The iconic rounded 3000 was an earlier iteration, preferred by most collectors. Insides are the same as the later, boxier 3000.
Typewriter enthusiast Tom Hanks with his boxier version.
Hermes 3000
The Peak of Typewriter Design
The Hermes 3000 is widely regarded as one of the finest portable typewriters in the world.
Before Paillard, a Swiss company know for precision engineering, designed the Hermes 3000, they spent years dissecting many of history’s iconic typewriters in order to create the perfect machine. And in 1958 that machine was unleashed upon the world, and named after the Greek God.
“In the Odyssey, Hermes appears mainly as the messenger of the gods and the conductor of the dead to Hades. Hermes was also a dream god, and the Greeks offered to him the last libation before sleep. As a messenger, he may also have become the god of roads and doorways, and he was the protector of travelers.”
A perfect metaphor for the wayworn wordsmiths of the world. While it was originally designed for office use, writers from all genres quickly swept in to co-opt its elegant design and features.
With the balance of a compact size, elegant design, light weight, and what we might refer to as extreme reliability, it’s become one of the most sought-after typewriters in the world.
A second-generation Hermes 3000 was born in the 60’s. The shell was modified while the mechanics remained about the same. A great machine, it is not quite as sought after as the iconic rounded design.
A Rich History
A few highlights.
Jack Kerouac reportedly wrote his final novel on the Hermes 3000.
Sylvia Plath wrote her only novel, the Bell Jar, on one which sold for $45,662 USD at auction.
Adrienne Rich wrote some of her iconic poetry on the Hermes.
Larry McMurtry, the writer of the Brokeback Mountain movie script, thanked his Hermes 3000 at the 2006 Golden Globes:
“Most heartfelt, I thank my typewriter. My typewriter is a Hermes 3000, surely one of the noblest instruments of European genius.”
(He didn’t write the famous novel upon which the script is made)
Some other writers that used a Hermes 3000:
Stephen Dixon
Stephen Fry
Sam Shepard
John Steinbeck
Eugene Lonesco
Matt Groening.
Specs:
Visible Margin Indicator
Iconic modern design
Auto Tab Set Features
Durable Original Case that Stands the Test of Time (unlike most)
Basket Shift
Push-Button Panel for Service Features
Large carriage return lever
Dimensions: 3in. long, 12½in. wide, 5¾in high.
