Hermes Baby (Rocket) 1958

This is an extraordinarily fine and beautiful HERMES BABY Typewriter with DeLuxe case. Hermes is one of the most renowned brands and models of typewriter ever made, and this is an exceptional example of the "Baby" model, also known as the "Rocket", from 1958. It has a lovely faux leather case in wonderful condition including the original key. This typewriter is in excellent condition, mechanically and cosmetically, and has been thoroughly cleaned, serviced, adjusted and aligned.  This Hermes baby comes with its original User Manual (in Dutch) and official guarantee from the Paillard Factory in Switzerland. It is a typing machine that is ready to work for another 60 years of typing service. And with its brilliant Hermes engineering, it does that with elegance, smoothness and solidity.

We are offering this extraordinary typewriter with a full mechanical guarantee for six months and no extra charge for shipping with insurance.

This is one of the finest Hermes baby typewriters that I have ever come across. It comes from the Typewriter Collection of Jake Mulhane, who has been called the "Last of the Cowboy Explorers". His typewriter collection encompasses the great European, post-war typewriter manufacturers and specializes in the 1950s and 1960s. We will be offering more from the Mulhane Collection in the near future.

Overall, this typewriter is in superb, original condition. The chrome parts are in superb condition with no signs of corrosion. The keys are clean and unmarked by use. Both platen roller knobs are solid and clean, free of discolouration or other damage. The wonderful, "crinkle" body finish has almost no signs of age or wear.

Mechanically, it is in perfectly excellent working condition. The platen-roller is original Hermes and the quality of the rubber is remarkable. It has a perfectly fine durometer reading of 94 (Ideal being considered ~82 to 95) and the paper feeder rollers are like new. (Note: A newly renovated platen roller can be ordered by the buyer after purchase, at a cost of 90$, but I don't think it is necessary for regular typing use. However, it would make this typewriter a better "investment" for the long term. The rubber on the platen rollers on Babys is rather thin and has a tendency to become very dry and hard over the decades, so a newly renovated platen would assure that this Hermes retains its full investment value far into the future.)
It has been fitted with a vintage Hermes ribbon on two vintage metal ribbon spools, one is original to the machine and is Hermes-branded.  All mechanical functions have been checked and adjusted as necessary, and work as originally manufactured. Everything on this typewriter is original to its manufacture and purchase.

The keyboard is a QWERTY keyboard (English language) and includes the $ sign and accent keys for foreign languages among other symbols. This typewriter has the very elegant typeface of Hermes Elite (12 cpi).

The lovely "leather" case is in fantastic condition both inside and out. There is a silk lining and genuine leather is used on the points wear the lining might wear from rubbing. The colour is uniform and unfaded. The brass pieces are clean and shiny shiny and the handle is clean and intact. The interior is in perfect condition including the paper flap. The feet are in good condition but are a little harder than I would like. Therefore, I have included a set of removable, adhesive rubber covers for the feet that the new owner can use if desired.

Based on the serial number (5621486) this machine was manufactured in 1958. This is the perfect portable machine, weighing only ~3.6kg/8 lbs!

For peace of mind in your purchase, please see my buyer reviews.

This absolutely exceptional example of a mid-century HERMES BABY will be packed and shipped with the greatest care to preserve its condition and beauty. It will be shipped fully insured. Check our reviews to see how our clients react to the care we take in our packing and customer service.

This typewriter, like all of our typewriters, has gone through the following inspections, among others, and adjustments have been made as required:
1. Carriage movement
2. Platen condition
3. testing of platen locks, free head and paper release
4. Condition and pressure of front and rear feed rollers
5. Line space mechanism
6, Position and action of paper shield and paper bail functions
7. Testing of paper guides
8. Placement and clearance of line gauge
9. Proper functioning of carriage release levers
10. Movement and play of shift mechanism
11. Correct action of shift keys
12. Testing of cylinder and anvil positions
13. Spring drum tension
14. Ribbon feed and reverse, and ribbon position
15. Typebar and type guide position and action
16. Margin release, line lock and bell mechanisms
17. Space bar trip, key lever spring tensions and level of keyboard
18. Key card correspondence with characters
Among other inspections and adjustments...

Don't hesitate to contact me for more photos or any other explanation of anything.

ACME TYPE MACHINE COMPANY
Acme Type Machines is dedicated to the conservation and restoration of fine vintage typewriters from the era of fine, modern typewriter design and manufacture: the 1930s through the early 1970s. We have a carefully earned reputation for fine machines, excellent conservation and restoration, attentive customer service and good after-sale care and advice.

Our gallery of typewriters has clients in the United States and Canada, Australia and China, Morocco and Brunei, Finland and Japan and may places in-between. Our clients include many important collectors of typewriters, screenwriters and novelists, European and American interior designers, film art and production design departments and the casual--but discriminating--individual.

The aesthetic that drives us at Acme Type Machines is that of the museum conservator: to preserve our "typewriter" cultural heritage in a way that retains the integrity of the original object, restoring its mechanical components to their original utility, conserving the original cosmetic condition, and taking account of any historical aspects of its use or ownership.

All of our typewriters, except in some very exceptional circumstances (carefully noted in the description), are ready to use in the same manner as when they were originally manufactured and purchased. Some of our clients are screenwriters and novelists, using our typewriters on a daily basis. Some are collectors, rarely using the machines to type, who appreciate the meticulousness with which our typewriters are conserved.

Typewriters from Acme Type Machines are not inexpensive. The number of mechanical tests and adjustments, the attention to the cleaning process, small repairs etc., require hours of time and careful and professional work.
We find our typewriter treasures throughout Europe and the process of acquiring these fine machines can require long and delicate negotiations. Protected shipment and transportation to our gallery and workroom adds expense, as well.

After a typewriter is sold to a client, it undergoes a final testing, cleaning and inspection. The typewriter is then carefully prepared with protection on the platen-knobs, between the ribbon-cover and the body, and on the carriage return lever and other vulnerable parts. The escapement is protected by immobilising the carriage. The typewriter and case are wrapped in a layer of protective, strong bubble-wrap which is then placed in a carton box of double thick cardboard (carton). Shipment is made with padding--on six sides--of foam-rubber and fitted styrofoam.

Our goal is to provide a wonderful, working, vintage typewriter--usable, beautiful and aesthetically interesting--to your home or office, film studio or art department.