1928 Underwood Portable 4B
Up for sale is a beautiful and rather rare Underwood Portable Four Bank (Model B) which was made in America in 1928. This typewriter still retains most of its original wood grain paint, and is in remarkable condition overall for being over 90 years old. The only thing that does not function reliably is the bell, which will only ring when the carriage release is manipulated and the mechanism has enough force for the bell to sound. Other than that, this typewriter is fully functional and is a decent machine to write with for its age. The carrying case has a little wear as well, but it is in good shape overall. The original leather handle went missing at one point (which is extremely common) and was replaced with some sort of heavy-duty string.
This model replaced the 3-bank, which was a much more portable machine, but was rather hard to write on. This model sacrificed some of that portability and gave a bit more functionality and usability closer to a full-size office machine of the time. It ended up being a great success!
This typewriter can use universal ribbons, but since the spools are visible, I would recommend re-threading the metal spools with a fresh ribbon as I have done. The owner's manual for this machine can be found for free here: https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/UnderwoodPortable1929.pdf
If you're in the market for a rather collectible machine that can still be used to tackle some smaller writing needs, then this is a perfect machine to invest in. It's not that this typewriter couldn't handle writing a novel- it's just that there are better, more modern typewriters that are more pleasurable to type on for extended periods of time.