Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

PORTABLE TYPEWRITER

Date Range From

1923

Date Range To

1933

Materials

IRON, STEEL, RUBBER, WOOD, PAPER

No. Pieces

2

Description

1. CASE: 31.5 (L) X 25CM (W) X 12.5CM (H) WOOD COVER WITH BLACK PAPER COVERING WHICH IMITATES LEATHER LOOK. BACK OF CASE HAS FOUR ROUNDED STEEL FEET. FRONT HAS STEEL PLATE WITH CLASP RIVETED TO IT. AT CENTER OF PLATE IS CIRCULAR TAB WHICH OPENS CASE. TAB HAS CONCENTRIC CIRCLES ETCHED INTO IT. ETCHED INTO PLATE IS "U.T. CO. INC" AND "MADE IN U.S.A.". ABOVE PLATE ARE TWO RECTANGULAR STEEL BRACKETS WHICH HOLD LEATHER STRAP 19CM LONG. STRAP IS BLACK WITH STITCHED EDGING AND MUSHROOM SHAPED ENDS. LEATHER IS WORN AND CRACKING. ABOVE STRAP IS RECTANGULAR AREA WHICH WAS COVERED WITH BLUE FABRIC TAPE WHICH HAS BEEN PAINTED BLACK. PORTION OF TAPE HAS WORN OFF. AT INSIDE OF BACK ARE TWO STEEL ARMS WHICH HOOK INTO TYPEWRITER WHEN COVERED. 2. TYPEWRITER: 25.5 XM (L) X 21CM (W) X 10CM (H) BLACK CAST IRON TYPEWRITER WITH MANUAL KEY-STROKE MECHANISM. TYPEWRITER IS ATTACHED TO WOODEN BASE WHICH HAS TWO STEEL HINGE PLATES RIVETED TO BACK AND STEEL KNOB AT CENTER OF FRONT. WOODEN CASE SITS OVER TOP TYPEWRITER AND ATTACHES TO WOOD BOTTOM TO BECOME PORTABLE. TYPEWRITER HAS "UNDERWOOD STANDARD PORTABLE TYPEWRITER" EMBOSSED IN GOLD ACROSS BOTTOM OF FRONT FRAME. ALL KEYS ARE WHITE WITH BLACK PRINTING AND STEEL COLLARS. HAS BLACK RIBBON ON TWO BLACK ALUMINUM REELS. BEHIND KEYSTROKE MECHANISM IS LINED AND NUMBERED; PITCH SCALE ALSO EMBOSSED IN GOLD. PLATEN IS RUBBER WITH NUMEROUS PITS. PAPER SUPPORT AT BACK HAS LOGO WHICH IS LARGE GOLD "T" INSIDE A "U" WITH A TYPEWRITER AND "TRADE MARK" UNDERNEATH. WRITTEN ACROSS SUPPORT IN LARGE LETTERS IS "UNDERWOOD" WITH "MADE IN U.S.A" BENEATH. AT BASE OF BACK FRAME READS "PATENTED MADE IN U.S.A. OTHER PATENTS PENDING". IT LISTS 28 PATENT DATES FROM MARCH 19, 1912 TO MAY 22, 1923. ON BACK OF PAPER SUPPORT IS "LICENSED UNDER GUBELMANN PATENT NOVEMBER 9, 1915". BOTTOM OF TYPEWRITER HAS FOUR PLASTIC FEET SCREWED INTO WOOD BASE.

Subjects

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION T&E

Historical Association

BUSINESS

History

NOTE ACCOMPANYING TYPEWRITER CLAIMED THAT ARTIFACT WAS FIRST OF ITS KIND IN LETHBRIDGE AND ORIGINALLY OWNED BY A.W. SHACKLEFORD. TYPEWRITER WAS MOST RECENTLY OWNED BY DENISE BLACK. *UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS, INCLUDING A PORTRAIT OF ALFRED WILLIAM SHACKLEFORD (P20060025001-GA), SUPPOSED ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS TYPEWRITER. THE FOLLOWING BIOGRAPHY OF MAYOR SHACKLEFORD WAS DEVELOPED WITH INFORMATION FROM ARCHIVES CANADA ONLINE AND A LETHBRIDGE HERALD TRIBUTE ARTICLE FROM MAY 31, 1992. A.W. SHACKLEFORD WAS BORN IN ESSEX, ENGLAND IN 1899 AND CAME TO CALGARY WITH HIS PARENTS IN 1909. AFTER HIGH SCHOOL HE TRAINED AS A DRAFTSMAN BUT WAS EMPLOYED BY THE FILM EXCHANGE AND FOX FILMS. IN 1921 HE WAS HIRED TO MANAGED THE KING'S THEATRE IN LETHBRIDGE AND BECAME ASSOCIATED WITH MARK ROGERS, A LETHBRIDGE BUSINESSMAN WHO OWNED THREE LOCAL MOVIE THEATRES. SHACKLEFORD ALSO BECAME PARTNER IN THE AMUSEMENT COMPANY THAT OPENED THE HENDERSON LAKE PAVILLION IN 1924. BY 1925 HE WAS PART-OWNER OF THE FORMER EMPRESS THEATRE ON 5TH AVENUE SOUTH, RENAMING IT THE ROXY. HE THEN TEAMED UP WITH THE FAMOUS PLAYERS COMPANY TO REMODEL THE FORMER PALACE THEATRE AND RENAME IT THE CAPITOL. SHACKLEFORD ALSO OPENED THE THEATRE IN THE FORMER COLLEGE MALL, BUILT THE 960-SEAT PARAMOUNT THEATRE ON 4TH AVENUE SOUTH, AND TOOK OVER OPERATION OF THE DIRVE-IN THEATRE AT THE SOUTH CITY LIMITS. SHACKLEFORD WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN CIVIC LIFE, ACTIVE IN GROUPS INCLUDING THE CANADIAN CANCER SOCIETY, THE GYRO CLUB, UNITED WAY, LETHBRIDGE & DISTRICT EXHIBITION BOARD, BOARD OF TRADE, ST. AUGUSTINE'S CHURCH, AND THE ALBERTA THEATRE OPERATORS ASSOCIATION. HE AND HIS WIFE ADA HAD TWO SONS, ROBERT AND DOUGLAS. AFTER SEVERAL TERMS AS ALDERMAN STARTING IN 1939, SHACKLEFORD FIRST SERVED AS MAYOR FROM 1944 - 1947, AND FOR TWO MORE TERMS FROM 1952 - 1955 AND 1957 - 1961. HE WORKED FOR 68 YEARS IN THE MOVIE BUSINESS, RETIRING AT AGE 90. W.A. SHACKLEFORD DIED IN LETHBRIDGE ON MAY 30, 1992. SEE PERMANENT FILE P20060025001 FOR HARDCOPIES OF SOURCE MATERIAL.

Catalogue Number

P19940010000

Acquisition Date

1994-03

Collection

Museum

Less detail