Chris Cottle needed something to keep him occupied while he was recovering from a medical issue last year.
He found an old typewriter among his family belongings, and cleaned and refurbished it.
“I cleaned up an old 1952 Royal HHE standard office typewriter that my mother bought for me in 1967, for my Grade 9 typing class,” he said, adding he was the only boy in a class of 30. “It was a fun thing to do so I started to do some research into typewriters and I became ‘hooked’ into the hobby of preserving this industrial art of the 20th century.”
Cottle said once he got the bug, he started hunting down old typewriters otherwise destined for junk piles, and brought them home for some tender, loving care.
“I have acquired about 35 typewriters over the last year, most requiring many hours to remove the very heavy layers of smoking soot and dirt buildup,” said Cottle. “Most requiring considerable effort to get fully working. Some needing parts (they do not make parts anymore, so you need to find someone with an irreparable machine). However, ribbons are still readily attainable.”
The public is invited to see - and try - Cottle’s collection, July 19 at the Courtenay Library.
“There will be typewriters from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s for people to actually type on,” said Cottle. “The library is providing a special postcard that people can type on and mail to themselves with the library providing the stamp and using a library ink stamp to certify. There will be a collective story that can be written by the participants, one sentence at a time with every sentence being by a different person … the beginnings of ‘The Great Comox Valley novel.’ And there will be the ability of people to bring in their own typewriter and just type away while discussing life with other people with a like interest.”
The event takes place from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at 300 6th St., Courtenay.
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