Typewriter models•Model guide
The Corona Standard
The American Corona of the war years: almost no bright chrome, a rare piece that appeals to collectors and writers alike.
A Corona born in wartime
Corona is an American brand that made portables in Groton, New York State, from the 1920s to the 1940s. These machines accompanied writers, including Agatha Christie.
Our Corona Standard was built in 1943, in the middle of the Second World War. At that time chrome was rationed: the carriage sides, the paper holders and the inner mechanism are black. This sober, almost austere look now makes it a sought-after piece.
What it feels like to type on
The strike is supple and fast, lighter than on German or Swiss machines of the same period. It is a pleasant portable for long texts.
The matt, chrome-free look gives it a character of its own: a period machine that looks like its period.
Which Corona Standard to choose?
The keyboard is the first criterion. It is mechanical and can’t be changed: we state AZERTY, QWERTY or QWERTZ in the title of every machine.
These wartime machines are few. We describe every example precisely, with photos.
What we check at the workshop
- Body dismantled and the segment fully cleaned, where the typebars bind.
- Axles degreased and relubricated, strike and line spacing adjusted.
- Carriage check: travel, return, end-of-line ratchet.
- Condition of the rubber platen, often hardened with age.
- New ribbon fitted, then a full page typed, letter by letter.
The right ribbon
Every machine leaves with a new ribbon fitted. The day it needs changing, we sell the ribbons that suit this model: not all spools fit.
The questions we get about the Corona Standard
How much does a restored Corona Standard cost?
The price depends on the condition, finish and rarity of the example, never on the quality of the overhaul: they all go through the same workshop. The machines available right now, with their exact price, are just below.
Does the Corona Standard come in AZERTY?
Yes, we offer them in AZERTY. The layout is mechanical, engraved in the typebars: it can’t be changed afterwards. The keyboard is stated in the title of every machine and on its listing.
Is it ready to type on delivery?
Yes. Every Corona Standard is taken apart, its segment cleaned typebar by typebar, its axles degreased and relubricated, its strike and line spacing adjusted. A new ribbon is fitted, then we type a whole page before dispatch. It arrives ready to write, with nothing to buy.
Which ribbon for a Corona Standard?
The ribbon is the only consumable. Not all spools fit: every machine leaves with a new ribbon fitted, and its listing gives the right reference for replacing it.
Our Corona Standard typewriters available now
1 exemplaire actuellement restauré et prêt à écrire. Chacun est une pièce unique.
