Underwood 4 Bank Portable (1930)

Underwood 4 Bank Portable 1930
 
First year of production:  1926
 
Company:  Underwood Typewriter Company, Bridgeport, Conn. U.S.A
 
When, at the end of 1920, Remington unveiled its portable machine, with a full sized four-bank keyboard and only a single, very light shift, Underwood was forced to respond and its designers produced a 4-bank version launched in 1926.
 
The 3-bank machine continued in production until 1929, and its 4-bank successor became one of the most successful portable typewriters, selling more than 1,250,000 machines between 1926 and 1947 when production ceased, putting it alongside the Corona 3 as one of the all-time best-sellers.  
 
The 4-bank machine was just a trifle bigger than its predecessor with case dimensions of 12 inches by 12-1/8 inches by 5-1/2 inches high, but the weight was up significantly to 13-1/2 Lbs (including case) making it twice as heavy as the Corona 3. However, this no longer mattered because the main competition now was the Remington Portable.  The design details of the 4-Bank machine changed slightly over its lifetime, so there are recognisably ‘early’ and ‘later’ versions.
 
These are the main points of difference.  The ‘early’ 4-bank has a number of points of similarity with its 3-Bank predecessor. The ribbon spools are open, not covered, and held on by keeper screws. Later machines have spool covers with the Underwood logo cut out. The case and baseboard of early machines is identical to the case of the 3-Bank machine; later the case changes. The shift lock is not a glass-topped key but a nickel plated lever.  Early machines have a ribbon reversal lever at the top right of the front plate (exactly like that of the Royal Portable), but on later machines, the ribbon reversal mechanism becomes a cylindrical knurled knob at the bottom of the right hand side, similar to the Remington Portable.  Most obvious of all; early machines have "Underwood Standard Four Bank Keyboard" in gilt on the paper table. Later machines just say "Underwood". Early machines also have a list of patents on the back plate, like the 3-bank machine, while later machine simply carry the Underwood logo. Around 1939, Underwood produced a simplified, lower-cost model with no frills.  
 
We also have a second 4 Bank Portable dated 1927.