About Protos typewriter
By far the only existing Protos typewriter with Bulgarian Cyrillic and English language keyboard that I know of. There are less than 15 specimens known - all in private collections over the world. This typewriter is unmistakably a unique antique and is one of the most interesting typewriters I have come across. There is very little known of Protos typewriters and their history. The Protos typewriter manufacturing began in 1922 by Zimmer & Co in Frankfurt, Germany. This machine is based on its predecessor Adler. The brand Protos was originally created for the UK and Polish market and possibly some Eastern countries including Bulgaria. From 1922 to 1925 only 6000 typewriters were produced. Only a few have survived over the years and are either in museums or private collections.
Production of Protos typewriters began in 1922, and according to German website "HQUAST" in 1924 a further developed Klein Adler No. 1 appeared under the name Protos portable typewriter. The frame and cover were made of aluminum and the machine weighed only 4 kg. The specimen above is an earlier production with serial n. 198071, it is made around 1922 and is similar to the Adler mod. 8 typewriter with exchangeable type bars. This machine is characterized by it's unique type system. It's displacement is horizontal instead of the typical vertical movement of most typewriters. It is made of cast iron enameled in black. It is a medium sized typewriter. It has a three-row keyboard with a double shift key.
This is a very scarce machine, very rare on the market and definitely a collection specimen. This specimen is an example of a bygone era of great engineering. It is ideal for a collector who wants a visually differentiative piece in his collection.
*TYPEFACE: This typewriter has an original Bulgarian keyboard. It has an extremely rare dual keyboard - Bulgarian and English. It only has a Bulgarian typeface installed. This means that the letters are in Bulgarian. There is an option to install an English keyboard and exchange the current Bulgarian keyboard. The keys have dual signs - Bulgarian and English.
*COSMETICS: This typewriter is in outstanding condition for it's age. It is 101 years old. On the cover that hides the type bars you can see the Protos logo with golden letters, the name of the manufacturer and place of manufacture. The gloss black paint retains much of its original shine. The top metal cover decal is in great condition. There is normal ware on the keys, including the space key. The keys are ringed with nickel, painted in black. The bare metal shows aging and patina, adding to the beautiful appearance of this machine. There is no rust on the mechanism, all keys and springs have been disassembled and individually cleaned and polished. There are 10 keys on each row, making it a 30-piece keyboard with unique Bulgarian and English symbols. You can also tell the era during which it was produced by the keyboard. The Bulgarian letter "Ѫ" uppercase and "ѫ" lowercase pronounced /ja/ and the letters Ѣ, ѣ pronounced /yat/ were removed from the official Bulgarian alphabet in 1945 during a Orthography reform, thus reducing the letters to 30 and simplifying the alphabet.
*MECHANICS: As with all our serviced typewriters - this one is in very good mechanical condition. It has been disassembled, cleaned and adjusted. Mechanics are excellent, all the keys work well. Unfortunately, the platen has hardened over time and has 1 flat spot, for this reason the platen does not roll paper very easy. Nevertheless, this Protos types well and confidently - with sharp keys striking the paper and leaving a satisfactory print while the keys retract back to their original position based on the thrust action (much like Adler model 8).
*CASE: This typewriter does not have a case.
*OUR RECOMMENDATION: We always recommend to buy such antique pieces for display, demonstration and to enjoy their craftsmanship. As such an antique, rare item, we do not recommend regular typing on this piece.
All our typewriters are delivered to you ready to start typing. All machines have an installed new ink ribbon which should last at least 500 A4 pages.