Oliver Evans Chapter

presents a tour

Philly Typewriter

Date: March 11, 2023
Time: 11am
Location: 1735 East Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia PA 19148, between Morris St and Moore St.

Bryan Kravitz is passionate about typewriters. He has established a workshop with machines and tools for restoring them. As he puts it on his website,

“We work simultaneously as engineers and historians to perform comprehensive typewriter restorations. From specialized deep cleaning to custom fabrication of rubber pieces, we take special care to remedy the problems that come from these elegant machines sitting idle for decades…

Our goal is for you to take home a fully functional piece of history.”

Bryan is so committed to preserving a connection to these instruments that he has established the Philadelphia Public Typewriter Program.

He states,“The typewriter was designed and built during a golden age of manufacturing and industry where pride of workmanship and quality was expected.  People who use typewriters today say that it helps slow down their thought process and provides a connection that is lost in our fast-paced world.  But, fully functional typewriters can be hard to come by.

So, Philly Typewriter has committed to placing vintage, rare, fully working typewriters in hundreds of locations in the Philadelphia area.  It will be a way for people of all generations and diverse communities to connect with typewriters and the non-digital, elegant world they represent.”

Bryan has invited us to learn more about the history of typewriters and their place in his world.

“Come visit our two thousand square foot location in South Philadelphia and see our workshop, meet our apprentices learning the trade, sign-up for a repair class or take in our exhibits and writers’ lounge.”

Here’s a link to Bryan’s comprehensive web site:
https://www.phillytypewriter.com/#/

Join the members for a snack or meal afterwards. 

Please rsvp to Reese Davis if you will joining the tour:
reesepdavis@gmail.com

Save the Date

On Thursday, April 20 at 11 AM  the chapter will be visiting  the Oat Foundry at the Frankford Arsenal.  The foundry makes announcement boards with a technology similar to that displayed on the 30th Street Station train schedule board, recently retired.  On the tour we will learn the history of the company, their experience with the Split Flap boards, and we will see how they are made.