On loan
  • On display at the Science Museum, London

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Mettoy Prefect

Typewriter
1960s (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Red moulded plastic body with the keyboard of metal painted black and the keys raised in the metal and painted blue and white with the function keys red and white. At the front are three blue plastic bars; the centre one the operating lever; the left one the shift key and the right one the space key. When the shift key is depressed either a small or capital letter A appears in a cut out at the front of the machine. At the top centre is a disc covered with red plastic around the outer edge which has the small and capitals together with numbers and symbols. The top of the disc is metal printed with the letters etc. in white on blue; in its centre is a circular dial with an arrow and the letter M in the middle. To select the letter wanted turn the dial's arrow to it. The disc is support by a black metal block which is hinged to the operating lever at the front edge. When the lever is depressed the disc and its block move back against the pattern to print the letter. At the back top of the typewriter is the 'pattern' made of metal but it does not rotate; the paper is turned by a metal rod which passes through it and has two rubber grips. At the front is a metal strip marked with lines and numbers to form the measure. At each side are the clamps for the ribbon to be held and also a bar to help align the paper. At the front is a paper label printed in red on silver to show the name and MADE IN GT BRITAIN is marked on the keyboard. The underside is a sheet of cardboard.

Object details

Object type
TitleMettoy Prefect (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Lithographed pressed mild steel; plastic
Brief description
Child's Typewriter; English; 1960s
Physical description
Red moulded plastic body with the keyboard of metal painted black and the keys raised in the metal and painted blue and white with the function keys red and white. At the front are three blue plastic bars; the centre one the operating lever; the left one the shift key and the right one the space key. When the shift key is depressed either a small or capital letter A appears in a cut out at the front of the machine. At the top centre is a disc covered with red plastic around the outer edge which has the small and capitals together with numbers and symbols. The top of the disc is metal printed with the letters etc. in white on blue; in its centre is a circular dial with an arrow and the letter M in the middle. To select the letter wanted turn the dial's arrow to it. The disc is support by a black metal block which is hinged to the operating lever at the front edge. When the lever is depressed the disc and its block move back against the pattern to print the letter. At the back top of the typewriter is the 'pattern' made of metal but it does not rotate; the paper is turned by a metal rod which passes through it and has two rubber grips. At the front is a metal strip marked with lines and numbers to form the measure. At each side are the clamps for the ribbon to be held and also a bar to help align the paper. At the front is a paper label printed in red on silver to show the name and MADE IN GT BRITAIN is marked on the keyboard. The underside is a sheet of cardboard.
Dimensions
  • Height: 12.7cm
  • Width: 28.6cm
  • Depth: 24.7cm
Object history
Collected by the donor as part of a large group of toys and other material related to ABCs and alphabets
Collection
Accession number
B.203-1993

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Record createdApril 17, 2000
Record URL
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