Master Craftman of The Typewriter - Martin Tytell

[Ethan Bentley]

Martin Tytell the Master of the Typewriter passed away last year, for those who may not be familiar with him. Here is his obituary below.

http://www.economist.com/obituary/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12252747

There are fabulous tailors, watchsmiths, jewellers but few typewriter-smiths.
An interesting article about a fascinating passion particularly for those who still favour the clackety-clack over the word processor.

 

[Fletch]

I don't know if London was ever chockablock with these small-scale industrial-age wizards, but in New York they used to be legion. There's something about the city that produces, and ultimately depends on, quiet, highly focused people in crowded quarters doing fine and arcane things.

It might be the heritage of European guild craft, or the ghetto, where specialization often meant survival, but there used to be thousands of gray little empires like Mr. Tytell's. Now they're much less common - and so, sadly, is the dedication and craftsmanship that kept them going.