Session 3 Speakers

Tools of the Trade

No job is possible without the proper tools, and no job is ever "easy" without the right tools. Whether you're a tinkerer on a budget, or an experienced mechanic, I hope to shed some light on the streamlined essentials of typewriter repair. I will cover the basic tools you'll need to get started, the more advanced tools for quality repair, and the specialty tools for specialized jobs. I will also discuss the different types of tools, general prices, places to find them, why they are useful, and brief demonstrations when needed.

My name is Lucas Dul, I'm a typewriter service and repair technician based in the Chicago Suburbs. I specialize in fixing up any machine that puts a letter on a page. My other interests include old books, fountain pens, art, and photography.

The Making of The Typewriter Revolution: A New Exhibition on Typewriters at the National Museum of Scotland.

The Typewriter Revolution exhibition, which opened at the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh in July 2021, examines the social and technological impact of typewriters from the mid-nineteenth century to their continued use and popularity in the twenty-first century. James Inglis, whose PhD research has made up a large part of the content of this exhibition, will talk through his work as a curator on the project.

Bio: James Inglis is a history PhD student at the University of St Andrews and National Museums Scotland, working on the project ‘Typewriters and Commerce in Scotland, 1870s to 1920s.

The Uncommon Italian Typewriters

Bio: Domenico Scarzello lives in Bra in the middle of Unesco Lands, near Turin, Italy. Domenico is current President of the Italian Association of Vintage Office Machinery Collectors, Vice-President of the Museums Association in Bra, and the founder and director of the Museum of Mechanical Writing in Bra. The museum exhibits typewriters from 1873 to the 1930s, many of which are rare. Domenico has written and published 4 books related to typewriters and mechanical calculation. He personally restores all the typewriters present in the Museum, thanks to years of training with a great technician and restorer. He owns a very large warehouse of original period pieces and instruments purchased over the years. Many of his machines have appeared in movies and television.