Doll & Co. - Books & Typewriters

Book shops through the ages have often peddled more wares than just books. Writing instruments have usually been a popular addition to the book stock and, for at least one turn-of-the-century bookseller, that extended to typewriters.


George Doll's company, Doll & Co., Booksellers & Stationers, of Knoxville Tennessee, had a diversified inventory, as evidenced by one of their old billheads from 1905. They were agents for typewriters, bookcases and office supplies. But the Smith Premier No. 2 Typewriter gets the spotlight on this piece of business ephemera.


It would also appear from the billhead that the bookseller offered repairs on the typewriters it sold. The transaction recorded indicates a customer from up the road in Jacksboro had his typewriter overhauled and was charged $6.50 for the service.

There's more information about the history of Smith Premier typewriters HERE.

Related blog posts include one from Bibliophemera from last year that features a billhead for a bookseller who sold "writing machines" and also Nicholas Basbane's most recent (this week) post on the Fine Books & Collectibles Magazine blog, dealing with discrimination against typewriter users today.

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