The RIP

First year of production:

1910s

Company:

Virotyp? , The variable could not be found , France

Serial nr:

none

The RIP is a slimmed down cheap version of the Virotyp. It was produced by leaving parts off the standard Virotyp and replacing the heavy metal type with a disk with rubber type as it is also found on the Simplex toy typewriter.

Little is known about this skinny Virotyp with the peculiar name. It would seem most likely that the machine was intended as a cheap version of the Virotyp for home use, but judging by the tone of the instructions, it was not intended as a toy.

The RIP had the same black metal body as the Virotyp. But the company left many parts out that gave the original Virotyp its solidity. The index was engraved in the frame itself, and not attached on a separate plate. (The frame does have the holes where the index would be attached on the Virotyp.) And, in stead of the strong metal base and cover, the RIP stood on flimsy legs on a rectangular wooden base and came in a cardboard box.

Courtesy of: Robert collection