Malling-Hansen "Writing Ball", 1867

Extremely rare nickel-plated "deluxe" version of the world's first commercially produced typewriter, designed by Rasmus Malling-Hansen (1835–1890), Copenhagen, Denmark. With hemisphere of 54 spring-loaded and engraved alpha-numeric typebars supported on three nickel-plated columns with set-screw adjustment and geared mechanism, diameter of hemisphere 5 ¼ in. (13.5 cm), approx ht. 8 ½ in. (21.5 cm), excellent general condition, typefaces in good, strong condition. – Reverend Rasmus Malling-Hansen, principal of the Royal Institute for the Deaf and Dumb, Copenhagen, designed his unique ergonomic typewriter in 1865 to help students to "speak with their fingers". "In a given time one can say five times as many sounds as can be written," he argued in his patent application of 25 January 1870. "In other words, one speaks five times as fast as one writes." Malling-Hansen positioned letters, numbers and symbols on a hemisphere to facilitate "quick writing", the vowels operated by the fingers of the left hand, the consonants by the fingers on the right. The intended result – the writing speed would be "easily two to three times as fast as normal, and practice in using the apparatus should be able to bring this speed up to speech speed." – Each of the fifty-four typebars is aligned at a different angle, yet all converge on the paper at a common point. The beauty of Malling-Hansen's design was not restricted to the layout of the typebars, but displayed all the significant refinements of writing machines introduced 40–50 years later: automatic carriage return and line spacing, a space bar, a bell to signal the end of the line, provision for carbon paper copies, a ribbon reverse and – most significant of all – visible writing by raising the typing mechanism. – The Writing Ball's most celebrated user – but not its happiest – was the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. "Hurrah! The machine has arrived at my house!" wrote Nietzsche to his sister on 11 February 1882 upon the delivery of the machine he had ordered for 375 Danish Kronen the year before. Beset by failing eyesight, the philosopher had hoped that the new invention would allow him to write more easily. Despite his initial excitement, Nietzsche eventually gave up on the intricate machine after it was damaged during a trip to Genoa, Italy, though not before immortalizing his struggle in verse: "The writing ball is a thing like me:/ Made of iron yet easily twisted on journeys/Patience and tact are required in abundance/As well as fine fingers to use us". – Fortunately for its inventory, not all of the reviews were so negative. A journalist visiting the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1878 compared the Writing Ball favorably with the new Sholes & Gliddern "Typewriter" introduced by E. Remington & Sons of Ilion, New York, in 1874. "The Danish apparatus has more keys, is much less complicated, built with greater precision, more solid, and much smaller and lighter than the Remington, and moreover, is cheaper". – From a total of only 180 machines produced, only thirty-five are believed to have survived: thirty in museum collections, a handful (including this one) still in private hands. – This model – serial no. 102 – is the extremely rare nickel-plated "deluxe" version, it is much rarer than the brass model, presumably produced for presentation purposes or for the demands of a technical environment where the more sensitive lacquered finish on brass would have worn quickly. – Provenance: Descendants of the original owner, Gustaf Walfrid Wilhelmsson (1860–1939), a well-known printer and editor, of Fredrikshald, Norway. Wilhelmsson began his career as apprentice at Andreas Casper's printing house in 1875, ascending through the ranks to the position of typesetter at P.A. Norstedt, Stockholm, in 1886 and establishing his own private printing house in the Swedish capital in 1888. From 1888–1889 Wilhelmsson served as editor of the Swedish Typographic Magazine. – Literature: Ernst Martin (1949), "Die Schreibmaschine und ihre Entwicklungsgeschichte", pp. 60, 351 and 460. For background on Nietzsche's machine: http://www.openculture.com/2013/12/friedrich-nietzsches-curious-typewriter.html. – A fabulous icon of design as well as an important historical document for the entire history of communication history!

布雷克拍品等级是为了方便竞买人判断拍卖品的成色而设置的。布雷克等级用1到6级来标注外观和功能的成色，(从非常好到非常差)。 在目录图册里用括号里的2个数字来表示，前一个数字表示外观成色的级别，后一个数字表示功能成色的级别。如(3/2)表示外观成色是3(满意的)，功能成色2(好)。 成色 定义参照下列标准： 1 - 非常好 (未使用过，没有使用痕迹) 2 - 好 (新，极少的使用痕迹) 3 - 满意的 (普通的使用痕迹) 4 - 及格的 (明显的使用痕迹，某个非主要部件是后配的) 5 - 有缺陷的 (极明显的使用痕迹, 某个主要部件是后配的，功能上有缺陷，需要修理) 6 - 非常差 (严重破损, 缺少重要部件)