This is an Imperial "The Good Companion" typewriter. A wonderful-looking, pre-war typewriter, this Good Companion was manufactured in 1938 in Leicester, England.

Having been refurbished, including the fitting of a new platen, feed rollers and feet, the typewriter is in remarkable cosmetic and mechanical condition for its 85 years. The original gloss paint shines beautifully, and the chrome-ringed keytops and ribbon spool finials twinkle under lamplight. These elements of its design, the fine curves of its ribbon cover and segment, bring to any desk an air of Art Deco glamour and the era's refinement of design and technological progress.

The original black gloss paint has been carefully cleaned, polished and waxed with several layers of museum grade microcrystalline wax, giving it a deep shine. The paint is almost flawless on this Good Companion - the only mark can be found on the left rear corner of the ribbon cover, near the left ribbon post.

The decals are in excellent condition and are another example of how well this typewriter has aged. The royal warrant on the front right corner of the ribbon cover has all of its original colour. All lettering is in exemplary shape, with only some small imperfections to the "e," "r," and "a" in the "Imperial" on the paper plate. As with the paint, the original decals have been carefully cleaned and preserved with a ph-neutral wax.

As mentioned, this Imperial Good Companion's platen has been professionally recovered with new rubber, and the feed rollers have been recovered. With its new rubber, typing no longer has the sharp "rap" of typing on a rock-hard platen, and the print quality is very good.

The original rubber grommet feet that sit in the bottom of the black glossy body had crumbled away and/or been squished, so some new bespoke ones have been installed. The baseboard's crumbling feet have also been replaced with new replicas. As a result, the typewriter can be used on or off of its baseboard, though I encourage use of the typewriter on the baseboard.

Each of the metal key rings has been individually polished, as have all other chrome parts. The key rings are in very good shape, with minimal tarnishing on only a few keys. All other chrome parts are in excellent condition. The glass of the keytops has been cleaned and is in very good condition. The original key legends themselves are in very fine condition, with only an inconspicuous imperfection to the "S."

To ensure proper operation, this Imperial underwent a major disassembly of its segment and typebars. Each typebar was removed, cleaned and replaced once the segment and other mechanisms were cleaned. Suitable lubrication has been applied where necessary, and all mechanisms are fully functional and include margins, margin release, backspace, shift-lock, line space selector, line space detente, paper support, and a clear and great-sounding bell.

Accompanying this typewriter is its original case, which is in very good condition. Its interior and exterior have a few age-related marks, but having been cleaned the case looks very nice. A new leather handle has been custom made for this case, as the original handle had lost its leather covering, leaving only the sprung metal interior. The fixings and latch have been polished with metal polish and shine nicely - the handle fixings exhibit tiny spots of corrosion. The latch works well and the closed case can be carried by its handle, though I recommend carrying typewriters this old flat, with fingers extended under the baseboard. The original rubber feet of the baseboard were hard and crumbling, so some new replicas have been installed.

Also included is the typewriter's original brush, which, with its mix of soft and hard brass bristles, is perfect for cleaning the typewriter's typeslugs.

The typing action of Good Companions is solid and direct if also a bit raw in comparison to the refinements made in typewriters throughout the '40s and '50s. The experience is comparable to a Remington Portable Model 1, 2 or 3 of the same era, and a good typing technique of swift, punchy key strikes is necessary for consistent print quality. The glass keytops are comfortable, and their spacing is agreeable for typists with larger hands. There is no touch selector on this model of typewriter - I would describe its default typing pressure as "medium" with a slightly longer stroke.

This typewriter uses a carriage shift and types in pica at 10 cpi (characters per inch). It prints very nicely in either black or red and has a new high-quality, ribbon installed on its metal spools.

The typewriter will be expertly packaged in a well-sized cardboard box with signed-for delivery and insurance. Delivery to the US and other international destinations is available.