Typewriter models•Model guide
The Corona 3 XC-D
The folding portable of 1914, in black and gold. The one used by war correspondents, and a major turning point for the portable typewriter.
The folding design that made Corona’s success
The Corona 3 has been made since 1914 by the Corona Typewriter Company, which later became the famous Smith-Corona. Its folding mechanism was new: the machine folds in on itself and travels in a case, which brought it rapid success for nearly thirty years.
It was used on the front in the First World War by war correspondents and officers. Our example is black and gold, from 1914, and is sold with its original wooden transport case.
What it feels like to type on
It is lighter and simpler than the big office machines of its day, with a supple keyboard. It weighs about 4.5 kilos and stores anywhere once folded.
Don’t confuse it with the 1943 Corona Standard: they are two different models, more than thirty years apart.
Which Corona 3 to choose?
These machines are over a hundred years old: we choose examples whose finishes are well preserved, and we describe the condition of each precisely, with photos. Handle with care.
The keyboard is mechanical and can’t be changed: we state AZERTY or QWERTY in the title of every machine.
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 3 XC-D
How much does a restored Corona 3 XC-D 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 3 XC-D come in AZERTY?
Yes, we offer them in AZERTY, and sometimes in QWERTY. 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 3 XC-D 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 3 XC-D?
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 3 XC-D typewriters available now
1 exemplaire actuellement restauré et prêt à écrire. Chacun est une pièce unique.
