Underwood #5 Typewriter
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Where is the serial number?

The serial number is located at the top of the unit right hand as you see it from top.

You may have to move the carriage to see.

The image at right can help you.

Look up the table below to find the year of production of your Underwood #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, portable, noiseless or electric.

 

Years of production and serial numbers for Underwood Typewriters

Important Note:

When use these lists, please considere these facts:

  1. I'm not an expert. I'm not able to clearly identify the models, or to provide other information if it doesn't appear in this site.
  2. Serial numbers for Underwoods are not so precises as you could expect. Several series of numbers could have been used at the same time. Various letters and numbers were used with serial numbers and I have no information on this. Lots of units were refurbished or reconditioned and original serial numbers could have been altered in this process. I have no information about other models than the ones that appear on this site.
  3. These serial numbers come from Underwood files, records kept by Remington Co., and Goverment Typewriter Catalogue (1.954)

So, if you can recognise your model and your serial number match with one of the following tables, you can date your Underwood precisely and with confidence. Otherwise I can provide you little additional help.

Any information you can provide will be wellcomed and included here.

Click on the model you are looking for:

Underwood #1

Underwood #2

Underwood #3
Underwood #4 Underwood #5 Underwood #6 & later models
Underwood Portable 3 banks Underwood Portable 4 banks Underwood Noiseless
Underwood Noiseless Underwood PortableNoiseless 77 Underwood Electric

 

Years of production and serial numbers for #1 and #2 models

date s.n.
1-Apr-1897 1,001
1-Nov-1897 1,500
31-Dec-1898 2,433
31-Dec-1899 5,594
31-Dec-1900 7,946
31-Dec-1900 10,354
model #1

 

After that production of models #1 and #2 whas discontinued

Years of production and serial numbers for model #3 11"*, 12", 14", 16" carriages
Model #3
model #3 12"
model #3 14"
 
 
 
model #3 16"
 
date s/n date s/n date s/n date s/n date s/n
14-Feb-1900 1 1-Jan-1912 68,000 1-Jul-1920 312,000
1-Jul-1924
 490,000
1-Jan-1928
 715,000
2-Jan-1903 1,500 1-Jan-1913 88,000 1-Jan-1921 338,000
1-Ago-1924
 500,000
1-Jan-1929
 804,000
25-Apr-1906 10,000 1-Jan-1914 110,000 1-Jul-1921 355,000
1-Jan-1925
 510,000
1-Ago-1929**
 3,000,001
27-Mar-1907 15,000 1-Jan-1915 129,000 1-Jan-1922 390,000
1-Jul-1925
 545,000
1-Jan-1930
 3,635,000
22-Nov-1907 A20,000 1-Jan-1916 155,000 1-Jan-1923 415,000
31-Jul-1925
 550,000
1-Jan-1931
 3,825,000
9-Oct-1908 25,000 1-Jan-1917 186,000 5-Mar-1923 420,000
1-Jan-1926
 570,000    
3-Mar-1909 BS30,000 29-May-1917 200,000 1-Jul-1923 430,000
1-Jul-1926
 597,000    
6-Sep-1909 35,000 1-Jan-1918 220,000 1-Sep-1923 450,000
1-Oct-1926
 625,000    
1-Jan-1910 40,000 1-Jan-1919 250,000 23-Oct-1923 455,001
1-Jan-1927*
 610,000    
1-Jan-1911 50,000 1-Jan-1920 284,000 1-Jan-1924 465,000
5-Oct-1927
 700,000    

* model #3 11" put on market in 1.927
** wide carriage Underwoods run concurrently with standard carriages

Years of production and serial numbers for model #3 18", 20", 26" carriages

Model #3 26"

date s.n. date s.n. date s.n.
date
 s.n.
14-Sep-1903 1 1-Jan-1912 13,200 1-Jul-1921 80,500
1-Aug-1929
 3,000,001
2-Jun-1904 100 1-Jan-1913 18,750 1-Jan-1922 85,000
1-Jan-1930
 3,635,000
1-May-1905 1,000 1-Jan-1914 23,300 1-Jan-1923 89,000
1-Jan-1931
 3,825,000
6-Jun-1906 1,500 1-Jan-1915 27,500 8-Aug-1923 95,000    
26-Apr-1907 2,500 1-Jul-1915 28,000 1-Jan-1924 97,000    
21-Jan-1908 3,500 1-Jan-1916 34,000 1-Jul-1924 101,000    
26-Feb-1909 5,500 1-Jan-1917 50,000 1-Jan-1925 105,000    
28-May-1909 BS6,000 1-Jan-1918 60,000 1-Jan-1926 120,000    
1-Jan-1910 7,300 1-Jan-1919 61,900 1-Jan-1927 134,000    
1-Jan-1911 9,800 1-Jan-1920 73,000 1-Jan-1928 145,000    
13-Jan-1911 10,000 1-Jan-1921 78,000 1-Jan-1929 159,000    

 

Years of production and serial numbers for #4 and #5 models

date s.n. date s.n. date s.n.
Dec. 1900 100 1912 450,000 1922 1,525,000
March 1901 1,000 1913 551,000 1923 1,650,000
Feb. 1902 10,000 1914 655,000 1924 1,780,000
May 1904 50,000 1915 740,000 1925 1,910,000
Jan. 1906 100,000 1916 830,100 1926 2,070,000
April 1907 150,000 1917 940,000 1927 2,210,000
July 1908 200,000 1918 1,050,000 1928 2,330,000
May 1909 247,500 1919 1,160,000 1929 2,450,000
Jan. 1910 290,000 1920 1,280,000 1930 3,635,000
Jan. 1911 360,000 1921 1,430,000 1931 3,825,000
        1932 3,880,000
        1933 3,885,000

model #4

model #5

 

Years of production and serial numbers for #6 and later models

date s/n date s/n date s/n
1-Jun-1931 4,011,883 1-Jul-1940 5,210,000 1-Jan-1949 6,530,000
1-Jan-1932 4,085,000 1-Jan-1941 5,340,000 1-Jul-1949 6,570,000
1-Jan-1933 4,130,000 1-Jul-1941 5,400,000 1-Jan-1950 6,638,000
1-Jan-1934 4,200,000 1-Jan-1942 5,540,000 1-Jul-1950 6,720,000
1-Jan-1935 4,300,000 1-Jul-1942 5,645,000 1-Jan-1951 6,814,000
1-Jan-1936 4,440,000 1-Jan-1943 5,715,000 1-Jul-1951 6,900,000
1-Jan-1937 4,610,000 1-Jul-1945 5,775,000 1-Jan-1952 7,010,000
1-Jul-1937 4,675,000 1-Jan-1946 5,849,000 1-Jul-1952 7,150,000
1-Jan-1938 4,800,000 1-Jul-1946 6,010,000 1-Jan-1953 7,270,000
1-Jul-1938 4,840,000 1-Jan-1947 6,124,000 1-Jul-1953 7,340,000
1-Jan-1939 4,965,000 1-Jul-1947 6,170,000 1-Jan-1954 7,420,000
1-Jul-1939 5,065,000 1-Jan-1948 6,310,000    
1-Jan-1940 5,155,000 1-Jul-1948 6,415,000    

#6 ended with s/n 4,747,400

Meaning of diferent letters added to serial numbers:

"M" started for "Master" model, October 1.937
"S" started with s/n 5,230,828
"SS" started with s/n 6,000,000 on May 1, 1946
Model #150 with s/n starting at 7,500,000on Jan 1, 1954

model #6

 

Years of production and serial numbers for Portable Universal 4 bank F

date s.n. date s.n.
1-Jan-1926 18,000 1-Jan-1936 887,000
1-Jan-1927 80,000 1-Jan-1937 1,043,000
1-Jan-1928 140,000 1-Jan-1938 1,120,000
1-Jan-1929 214,000 1-Jan-1939 1,215,000
1-Jan-1930 490,000 1-Jan-1940 1,300,000
1-Jan-1931 557,000 1-Jan-1941 1,393,000
1-Jan-1932 570,000 1-Jan-1942 1,442,000
1-Jan-1933 635,000 1-Jan-1946 1,558,000
1-Jan-1934 716,000 1-Jan-1947 1,667,000
1-Jan-1935 799,000 1-Jan-1948 1,798,000

portable

 

Years of production and serial numbers for Noiseless

date s.n. date s.n.
*1-Jul-1929 N3600001 1-Jan-1938 4800000
*1-Jan-1930 N3605806 1-Jan-1939 4965000
*1-Jan-1931 N3831583 1-Jan-1940 N5155000
*1-Jan-1932 N3882689 1-Jan-1941 N5340000
*1-Jan-1933 N3885821 1-Jan-1942 N5563000
*1-Jan-1934 N3895848 1-Jan-1943 N5690000
*1-Nov-1934 N3896634 1.944-1.945
World War II
1-Jan-1935 3924000 *1-Jul-1946 5902168
1-Jan-1936 3944000 *1-Jan-1947 5909999
1-Jan-1937 3966000 *1-Jan-1948 5928384
    *1-Jan-1949 N5937000

*From 1929 to end 1934, and from 1946 to 1949, this model was manufactured by Remington for Underwood.

The first unit was put on market (not manufactured) Nov. 14, 1929

1949: Remington sold Underwood the last 5.000 units of black finish Noiseless at termination of their contract. Underwood changed a few to gray finish.

1951: Underwood sold about 1.000 units to the Superior Typewriter Co. on a consignement basis at $100.00 per unit. Thus, they closed out their stock of Noiseless machines.

Underwood noiseless

 

Years of production and serial numbers for portable Noiseless 77
date s.n. date s.n.
1-Feb-1932 543150 1-Jan-1940 1040282
1-Jan-1933 577890 1-Jan-1941 1040296
1-Jan-1934 650066 1.942
World War II
1-Jan-1935 708150 1.943-1.945
World War II
1-Jan-1936 790136 1-May-1946 1502099
1-Jan-1937 844808 1-Jan-1947 1514999
1-Jan-1938 968173 1-Jan-1948 1638997
1-Jan-1939 1040238 1-Feb-1948 1639000

this model was manufactured by Remington for Underwood, and is similar to "Remington Noiseless 7" model.

From Oct 8, 1935 both Underwood Noiseless Portable & Underwood Noiseless Portable 77 in same serial numbers..

Feb 1, 1938 started using prefix letters "P" & "Q"

"P" for Noiseless Portable
"Q" for Noiseless Portable 77

Underwood Portable Noiseless 77

Thanks to Richard Polt for this information. Visit The Classic Typewriter page for lots of useful information

If you want to contribute with information click here.

 

 

Last update: 18 Mar, 2001
(c) Joan Sales