Museum Artifact: Ditto Typewriter Ribbon Tin, c. 1930s
Made By: DITTO Inc., 605 S. Oakley Blvd., Chicago, IL [Lower West Side]
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Ditto Typewriter Ribbon Tin, c. 1930s
Made By: DITTO Inc., 605 S. Oakley Blvd., Chicago, IL [Lower West Side]
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
According to a 1959 obituary for James J. Flanigan in the Oak Park (IL) Oak Leaves newspaper, he received a patent for the Ditto machine in the early 1900s and started Ditto, Inc. in 1909. Mr. Flanigan retired from Ditto in 1928, and perfected another duplicating machine. He started a new concern, Vivid, Inc., which was affiliated with the Smith-Corona typewriter company.
Checking some more: Bell & Howell and Ditto, who were next door neighbors on McCormic, Blvd., announced their plans to merge (Trib, Feb. 17, 1962) which were then approved (Trib, April 28, 1962). I’m sending copies of the articles plus two images I found to your email address,
Is this the same “Ditto” company that made spirit duplicating equipment? They were on McCormick Blvd. in Lincolnwood, right next to Bell & Howell. I believe B&H later purchased Ditto as they both moved more into business equipment.
By the way, spirit duplicating and mimeograph are very different machines. Spirit duplicating involved typing a master that produced a thick image on the reverse side, which then could be pressed into multiple sheets to make copies. Mimeograph was typing onto a thin sheet that became a stencil, and the stencil could be used with an ink roller to make copies.
Looking for an old employee, Orison Daeda, he was an artist and worked at Ditto around 1946-47. The company was on Harrison in Chicago.
Would appreciate any info you may have.
I have a Brass bellows from a D 20-21 new unused. our office supply company F. H. Oakleaf Co. INC. 1874? to 1983 sold Ditto SCM and Gestetner machines. this was a left over part that i took home and have it on display. No one Knows what it is 🙂 I do !
I have a “Ditto” machinists tool box-wooden
Ditto also made rotary duplicating (“mimeograph”) machines, check “Clifford N. Johnson” patents for evidence.