{"product_id":"1956-underwood-universal-quiet-tab-typewriter-tested-blue-green-w-case","title":"1956 Underwood Universal Quiet Tab Typewriter • Tested, Blue-Green w\/ Case","description":"For sale is a handsome mid-century Underwood with a little more polish than its name lets on.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is an Underwood Universal Quiet Tab, made in the USA during Underwood’s strong late-1950s portable run. The Quiet Tab version of the Universal belongs to the 1956 model year, the same period when Underwood was offering the Universal and De Luxe Quiet Tab machines as part of its last great independent generation of American portables. It sits just before the Olivetti era, when Underwood still looked and felt very much like Underwood: sturdy, sensible, smooth-edged, and made for actual work.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe color is a muted blue-green over a gray base, with matching blue-green keys and a black hard travel case. It has a very mid-century business-school look: not flashy, not austere, but quietly stylish in that terrific Underwood way. This is a portable, but it has enough weight and width to feel planted on a desk rather than skittery or toy-like.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMechanically, this machine has been cleaned and tested. The keys strike, the carriage advances, the spacebar and backspace function, the carriage return works, and paper feeds through the platen. The ribbon advance, ribbon selector, margins, shift, shift lock, and line spacing have all been checked. A fresh ribbon is included.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe typing feel is steady and tends to be workmanlike, with a grounded mid-century touch. It is not nearly as airy as a later plastic ultraportable, and it is not as heavy as a full-size office standard. It lands in a very useful middle place: substantial enough for real writing, compact enough to store away, and calm enough under the fingers that it makes sense for letters, journaling, forms, drafts, and regular desk use.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCosmetically, this Underwood presents beautifully overall, with honest wear from age and use. The blue-green shell has small scratches, scuffs, and light finish marks, including visible marks on the top cover and around the front. The keytops show wear to some legends and surface shine from use, especially on several frequently used keys. The keyboard deck is bright. The chrome Underwood badge still gives the front a clean, classic look, and the machine has a very strong overall presence.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePlaten and feed rollers are original vintage rubber. Paper feeds properly, and the machine is ready for ordinary writing use, though the rubber should be expected to be firmer than new. A backing sheet is recommended for the best imprint and sound.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIncluded with this listing you'll get the Underwood Universal Quiet Tab typewriter, black hard travel case, and a fresh ribbon. The case is sturdy and useful, with scuffs, edge wear, small scrapes, and normal storage marks. The handle and latch are present and functional. No manual, paperwork, key, or additional accessories are included.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCurious how this machine types? I’m happy to provide a short typed sample by request (for instance, a sentence or two of your choosing, within reason) so you can see the actual imprint, alignment, and ribbon performance before purchase.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is a good fit for someone who wants a real American-made writing machine with more authority than a lightweight travel portable, but without the size commitment of a desk standard. It has the look, the color, the case, and the practical feature set to be a very satisfying everyday vintage typer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe machine will be immobilized, packed with serious care for modern parcel shipping, and fully insured. Ships via buyer-paid UPS.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePlease read before purchase: This is a vintage mechanical typewriter, carefully tested and described according to its condition before shipment. It will be packed with serious care and fully insured. Because these machines are often 50–100 years old, minor adjustment may occasionally be needed after transit, even when properly packed. Slight alignment variance, ribbon behavior, or small mechanical quirks can be part of vintage typewriter ownership. Please review the photos and condition notes closely, and feel free to ask questions before purchase.","brand":"Underwood","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54460699476252,"sku":null,"price":259.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0962\/9057\/0524\/files\/23c83b8e-17ec-4548-b602-12c6883c3d61.jpg?v=1787407592","url":"https:\/\/shop.typewritermechanic.com\/products\/1956-underwood-universal-quiet-tab-typewriter-tested-blue-green-w-case","provider":"The Typewriter Mechanic","version":"1.0","type":"link"}