See How Typewriter Fonts Really Look
Period-accurate renders of text in different typewriter font families with correct letter spacing.
Preview
Font Reference Gallery
Below are typical character shapes for each font family. Use these to identify fonts in historical documents.
Underwood Serial (1920s-1930s)
Tall capitals, narrow lowercase. Notice the distinctive 'g' with closed loop and 'y' with long tail.
Remington Rand (1940s-1950s)
Period-correct spacing between words. The 'f' and 'i' combination shows typical overstrike marks from double strikes.
IBM Selectric 1 (1961-1980s)
Golf ball typing element. Characters have uniform weight. The 'r' and 'n' show characteristic spacing.
Understanding the Details
Letter Spacing
Each typewriter had specific kerning between characters. Modern fonts use fixed spacing which looks wrong. The renders here approximate historical spacing based on measured specimens.
Wear Patterns
Vintage ribbons fade unevenly. The 'e' often shows ghost impressions from repeated use. Ink saturation varied by ribbon age and typing force.
Character Variations
The lowercase 'a' differs between models. Some have single-story, others double-story. The numeral '1' may be a simple line or have serifs. These details help date documents accurately.
Paper Effects
Original typing shows slight impression variation from paper thickness. Carbon copies have different contrast. Our simulations show these effects at low opacity for reference.