The Collection: Hermes Baby

typecast translation: at the bottom, after the break.

The Collection: Hermes Baby
In the series "The Collection", the typewriters in the hoard of maschinengeschrieben are presented.
In this third part it's the Hermes Baby, version 2.

Delicate and difficult to move. The Hermes baby is a success story as it probably occured only once in the typewriter world. It is not completely clarified who invented it, but it was produced by Paillard in Ste. Croix and Yverdon from 1935 until the 1980s, but from the 1960s on also abroad. The design changed over the years, steadily, but not dramatically, but the functions were not changed significantly.
Sure, how could you store more parts in this small housing? In transport condition, the Hermes Baby is incredible 29x29x7 cm tall and weighs (Version 2a) 3.7 kg. It really is THE perfect machine to travel with. But: I can't recommed the Hermes Baby as "main machine". The buttons are extremely easy, the letters just fly onto the paper. What leads sometimes to overlapping letters (see "de" before "Buchstaben" in the typecast.) In addition, 5211618 got a little stiff trough the years, and the platen doesn't rotate smooth anymore, but must be operated with careful pressure. Still, for travelers is the Hermes Baby, despite its quirks, an ideal companion. typed on Hermes Baby 5211618