As its 1924 name might suggest, the International Business Machine Company made many type of machines for businesses ranging from grocery store scales to typewriters. They did not begin making computers until the early 1950s, when they started making mainframes. They introduced the smaller desk sized IBM 5110 and 5120 (both of which are in our collection) in the late 1970s.

The IBM typewriter in our collection is made from metal. Grey in color, 17" wide, at the widest point, 10" tall including the carriage on the top, and 17" deep including the keyboard which is 4 1/2" high, and 5" in depth. There are protuberances on each side near the carriage adding 2", each side, to the width. These are included in the width measurement. The typewriter also included a cloth cover, stamped IBM, to keep the dust out.

US patents listed on the typewriter 2,120,360, 2,157,093, 2,056,444, 2,517,989, 2,315,693, 2,353,095.