decorate the typewriters body. The golden paint that embellishes the side logos has been partially removed, but this detail does not take away the beauty of the typewriter, being a consequence of the trace of time and use. The base is made of solid oak wood and connects with the beautiful cover, also made of wood and with a fine wavy shape. The cover preserves the original lock and key and bears the printed brand name, Ideal, and a pretty colorful sticker depicting the original factory and in very good condition. This stunning typewriter is an antique piece with all the charm of the early 20th century designs, in perfect working order.