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| We Buy Old Office Stuff |
The Museum Buys Unusual Antique Office Machines & Collectibles Made Before 1920
After Long Hunt, Museum Curator Bags 1886 Pencil Sharpener
The Museum is interested in buying certain types of antique 19th century and other old office equipment. Please review both lists on this page before contacting us.
This page identifies office collectibles we purchase, and then identifies some vintage office items we do not buy. For example, we do not buy any office furniture, safes, or rotary duplicating machines. If you have something for sale that matches our interests, please send an email, if possible with photos, to the Curator.
Pre-1920 Office Antiques that the Museum Purchases
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GENERAL: We buy uncommon antique, old, vintage, Victorian, early office machines, devices, gadgets, contraptions, and collectables that were made before 1920 and that weigh less than 25 lbs. However, there are exceptions, so please continue reading.
Notice: We are looking for items in good condition, that is, complete and working (apart from the fact that ink may be dry) and without significant damage. If we are interested in an item, we will ask you to verify that it is working, to describe any damage, and to email photos that clearly reveal the condition of the item so that we can confirm completeness and condition. You must agree to give a full refund if upon delivery an item has undisclosed damage, is incomplete, or is not working and we return the item to you.
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MECHANICAL PENCIL SHARPENERS: We buy all types of antique, old, early, vintage, and patented mechanical pencil sharpeners made before 1920 that have mechanisms that sharpen pencils in unusual ways. For examples, click here.
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ELECTRIC PENCIL SHARPENERS: We purchase old sharpners made before 1950. For examples, click here.
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STAPLERS & OTHER PAPER FASTENING DEVICES: We purchase antique stapling machines and old paper fastners made before 1910. For examples of ones we buy, click here. We also purchase Hotchkiss Aristocrat staplers. And we purchase unusual metallic fasteners and paper clips that we do not have. We do not purchase Bump or Clipless paper fasteners.
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CHECK PROTECTORS: We are interested in buying small & large check punches, perforators, and writers made before 1910. For examples of the types of punch, perforator, protector, checkwriter and other check machines that interest us, click here and here. We are interested in certain Defiance check protectors even if they weigh over 25 lbs. We are not interested in any machine with the name Todd, Protectograph, or Hedman, and we are not interested in large perforators used to cancel checks.
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SEAL PRESSES & DATING STAMPS: We purchase unusual ones made before 1900, even if they weigh over 25 lbs. For examples, click here and here.
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TYPEWRITERS: We buy unusual index and other typewriters made before 1910, such as those illustrated here, here, and here. However, aside from the earliest models we do not purchase typewriters that weigh over 25 lbs. We do not buy common upstrike (e.g., Remington), front-strike (e.g., Underwood or Royal), or Oliver typewriters.
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COPYING EQUIPMENT: We are interested in old copying and duplicating devices made before 1880, other than letter copying presses. For examples of the type of copier and duplicator that interest us, see the earlier items on the following page: Copying Machines. We do not purchase any type of rotary duplicating machine.
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TABULATING EQUIPMENT: We buy all brands of antique tabulating card punches made before 1940 that you have for sale. For examples, click here.
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DICTATING MACHINES: We buy wood-cased machines (but not shaving machines) in very good condition that you are selling. For examples, click here.
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ADDING & CALCULATING MACHINES: We buy small adding & calculating devices made before 1910 that you would like to sell. For examples, click here. We buy larger machines if they were made before 1905, or that are built into wood cases, or that are unusual. We do not buy Burroughs, Dalton, Monroe, Victor, or Wales machines.
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OFFICE SUPPLIES: We buy unusual antique bent-wire paper clips and other small metallic paper fasteners that we do not have, Challenge brand eyelets, vintage Bates B-50 stapler refills, strip staples made by Hotchkiss or other companies, and staples for Acme desktop staplers.
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PHOTOGRAPHS: We are interested in buying vintage illustrations & photographs including postcards showing office interiors and equipment, and business college classrooms, from before 1960. For examples, click here.
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RESEARCH MATERIAL: We purchase old books, catalogs, manuals, brochures and magazines with illustrations of early office equipment or office interiors from before 1910.
Old Office Equipment that the Museum Does NOT BUY Are Listed Below. (Also, we have no information on current prices of these antique office items or who might be interested in buying such vintage office items that you have for sale.)
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OFFICE FURNITURE & SAFES
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ROTARY DUPLICATING MACHINES
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ADDRESSING MACHINES & OTHER MAIL ROOM EQUIPMENT
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TELEPHONE & TELEGRAPH EQUIPMENT
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TIME CLOCKS
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CASH & OTHER REGISTERS
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SMALL NON-MECHANICAL DESKTOP ITEMS SUCH AS PENS, PENCILS, INKWELLS, & PAPERWEIGHTS
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PAPER OFFICE SUPPLIES
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EXCEPT AS NOTED ABOVE, ITEMS MADE AFTER 1920, ITEMS THAT WEIGH OVER 25 LBS, OR ITEMS THAT ARE INCOMPLETE OR NOT WORKING OR HAVE DAMAGE THAT WE CONSIDER SIGNIFICANT.
If you have an office antique that you would like to sell, please send an email, with photos if possible,to the Curator.